I've been running a couple of years, however I had my appendix out in July and found it difficult to get back into it after the enforced rest. I missed out on the official London ballot and resigned myself to a break from running and to spend winter in the gym instead. However, I've just found out I've got a London place through my job, so need to start training again. Given the massive decline in my fitness and having never had to come back from a break before I have no idea what will be a good target time. In June probably near the peak of my fitness I ran a 1:35 hilly half. I ran a slow 50k in July training up to 45mpw, and ran a 19:45 5k. After my month off in September I done about 4 miles a week and entered an off road marathon to try and get my mojo back but cramped up big time and finished in 4:45 or something, but it was hilly. I entered a 10k in October on pretty much no training and ran 43:45, then pretty much hung up my running shoes until running a 4.5 mile cross country race yesterday that went to show how much my fitness has declined, finishing in 35 minutes something. If I had continued running properly since my 50k, I'd say I'd be aiming at a 3:15 marathon, is it feasible to get back there by April? I'd say I'm probably in 45 minute 10k shape at the moment. If anyone can offer advise on what would be a good target it would be much appreciated. Cheers, Dan
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dan - I think you need to set your target nearer the time.
For now get back into training and start building up your aerobic base again. Enter a couple of races before London, a half marathon 4 or 5 weeks before will give you a strong indicator as to what pace you can run your marathon at.
No reason why you can't get back to your previous level of fitness by then.
amen to the above.
I finished in 1:36:14 so I suppose I'm about back to where I was fitness wise for this distance.
However, training hasn't gone great. Haven't hit a 40 mile week yet, I think I got to 37 and have skipped a few long runs. I've done a 12, a 14 and a couple of 16s but really wanted to be running long runs over three hours by this point.
To make matters worse I injured my calf doing a bloody 1 mile warm up for a gym session.
What was initially a conservative target of 3:30 for London now seems like it might be a stretch. I'd love to hear what others have converted a rougly 1:36 half to in the marathon.
There WAS a thread around about how peoples times have converted - if you google you might find it ?
1:36 is around my recent half time, and i'm aiming for a 3:30, but thats off a full training plan, with some decent mileage under my belt and a solid aerobic base.
So clearly I think going for 3:30 off a 1:36 is reasonable, especially if hilly. Having said that, off a longest run of 16 miles it's all a bit unknown.
I'm going to do 18 this week and 20 the next so 16 won't be my longest run come the starting line.
The race is on 19th March so 5 weeks out from London. After looking at the logistics of the local train stations I'm now thinking to run easy to and from the half and do the half at MP, this would give me a run of around 21 miles.
However, I notice some programs drop the marathon pace segments of the long runs as they get up to 18/21 miles.
Thoughts?