[Katten]

Hiya

What sort of weekly mileage is recommended if you want to run a sub-3hr marathon? 70-80ish? What ratio of normal runs / speedwork / hills / long runs? :huh: And how long would it take to build average speed up from about 7:15 / mile to 6:50 - 6:45 ish?

Thanks!

 

[LazyJones]

That's a tough one.

I'm no expert having done only one, but firstly I think you need to get your 10k speed down to 38:00 & half marathon to sub 1:25 to have a chance of sub 3hr. And even then you'll need to marathon train perfectly to break 3hr.

What mileage & training did you do for your last marathon?

 

[Katten]

1:33ish half marathon, about 45-55 miles per week 5 sessions / week on average; one or two speedwork / sand sessions per week. 3:24 finish time

 

[LazyJones]

Pretty impressive then! I would guess you will have to up your mileage to 70 to have a chance.

I quite like this site's ideas on Marathon training:

http://www.therunzone.com/TinmanMarathonTrainingPhilosophy.html

I started to train like this for my Marathon (2 longer sessions a week) but I got an injury at Christmas that keep me down to a 35 mile per week average. I will try to train like this for my next one though.

When are you planning your next one Katten?

 

[Katten]

Amsterdam - October And maybe a 1/2 or full one here in Gdynia in July. But not aiming to hit sub-3 this year, just moving towards that goal.

Thanks for the help

 

[LazyJones]

No problem

I'm ultimately looking to break 3hrs too, but I probably won't be trying again until next year, race you to it

 

[Katten]

Yer on!!

 

[JBBury]

I can run a half marathon in 1:25 and tend to run 25-35 miles per week (I don't do interval training/hill work or anything like that). I wouldn't attempt a marathon yet, but if I was trying to break 3 hours, I think I would up my mileage to 50+ a week. I doubt it will ever happen though, because I'm too lazy to run that much.

 

[Katten]

60ish miles per week seems to be the thing to go for. Should be manageable

 

[steepler]

This should help.

Sub 3 hour marathon training schedule from Runnersworld

 

[richardsimkiss]

I'd love to run a sub 3hour Marathon, but I just don't know if I'd have the endurance for it! Obviously it's something you have to train bloody hard for and endurance will come as a result - but building 'speed endurance' I find to be bloody hard! I mean I can run 18miles slowly, and I can run 10k quickly... but come half marathon I just can't maintain my speed throughout the race! Guessing I'm just suited to the shorter distances, though I still really wanna do a sub 3hr Marathon!

Guess i'll see when the FLM entries are drawn out the hat as to whether I'll be giving it a go in 2009

 

[JBBury]

I'd love to run a sub 3hour Marathon, but I just don't know if I'd have the endurance for it! Obviously it's something you have to train bloody hard for and endurance will come as a result - but building 'speed endurance' I find to be bloody hard! I mean I can run 18miles slowly, and I can run 10k quickly... but come half marathon I just can't maintain my speed throughout the race! Guessing I'm just suited to the shorter distances, though I still really wanna do a sub 3hr Marathon!

Guess i'll see when the FLM entries are drawn out the hat as to whether I'll be giving it a go in 2009

I'm with you there Richard. Don't think my body was made for long endurance running. I have good basic speed, and can keep good pace up to half marathon, but I don't think I could go much beyond that. After running for 3 years now, I think I was built to be a 5k and 10k runner.

 

[LazyJones]

Rubbish! You could both do good marathons and have the potential for sub 3!

The fact you have the speed for shorter distances is a help for the marathon as it means your cruising speed is naturally good. You just have to train your bodies to get your endurance up to the level needed to last the 26 miles at 6:50p

It's a commitment though, and I think you're right JB, 50 miles a week + is probably necessary.

I'll never forget the feeling of meltdown I had when I did mine in April, I cruised the 1st 1/2 in just under 1:29 but by 20-21 I was running in treacle - horrible! 35 miles a week just didn't give me the endurance to keep the pace beyond 18-19 miles.

 

[JBBury]

You might be right there LazyJones. I guess it ultimately comes down to how much motivation you have and how much you're willing to put in. I'm happy with running 30 miles a week and trying to get some good PBs up to half marathon, but I've never had the burning ambition to complete a marathon, let alone get a good time, which might make me an odd runner. Seems most people who start running aim from the beginning to do a marathon. I will die a content man even if I never run that distance. Also, I think if i regularly ran 50+ miles a week, I would lose my enjoyment of running and would be worried about picking up injuries.

Then again, in a couple of years I might suddenly get the marathon bug and really go for it who knows? I do have a lot of respect for people who aim for and eventually manage to bag a sub 3 hour marathon. That's pretty intense running.

 

[LazyJones]

I know what you mean. I get bored doing lots of miles a week and that's what you have to do, but I now know I will have to do another one to put the sub three to bed. Then I will retire from marathon running!

 

[richardsimkiss]

I'll have been running for 3 years come November JBB and I'm starting to think the same thing about 5k & 10k's Are you sure you're not me, in the parallel universe that is Scotland? :lol:

I still want to manage decent half marathon times but full marathon training will come at teh expense of 10k specific training I feel... I've got plenty of time left to try a marathon, and it's not a distance I expect to excel at, so wouldn;t be too fussed if I don't do one anytime soon. I'm not one to shy away from a challenge though

 

[JBBury]

I'll have been running for 3 years come November JBB and I'm starting to think the same thing about 5k & 10k's Are you sure you're not me, in the parallel universe that is Scotland? :lol:

I still want to manage decent half marathon times but full marathon training will come at teh expense of 10k specific training I feel... I've got plenty of time left to try a marathon, and it's not a distance I expect to excel at, so wouldn;t be too fussed if I don't do one anytime soon. I'm not one to shy away from a challenge though

I think I may well be you (just 10 years older), although I haven't broken 30 minutes for 5 miles you lucky man

By the way, when are you going to run a 5k race or time trial to get that awful 23:27 off your stats? Did you not time the first 5k of your 10k PB so you could put down a sub 20?

 

[richardsimkiss]

nope... I don't tend to wear a watch when I'm racing unless it's a club race, since they don't really matter too much - it's just a timed training run since I spend the whole time running on my own anyway :lol:

I'm quite proud of my 5k PB thank you very much I'll have a look at some of my garmin runs and see if I can find an unofficial 5k pb

 

[Runningfox]

Rubbish! You could both do good marathons and have the potential for sub 3! I think you're right JB, 50 miles a week + is probably necessary.
.

I've been looking at my running diary for the build-up to London'93. From January 1st - April 17th (the day before the marathon) I ran 696 miles. This averages out at 6½ miles a day, or 45½ miles a week - which isn't excessive. The secret is in getting the right mix of quality and quantity. That, and programming the
mind for 26 miles.
I ran ten races prior to London that year: three Cross-country championships, two fell races (longest 10½ miles) and five road races (longest 14½ miles). In addition I did seven long hilly fell runs of around 18 miles for endurance and quite a bit of speed work on the track (fast 400's, 800's and 6min/mile reps).
The training was the hardest part. The race was comparatively easy. I'd planned to run at around 6.45 pace but finished comfortably with a 6.39 pace (2.54.18) to finish inside the top 4% of the field. I hadn't bargained for the burst of adrenalin that helped me go a few seconds a mile faster in a big race atmosphere!
So there's something for you all to aim at, and good luck!
Cheers!

 

[sturunner]

Hiya

What sort of weekly mileage is recommended if you want to run a sub-3hr marathon? 70-80ish? What ratio of normal runs / speedwork / hills / long runs? :huh: And how long would it take to build average speed up from about 7:15 / mile to 6:50 - 6:45 ish?

Thanks!

Hi Katten,

I'm also planning on a sub 3hr marathon (London 2009) I'm by no means an expert but I'm currently running at between 6-6.30/mile and doing 25-30 miles per week over 4 or 5 runs.

I'm planning on upping my milage to about 40-45 miles by December, doing a long run (over 16 miles) each weekend but focusing on the speed aspect of the runs so that when I come to run at 7mins/mile it seems like a doddle.

Thats the plan anyway.