The Sub 3 Support Thread

ThebitterLemon

Itziger wrote: »

Hmmmm, I'm in between a bit. Did a 'target' Half two weeks ago and was happy enough with it (1.22.38) Since then we've come to Spain for Summer hols, about a month, and the heat is screwing things up a bit. Did a 10k race yesterday and that wasn't too much fun but more importantly, I find it hard to envisage many 20 milers in these conditions. Minimum temps here in Valencia and environs are about 22/23. I'll try to keep things ticking over but I'd be looking at late October at the very least for marathon. San Seb or Valencia would be good in November but flights aren't great. I'll either go for a local one in late Oct. or Pisa in December again.

I'd give my left nut for that HM time, you're in great shape!!

TbL

Itziger

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

I'd give my left nut for that HM time, you're in great shape!!

TbL

Hehe, nah, just asked herself there and she said she's happy to stick with my left nut all the same.

My problem is simply converting the 1.22 to a 2.59!!! I mean, I know I'm crap at Maths but Jaysus.

ThebitterLemon

Itziger wrote: »

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

I'd give my left nut for that HM time, you're in great shape!!

TbL

Hehe, nah, just asked herself there and she said she's happy to stick with my left nut all the same.

My problem is simply converting the 1.22 to a 2.59!!! I mean, I know I'm crap at Maths but Jaysus.

You've been unlucky in fairness, a bit of the longer stuff and some confidence and you'll easily do it. At my age I'd consider giving my right nut too

TbL

DC.

Hi, folks. Somehow I have missed 'boards.ie' all my life so this is my first day & post

Delighted to have ran a 2:56:02 in Dublin last year. What a feeling!

I'm not sure what advice I could give anyone on here as it sounds like everyone is already doing what I did.

Darrel.

Itziger

DC. wrote: »

Hi, folks. Somehow I have missed 'boards.ie' all my life so this is my first day & post

Delighted to have ran a 2:56:02 in Dublin last year. What a feeling!

I'm not sure what advice I could give anyone on here as it sounds like everyone is already doing what I did.

Darrel.

I think you could tell us a tiny bit about previous attempts , training, other distance pb's..... C'mon, now that you've found it, tell us a bit more.

DC.

Itziger wrote: »

I think you could tell us a tiny bit about previous attempts , training, other distance pb's..... C'mon, now that you've found it, tell us a bit more.

OK. Dublin was 6th marathon, started running in 2011 training for the Belfast marathon with my brother we ran 3:43. Messed about playing soccer for a few more years, whilst still doing Belfast every May Day.

Started to focus purely on running the past 18months or so & my times improved no end.

Only ever ran 1 5k & it was part of a triathlon relay. 19.05
10k: 37:30
10m: 1:01:26
1/2: 1:21:25

I struggle to run any more than 40mpw. I know people run a lot more but I've never been able to. Would love to mind.

demfad

Itziger wrote: »

Hmmmm, I'm in between a bit. Did a 'target' Half two weeks ago and was happy enough with it (1.22.38) Since then we've come to Spain for Summer hols, about a month, and the heat is screwing things up a bit. Did a 10k race yesterday and that wasn't too much fun but more importantly, I find it hard to envisage many 20 milers in these conditions. Minimum temps here in Valencia and environs are about 22/23. I'll try to keep things ticking over but I'd be looking at late October at the very least for marathon. San Seb or Valencia would be good in November but flights aren't great. I'll either go for a local one in late Oct. or Pisa in December again.

Hi Itziger. Fartlek runs are a great way to enjoy holiday runs and get some training in. My advice would be to concentrate on your LT which should be pretty good after the Half. Runs at LT and paces around it are great.
But runs at a faster pace with a bigger recovery will compliment this and the shorter runs suit the holiday.


For speed something like
30s on 60s off repeat. When you get tired jog for 5 misn easy and go again. 2-3 sets. Leave a little energy to run 3+ mins @ say 5k-10k pace. The reason is you'll take the good form into your LT based runs.

LT based fartleks:

WU: then Do 2-3 of the 30s fast reps above to 'lock into' the good running form again.

So you could do 3-5 mins LT, 30-90s off repeat
Or 10 mins MP effort, 5 mins LT, 3 mins 10k, 90s 5k , 45s 3k (repeat if necessary)

These are all suggestions. Make them up yourself, try a few uphill and enjoy it. You should make up the Fartlek to fit in with how your feeling and with your holiday. Bending the training around life is a great thing to learn and a holiday is a good place to practice where enjoying the holiday has to take precedence over the running.

If you get the odd long one in great but i wouldnt sweat it (metaphorically)

FBOT01

DC. wrote: »

Hi, folks. Somehow I have missed 'boards.ie' all my life so this is my first day & post

Delighted to have ran a 2:56:02 in Dublin last year. What a feeling!

I'm not sure what advice I could give anyone on here as it sounds like everyone is already doing what I did.

Darrel.

How did you find DCM 2015 itself? What was your target time and did all go to plan? What was your best marathon time before DCM 2015? Are you a club runner? What plan did you follow for DCM 2015?

DC.

FBOT01 wrote: »

How did you find DCM 2015 itself? What was your target time and did all go to plan? What was your best marathon time before DCM 2015? Are you a club runner? What plan did you follow for DCM 2015?

Hi, I thought it was a good day for running, not perfect as there was a head wind in the second half.
I was running on my own mostly but once in the head wind around 6/7 of us (all strangers) started working together taking turns at leading a train, switching round every few minutes or so. We knew this was working as we caught so many people trying to go on their own.

My target was anything under 3 hours. Thought before the start I would get close but knew full well a lot can happen in the marathon.

My splits were:
10k: 40:46
1/2: 1:25:25
30k: 2:02:40
Faster start than I had imagined but just went with it at the time.

My previous best was a 3:21 in Belfast last May Day so a 25min pb in Dublin.

I joined a running club (Ballydrain Harriers) the month after DCM.

The plan that helped me was one from the MyAsics website - didn't follow it religiously but gave me a rough idea of what I should be at.

I raced mostly 1/2's leading up to DCM, we have a Half Marathon series here up North which runs most of the running season, March-September. I found this really helpful.

rooneyjm

DC. wrote: »

FBOT01 wrote: »

How did you find DCM 2015 itself? What was your target time and did all go to plan? What was your best marathon time before DCM 2015? Are you a club runner? What plan did you follow for DCM 2015?

Hi, I thought it was a good day for running, not perfect as there was a head wind in the second half.
I was running on my own mostly but once in the head wind around 6/7 of us (all strangers) started working together taking turns at leading a train, switching round every few minutes or so. We knew this was working as we caught so many people trying to go on their own.

My target was anything under 3 hours. Thought before the start I would get close but knew full well a lot can happen in the marathon.

My splits were:
10k: 40:46
1/2: 1:25:25
30k: 2:02:40
Faster start than I had imagined but just went with it at the time.

My previous best was a 3:21 in Belfast last May Day so a 25min pb in Dublin.

I joined a running club (Ballydrain Harriers) the month after DCM.

The plan that helped me was one from the MyAsics website - didn't follow it religiously but gave me a rough idea of what I should be at.

I raced mostly 1/2's leading up to DCM, we have a Half Marathon series here up North which runs most of the running season, March-September. I found this really helpful.

Fair play, nice improvement in one year and on only 40 miles a week.

FBOT01

DC. wrote: »

Hi, I thought it was a good day for running, not perfect as there was a head wind in the second half.
I was running on my own mostly but once in the head wind around 6/7 of us (all strangers) started working together taking turns at leading a train, switching round every few minutes or so. We knew this was working as we caught so many people trying to go on their own.

My target was anything under 3 hours. Thought before the start I would get close but knew full well a lot can happen in the marathon.

My splits were:
10k: 40:46
1/2: 1:25:25
30k: 2:02:40
Faster start than I had imagined but just went with it at the time.

My previous best was a 3:21 in Belfast last May Day so a 25min pb in Dublin.

I joined a running club (Ballydrain Harriers) the month after DCM.

The plan that helped me was one from the MyAsics website - didn't follow it religiously but gave me a rough idea of what I should be at.

I raced mostly 1/2's leading up to DCM, we have a Half Marathon series here up North which runs most of the running season, March-September. I found this really helpful.

rooneyjm wrote: »

Fair play, nice improvement in one year and on only 40 miles a week.

Yes nice improvement idea. A couple more questions if you don't mind the whole sub 3 on 40miles/week has got me very curious.

What was your sporting background before taking up running? Where you involved in any endurance sport? How much non-running training did you do during in the run up to DCM? What did this consist of? How many runs of 20miles or more did you do during your DCM training plan.......and finally, I'd love to see the plan that you followed but in the absence of that any chance you could share with us what your training weeks 4 and 5 weeks out from DCM looked like or some other samples of your weekly schedule?

DC.

FBOT01 wrote: »

[

Yes nice improvement idea. A couple more questions if you don't mind the whole sub 3 on 40miles/week has got me very curious.

What was your sporting background before taking up running? Where you involved in any endurance sport? How much non-running training did you do during in the run up to DCM? What did this consist of? How many runs of 20miles or more did you do during your DCM training plan.......and finally, I'd love to see the plan that you followed but in the absence of that any chance you could share with us what your training weeks 4 and 5 weeks out from DCM looked like or some other samples of your weekly schedule?

I used to play soccer for years, being one of the fittest on the team I played midfield. During the last year playing I tore ankle ligaments so decided that year would do me.
Never took part in any endurance sports before running.

Non-running training consisted of gym work for core & some strength work. (maybe 2 or 3 times pw). I usually rested on a Saturday before a long run or a race on Sunday.

Ran four 20milers in the lead up to DCM, the last one being 22m on October 4th.

Can't find the plan I used but it was from the MyAsics app on my phone. You enter the date of your race, the time you hope to run & your previous time for that distance. It works it all out for you. Just setup another one for this years DCM.

Last 7/8 weeks or so of training:
Pace listed as average
6th Sept: 19m @ 7:28
9th Sept: 6m @ 6:42
11th Sept: 7m @ 7:02
13th Sept: 16m @ 7:19
16th Sept: 11m @ 7:20
20th Sept: 13.1 @ 6:11 *Belfast half
22nd Sept: 2m @ 7:34
23rd Sept: 7m @ 7:03
25th Sept: 5m @ 7:41
27th Sept: 20m @ 7:21
29th Sept: 5m @ 7:45
4th Oct: 22m @ 7:36
6th Oct: 5m @ 7:31
7th Oct: 4m @ 7:33
9th Oct: 7m @ 7:02
11th Oct: 13m @ 7:03
18th Oct: 11m @ 6:51
23rd Oct: 4m @ 7:08
26th Oct: 26.2m @ 6:41. DCM

This approach may not work for everyone but it's I what felt was right for me. I hope to add more miles to this year training plan.

Also doing London next year for the 1st time.

Feel free to ask any more questions

davedanon

Are you under 40?

DC.

davedanon wrote: »

Are you under 40?

Just turned 30 in March.

davedanon

Heh. Man discovers forum, then gets grilled for two days about his achievements.

DC.

Haha it brought back some great memories

rooneyjm

A suspicious bunch around here. Your plan flies in the face of most approaches/plans/books etc for a sub 3. Relatively low mileage, not much slow running, not much tempo work, lots of days off but if it worked it worked. I'm sure someone will jump in with a "imagine what you could do with a proper plan"

ger664

rooneyjm wrote: »

A suspicious bunch around here. Your plan flies in the face of most approaches/plans/books etc for a sub 3. Relatively low mileage, not much slow running, not much tempo work, lots of days off but if it worked it worked. I'm sure someone will jump in with a "imagine what you could do with a proper plan"

He just didn't have a load of easy/recovery runs. 50% of your weekly mileage will come from these type runs. While a recovery run is the most effective way to recovery, Stationary bike, swim or walk can be just as effective once they are done at a very sedative effort.

rooneyjm

ger664 wrote: »

He just didn't have a load of easy/recovery runs. 50% of your weekly mileage will come from these type runs. While a recovery run is the most effective way to recovery, Stationary bike, swim or walk can be just as effective once they are done at a very sedative effort.

Don't get me wrong, 40 miles a week is music to my ears

ThebitterLemon

rooneyjm wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, 40 miles a week is music to my ears

Jazus, didn't Bulmers do that type of mileage a day on his last cycle

TbL

TFBubendorfer

rooneyjm wrote: »

A suspicious bunch around here. Your plan flies in the face of most approaches/plans/books etc for a sub 3. Relatively low mileage, not much slow running, not much tempo work, lots of days off but if it worked it worked. I'm sure someone will jump in with a "imagine what you could do with a proper plan"

"Imagine what he could do with a proper plan!"

Some people are just like that.

A friend of mine cannot follow a plan. His mind just doesn't work that way, he runs whatever he feels like without following any proper structure (at least none I can identify). It doesn't stop him from being a 2:42 marathoner.

Gavlor

ger664 wrote: »

He just didn't have a load of easy/recovery runs. 50% of your weekly mileage will come from these type runs. While a recovery run is the most effective way to recovery, Stationary bike, swim or walk can be just as effective once they are done at a very sedative effort.

100% agree with this.

DC.

I would walk my dog for at least an hour on a Sunday afternoon post Long Run.

There it is the secret to a Sub3: Walking your dog!

I'm interested to try a different plan now after all this talk.

FBOT01

Gavlor wrote: »

Three words....

Mileage, mileage, mileage.

Best of luck!

Gavlor wrote: »

100% agree with this.

I'll just leave this here

FBOT01

DC. wrote: »

I would walk my dog for at least an hour on a Sunday afternoon post Long Run.

There it is the secret to a Sub3: Walking your dog!

I'm interested to try a different plan now after all this talk.

I have a 12 year old Golden Retriever that I have been walking pretty much daily for the last 12 years so must be walking him at the wrong pace.......better start using the heart monitor and checking me dog walking zones

rooneyjm

DC. wrote: »

I would walk my dog for at least an hour on a Sunday afternoon post Long Run.

There it is the secret to a Sub3: Walking your dog!

I'm interested to try a different plan now after all this talk.

Run yourself into the ground until the only thing you can think of is the day after the marathon when you don't have to run anymore

DC.

I like that thinking!

I hate the training but love the racing

CR 7

DC. wrote: »

I would walk my dog for at least an hour on a Sunday afternoon post Long Run.

There it is the secret to a Sub3: Walking your dog!

I'm interested to try a different plan now after all this talk.

That was all I can see from this post.:)

I was actually planning on trying this out this weekend, rather than the usual strategy of just lounging around in front of something sports-related on TV.

aero2k

FBOT01 wrote: »

I have a 12 year old Golden Retriever that I have been walking pretty much daily for the last 12 years so must be walking him at the wrong pace.......better start using the heart monitor and checking me dog walking zones

On you or the dog?

Coffee Fulled Runner

A lot of the race calculators estimate a sub 64 minutes 10mile or a sub 85 half should be good enough for a sub 3 marathon. What's the feeling here on it for a first time marathon? Too much to ask not knowing how you'd react on that kind of distance?