Sub-4 hour marathon within 12 months?

run44

Hi all,

So I‘ve finally decided to start my own log to keep better track of my training (and as a result of a healthy dose of peer pressure!). Having completed two marathons now, I’m hoping to improve my time with the target of achieving a sub-4hour marathon within the next 12 months. Realistic? I'm not sure, but will go for it anyway!

Dublin Marathon October 2011: 4:21:29
Barcelona Marathon March 2012: 4:12:45

However, there are a few potential issues with this goal before I even start. I’m in the final year of my PhD and probably will be living and breathing the write-up for the next 6-8 months. At the same time though, I think it’ll be helpful to have a goal beyond surviving the PhD and, you know, why not heap a bit more pressure on! Seriously though, the running has been great to manage the stress of it and to keep things in perspective.

At the moment Dublin 2012 is on the cards as my next marathon. I’m planning on doing the race series again this year and would love to better last year’s half-marathon time and go for a sub-50minute 10k.

Other PBs over shorter distances:

5k: 24:11 (Tom Brennan 5k, 2012)
5m: 42:00 (AWARE 5m, 2011)
10k: 52:51 (Women’s Mini-Marathon 2011)
10m: 1:31:44 (Frank Duffy 10m 2011)
Half-marathon: 1:56:42 (Dublin half-marathon 2011)

I’ve bought P&D’s Advanced Marathoning and am hoping to improve my fitness and with the aim of using their 'up to 55 mile' programme for Dublin in October.

Right, so now to log a bit of running! After Barcelona I took a break to catch up on work stuff, but have been out twice this week and am hoping to get back into a regular routine now again.

Monday 9th April – 4miles – average pace 9:40min/mi, no HRM, total time 38:46

Wednesday 11th April – 3.75m – average pace 9:25min/mi, average HR 166, total time 35:24

Busy week this week but hoping to get a 5 miler in tomorrow and a 90min LSR over the weekend.


Total Miles 2012: 305.4m

shazkea

Welcome to the dark side logs . Good luck with the race series goals and DCM training.

BobMac104

Nice one Run44!! Best of luck with the log and the phd!

couerdelion

From your most recent PB in the 5k the Mcmillan calculator reckons you should be good for 3:55 marathon given the right training.

If you've not used it before have a look and take note of your training paces --> http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/site/calculator

Good luck, your 10m and 10k from last year are pretty similar to mine so I'll be interested to see how you get on.

SuePal

I am training for my first one and use the free training log with asics. www.my.asics.co.uk I found it really good for tracking performance and you can also load routes.

Really good for a free tool.

Good luck with your marathon.

scriba

run44 wrote: »

I’ve bought P&D’s Advanced Marathoning and am hoping to improve my fitness and with the aim of using their 'up to 55 mile' programme for Dublin in October.

I'm thinking of getting this book and doing the 55 mile/18 week programme from Mid-May to prepare for DCM, so I'm very interested to see how you get on. Is that the programme you're going to be doing, and if so, what will you do with the extra weeks?

Best of luck with your preparations and training, you'll smash the 4 hours!

Cutex

That didn't take long-hope you didn't feel too pressured:D

Welcome to the training logs. I'm hoping to do DCM 2012 sub 4 hours too. Bet there will be loads of us going for it come October. I'll be following your training closely for this & hoping for some inspiration along the way. Will see you at the race series too.

Good luck with your studies too, hope we can meet up in the Phoenix Park for some LSRs between your time at the books!

belcarra

Best of luck with this Run44 - I'm sure you'll manage it all no problem!
I was in a similar position last year in that I had done nine marathons and PB was only 4:21. This log outlines my training for NY last November where I managed to slice a half hour off the PB to come home in 3:51 so you might find it useful for your training.
I was also using the P&D 55mpw/18wk plan, so again it should be useful hopefully.

run44

Thanks all!

Cutex wrote: »

Welcome to the training logs. I'm hoping to do DCM 2012 sub 4 hours too. Bet there will be loads of us going for it come October. I'll be following your training closely for this & hoping for some inspiration along the way. Will see you at the race series too.

Good luck with your studies too, hope we can meet up in the Phoenix Park for some LSRs between your time at the books!

Yeah, that would be great. I'm in the Phoenix Park most weekends at some point but must start making it to the LSR meet-ups.

belcarra wrote: »

I was in a similar position last year in that I had done nine marathons and PB was only 4:21. This log outlines my training for NY last November where I managed to slice a half hour off the PB to come home in 3:51 so you might find it useful for your training.
I was also using the P&D 55mpw/18wk plan, so again it should be useful hopefully.

Thanks Belcarra, that gives me hope! Haven't really included much speedwork in my training previously, so am hoping P&D will be good for building on that aspect. Thanks for the link to your log, will be reading that all weekend for inspiration! Taking half an hour off your time is incredibly impressive, and in New York too, what a place to do it!

scriba wrote: »

I'm thinking of getting this book and doing the 55 mile/18 week programme from Mid-May to prepare for DCM, so I'm very interested to see how you get on. Is that the programme you're going to be doing, and if so, what will you do with the extra weeks?

Looks like there will be a few of us in the post-DCM 2011 thread on this plan for 2012 so! At the moment, I'm using HH Novice 2 to build up mileage again and to maintain fitness. Will also be relying on e-coli's great advice in the DCM thread for a bit of speedwork too.

run44

Friday 13th April – 5m – average pace 9:31min/mi, average HR 166, total time 47:44

Lovely run in the Phoenix Park this afternoon


Total Miles 2012: 310.4m

Dory Dory

Good luck to you in your quest for a sub 4 hour marathon this year. I have no doubt with the fine folks on this site keeping watch over you, and with some structure and hardwork from you yourself, you will break that 4 hour mark with no problem.

red face dave

Good luck Run with the log. See you at the start line in October (hopefully).

run44

Saturday 14th April – 10m – average pace 9:33min/mi, average HR 172, total time 1:35:17

Probably took this a bit fast today, but felt good not to pay to much attention to the Garmin. Longest run since Barcelona and a lovely morning for it.

Total Miles 2012: 320.4m

Nules10

Yay another log to follow very best of luck with the sub4 quest. No probs to you. Hopefully you will make it to some of the group runs over the summer.

run44

Busy one this week with a conference in the UK later in the week so hoping to get two short runs in before I head off (4-5m) and a 2 hour LSR (approx 12m) on Sunday when I get back... best laid plans though :rolleyes:

run44

Tuesday 17th April – 4.3m – average pace 9:14min/mi, average HR 165, total time 39:34

run44

Sunday 22nd April – 11m – average pace 9:58min/mi, average HR 168, total time 1:49:52

Younganne

Hi Runn44...welcome to Logland:D..I only found your log now...hope the running is going well for you.

Looks like a few of use from DCM2011 are aiming for sub 4hr this year....don't know for me how realistic it is, but i'm prepared to put in the work so we'll see what happens. I intend following P&D up 55mwks too and at the moment i am trying to get the 33m weekly miles in..at he moment i'm doing it over 5 runs but need to get that down to the 4 runs for the first week of the plan so will be working towards that in the next few weeks!!!

We'll all be able to help each other along!!

run44

Younganne wrote: »

Hi Runn44...welcome to Logland:D..I only found your log now...hope the running is going well for you.

Looks like a few of use from DCM2011 are aiming for sub 4hr this year....don't know for me how realistic it is, but i'm prepared to put in the work so we'll see what happens. I intend following P&D up 55mwks too and at the moment i am trying to get the 33m weekly miles in..at he moment i'm doing it over 5 runs but need to get that down to the 4 runs for the first week of the plan so will be working towards that in the next few weeks!!!

We'll all be able to help each other along!!

Hey Anne, thanks! Yes, hoping to join you with the P&D programme though health issues for the past week or two have meant I havent been out running at all. Hoping to be back able for it this weekend. To be honest, the wind was fierce this week, didn't mind being house-bound!

I do a couple of runs every week in the Phoenix Park so we'll definitely have to meet up to drag each other along

Younganne

run44 wrote: »

Hey Anne, thanks! Yes, hoping to join you with the P&D programme though health issues for the past week or two have meant I havent been out running at all. Hoping to be back able for it this weekend. To be honest, the wind was fierce this week, didn't mind being house-bound!

I do a couple of runs every week in the Phoenix Park so we'll definitely have to meet up to drag each other along

Hope you are back to full health..take it easy getting back into it....

Definitely be up for meeting...i usually run lunchtime Tue, Wed & Thur, but if 5pm suits better i can swap a few of them...depends on what i have on at home...1hrs drive home..it would be great for company and i think we have very similar times so out pace should be similar..... PM anyday if you know your plans and we'll see if we can meet up....:D

run44

Saturday May 5th - Back running after 2 weeks. A nice 6m to get me back in the swing of things!

scriba

Good work! It's good to get out there after a gap.

run44

Getting back into the routine...

4.75m pace run on Tuesday, 38:52m, average HR 177

5m today, 48:11, average HR 169

sunflowerRo

Best of luck with the new log run44. i think I met you on one of the LSRs last year?
I too am hoping for a sub 4 with P&D or HH advanced (cant decide).
I think the running is exactly what you need to get you by the dreaded write up phase and the psychosis that goes with it
Best a luck!

run44

sunflowerRo wrote: »

Best of luck with the new log run44. i think I met you on one of the LSRs last year?
I too am hoping for a sub 4 with P&D or HH advanced (cant decide).
I think the running is exactly what you need to get you by the dreaded write up phase and the psychosis that goes with it
Best a luck!

Thanks! Yes, I did meet you very briefly on one the of last runs before DCM alright. Hoping to get along to more of the LSRs this year!

Yep, going to try P&D and see how it goes. I'll need a distraction from the books and the the running will ensure I balance physical fatigue with mental fatigue

sunflowerRo

Wait till your taper madness co-incides with write-up psychosis :):)

run44

sunflowerRo wrote: »

Wait till your taper madness co-incides with write-up psychosis :):)

Haha - I actually hadn't thought about that! Wow - I'm going to have to remove myself from society for those few weeks

run44

Lovely run this morning in the Phoenix Park before it got too busy and before the rain

10 miles, 1:37:51, average HR 175, average pace 9:47

Younganne

run44 wrote: »

Yep, going to try P&D and see how it goes.

think there might be a few of us targeting the P&D 18 wk 55m plan...it will be great to share it with someone else especially when we're trying to make out what exactly we are suppose to be doing:eek: some of the lingo is still a bit "foreign" to me!!

run44

Younganne wrote: »

think there might be a few of us targeting the P&D 18 wk 55m plan...it will be great to share it with someone else especially when we're trying to make out what exactly we are suppose to be doing:eek: some of the lingo is still a bit "foreign" to me!!

Very relieved I'm not the only one who finds it a bit tough to get my head around!! I just need someone to tell me in very specific terms, what distance, how fast, and where I should keep my heart rate! I've been reading other blogs of people who have used it for a bit of insight. Hopefully between a few of us we'll be able to figure it out

belcarra

Folks, if ye have any specific questions about the plan then either mention them here (if Run44 doesn't mind), ask them on my training log, or perhaps more correctly open up a specific thread relating to the training plan because I'm sure there are many other people in the same boat as you guys.
Feel free to ask anyways 'cos we've all been there!!