Target reassessed with a smile
March 29th, 2010 by lunamanI realise I’ve been hopeless keeping this blog up to date with this year’s marathon progress. Sorry! After religiously following the Furman schedules based on a 18:19 5k time, aiming at 6:50 marathon pace, I’ve reassessed my marathon target time.
The Furman plan would predict a 3 hour marathon based on that 5k time, but that would be a 14 minute PB from my last PB attempt marathon, two years ago. I’ve decided to be cautious, or sensible, depending on your own relationship to sense, and aim at 7 minute miling throughout, leading to a 3:04 marathon. If I can achieve this, it’ll leave me with a lot more confidence that I can go sub 3 either this year or next, with a bit more training. What’s a matter of five minutes over 3 hours after all?!
Here’s a grey-clouded picture from last Sunday’s long run in the Lampeter area – fantastic quiet country roads on the Sunday morning of the hour change. Hills – they take you higher.
Mynydd Llanybydder 15 mile run
This target reassessment is partly due to the Half marathon time, which is a 3:03 predictor rather than a sub 3 predictor, and anecdotal evidence suggests that you need a 1:23 time to really feel confident about going sub 3. I’ve also felt that 6:50 is really hard to maintain during marathon pace training runs.
I’ll continue the next couple of weeks – yes it’s only a couple of weeks, argh! – training for 6:50, which means a really hard 20 miler this weekend at 7:05. I hope this will all make the eventual marathon itself feel a little more achievable.
Although I’ve now run six, or is it seven marathons, I really have very little skill at computation, I’m already very nervous about this one. 26.2 miles feels like unknown territory yet again, especially at this kind of speed, a good 20 seconds per mile faster than 2 years ago.
One more hard week of training which will consist of the following:
- Tuesday: 10 x 400m @ 1:19 (5:17 minute miling)
- Wednesday: 1 hour biking
- Thursday: 8 miles at marathon pace (6:50 mm)
- Friday: 1 hour biking
- Saturday: run easy 5 miles (no watch, no aim)
- Sunday: 20 miles @ 7:05mm = MP + 15 seconds
- Monday: collapse in a heap
April 2nd, 2010 at 4:28 pm
mmm- i like Monday’s plan. sounds as if my unique approach to fitness is finally rubbing off – heh
April 5th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
I too have followed the Furman plan and, frankly, found it tough going. It did work for me, however.
. So, I’d vote for going along the more cautious route and if you feel good towards the end, you can always hammer out the last few miles. Or, if you have a Garmin watch, programme it for 3:01 or 3:02 and see how you feel after half way. If you are spot on midway and feel great, then you can achieve a sub 3 hour ! Just a thought.
As you say, what is five minutes (unless you are aiming for Boston qualification
I should write about my impressions of the Furman plan more extensively at Nenikikamen.
By the way, what marathon are you running next ? I don’t think you said (sorry, if I missed it).
But good luck anyway ! Xavier
April 6th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Thanks Xavier – it’s Stratford’s Shakespeare marathon I’m running on April 25th. It would be good to hear about your Furman experiences.
In fact I’d get Boston qualification with sub 3:20, and Good For Age status for London with sub 3:10, which should tell you how old I am!
The half way appraisal is not a bad idea. I’m not sure I’d ever feel like upping the pace in the last few miles of a marathon however, whatever speed I was running!
The new plan is to run Brussels marathon in October and try to follow the pacing group there.
April 7th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
That’s great news ! You’re coming to Brussels and thus we can actually meet !! Let us try to organise something before the race.
I’ll be running Brussels too but given that I’m 10 years older (!), you’ll be tearing up the hills leaving me in the dust.
Should be fun !