Sub 3Hr Marathon
1 lurker |
314 watchers
Oct 2024
11:53am, 8 Oct 2024
2,451 posts
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Brunski
I loved reading about you going sub-3 @Bazoaxe, you had so many near misses before that it was special to (virtually) see you tick it off!
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Oct 2024
7:24pm, 8 Oct 2024
192 posts
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DT19
Lmh, yes that was a good shout. It was pretty warm and sunny yesterday lunchtime, probably close to Chicago forecast but went long sleeves. Today also did same though it was cooler. Forecast has changed a reasonable amount and is shifting every few hours or do when I look. Very hot Friday then things cool quite a bit. If Mondays forecast could come forwards 24 hours we'll be bang on! |
Oct 2024
8:19am, 9 Oct 2024
355 posts
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OO61
I noticed passing the two sub 3 pacers in Chester, both going slowly at 23 miles. Just found their |
Oct 2024
8:21am, 9 Oct 2024
4,586 posts
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Cheg
What kind of calibre do you need to be a pacer? Are you an athlete capable of doing 2:40 athlete and running a 3:00?
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Oct 2024
10:24am, 9 Oct 2024
193 posts
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DT19
That does seem an odd approach, they'll have run everyone else into the ground by mile 23 at that pace. I always take the view that if you are good enough to sub 3 you don't need a pacer. I also think it is totally reckless to spend all that time training then turn up on raceday to follow the unknown plan of a complete stranger. I tend to think to be a good sub 3 pacer you need to be marathon trained and capable of low 2.40s. I read a post recently from a guy who was a 2.50s runner who agreed to pace his mate to a 3.30 mara. He assumed it would be a piece of cake but all his 20m training runs were done in 2.20, he fell apart after 3 hours as his body couldn't handle to gait of that pace or running for that long. A marathon is still a marathon even if you are running slower than capacity. |
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Oct 2024
10:37am, 9 Oct 2024
4,587 posts
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Cheg
Yeah it is definitely on the runner to use their own judgement about sticking with a pacer, and to ignore them if they are going well above the required pace. I'm sure they are useful for some, but I always find a great horde of people around the pacer and it makes it difficult for others wanting to pass. |
Oct 2024
11:02am, 9 Oct 2024
46,361 posts
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SPR
DT19 wrote: I always take the view that if you are good enough to sub 3 you don't need a pacer. World records wouldn't have pacers if this was true. Someone on the limit could do it based on very good pacers although a group in the race could serve the same purpose. The pacing job described above is ridiculous and would ruin a lot of races (even for those that back off, there's a mental reset because you aren't getting the expected support you planned for). I think it's ok for us to think it's reckless to follow a pacer because they can't be trusted, but if they were of elite standard, we wouldn't have that issue. |
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Oct 2024
11:04am, 9 Oct 2024
46,362 posts
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SPR
It's interesting also that elite pacing is never to the end (well it can be for women in mixed races but that's why they have a women's only record as well).
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Oct 2024
11:18am, 9 Oct 2024
195 posts
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DT19
Spr, yes of course I am not referring to elite pacers who will have worked with the athletes in advance and been given a very very specific pace plan mile by mile, 5k to 5k. As you say, even the elites pace themselves home. I'm talking about turning up at the start line spotting a stranger with a flag and tagging on the back. You're far better placed to run your own plan. |
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Oct 2024
11:28am, 9 Oct 2024
46,363 posts
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SPR
A lot of people wouldn't know that though. It's really an issue with the pacers though, as on a reasonable terrain course, with GPS watches it shouldn't be to hard to do a semi reasonable job to say 30km if you're running something within your comfort zone. |
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