Sub 3Hr Marathon
313 watchers
13 Jan
11:25am, 13 Jan 2025
110 posts
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EdGreig
Great to see all these 2025 targets! I'm running London with my brother, his first marathon, so we'll be aiming for sub-4. Could I get a sidebar of 2:59 for Chester on 5th October please @jda? I'm on the wait list for Valencia as a back up... |
16 Jan
11:03am, 16 Jan 2025
1,807 posts
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Chris
Looks like a good list of candidates for this year, good luck everyone! I've certainly reached a plateau with running (and have been on it for a few years). I'd be interested to know what people have changed to get past it. E.g. nutritional tips, cross training, specific run types, running with magic crystals etc. I want to have a couple of cracks at marathons this year so can try something a bit different |
16 Jan
1:16pm, 16 Jan 2025
18,354 posts
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jdawayinamanger
Just more mileage and additional years of mileage was what worked for me. Of course it only got me up to a particular level, everyone has a plateau eventually unless they break themselves so severely that it's more of a peak and crash...but even then the plateau was there, they just didn't discover it. I'm of the opinion that if you're doing more or less the right things at a reasonable intensity, there isn't a magic solution that will make the outcome much better. You'll get marginal gains by fine-tuning the details if you're lucky. Not just in running but in just about everything! |
16 Jan
3:31pm, 16 Jan 2025
362 posts
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DT19
It's difficult to know without seeing some training history details, times (particularly a comparison over distances), age, weight etc. For me, I upped my nutrition and recovery game, slept more, maxed out my weight, losing about a stone on racing weight, avoided injury so trained consistently and also progressed my training load. I also took on a coach. If all things ae maxed out the final throw of the dice would be a coach IMO. |
16 Jan
5:01pm, 16 Jan 2025
416 posts
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whiteflash
Could you please put me down for Manchester? Thanks
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16 Jan
8:44pm, 16 Jan 2025
1,808 posts
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Chris
Ahhh come on jda that’s don’t the answer I was looking for 😂 but you’re probably right.
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16 Jan
10:12pm, 16 Jan 2025
746 posts
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OO61
DT I know you are big on sleep but how do you decide to just sleep more? I'm rubbish at sleeping and 5-7 hours is my range. Were you neglecting sleep previously, or did you find ways to sleep longer? JDA I agree with you to a point about fine tuning. I do think though that the marathon is one distance where you do keep learning. There are so many areas to improve that marginal gains can add up to something quote substantial- more than most race distances. Chris, my top tip is to do more marathons, so that you can run them on feel rather than arbitrary targets. Then set realistic race targets based on training results. Then on the day have the confidence to run negative splits- set off conservatively and empty the tank over the last 6 miles. Hope you find something that works for you 👍 |
16 Jan
11:46pm, 16 Jan 2025
8,101 posts
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Mark J 🇳🇿
Good one from Stephen Scullion that I feel is pertinent to the current conversation -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fa8eGZPUKs&t=767s
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17 Jan
6:19am, 17 Jan 2025
331 posts
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Miser
I remember having a pub conversation with a Professor of Metabolic Physiology who wanted to a) run up the big hill to work more efficiently b) get faster (in that order). He’d consulted learned colleagues who all took it back to the fundamentals of training and adaptation and the underpinning science of prolonged physiological change. This wasn’t what he wanted - he knew about ‘training’. I said maybe try focusing on your arm swing and taking smaller steps where it’s really steep and he responded that that was exactly the type of topical thing he was looking for… Chris - I reckon that’s you, here. You already have a huge week-in, week-out mileage and everything that comes with it. Are you really just after some entertaining tweaks in approach which makes a build have more shape or variation to the routine and generally build the excitement back? My thoughts are to really focus on whatever aspect of training you think you neglect to give a twist which may also lead to results..? |
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17 Jan
7:40am, 17 Jan 2025
1,809 posts
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Chris
I’m trying to get some ideas on what to do differently. I’ve been at this marathon lark for a while and have only improved my marathon time by 50 seconds over the last 5 years which is frustrating. I don’t do a lot of cross training/core stuff. I’m not convinced doing this would make me faster Steady runs seem to be the cool thing at the moment, I’m considering adding these in instead of easy runs. Also maybe a steady long run instead of the easy long run. I can get to 20 miles fine but always lose a few minutes in that final 6. Got to figure out how to hold it or push on after 20. Maybe a slightly slower start or change up the fueling strategy? Also some progressive long runs maybe? That’s my thinking at the moment |
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