The Sub 3:15 Marathon Thread

333 watchers
Nov 2019
7:22am, 8 Nov 2019
9,428 posts
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larkim
I enjoy the process, but I don't enjoy the first few weeks when everything is a struggle. I need to avoid watching my watch and just let the effort level control things. The niggle free period doesn't come until about 4-5 weeks in for me - for the first few weeks everything grumbles in my legs, groin, stomach, ankles etc at some point or another, though usually not at the same time.
Nov 2019
7:58am, 8 Nov 2019
1,267 posts
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Daz Love
Well done Baz on a fully deserved MOTM. Get ready for the questions.
SPR
Nov 2019
8:02am, 8 Nov 2019
29,647 posts
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SPR
I don't get liking losing fitness (which is different from accepting it as a consequence sometimes)

Agree with WW a break is good sometimes, preferably planned. A bit of fitness will be lost but it's usually sharpness that's lost. Planned in properly though, I think it's the perfect way to build on previous fitness.
Nov 2019
8:20am, 8 Nov 2019
15,573 posts
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Bazoaxe
Thanks for the votes for MOTM :-) Go easy on the questions though ;-)

I feel like I have lost loads of fitness in only a couple of weeks although I suspect I haven't really. I do know I have put 2-3 pounds on and I also did in the taper and am almost half a stone heavier than in the peal mileage weeks.

I find if I have a period out, or even of reduced running, I have some old niggles that make themselves known for a while until I get back into normal miles. A tear in my left hamstring which happened 30 years ago playing 5 a side football, hungover, on an icy morning is the key one.

The sharpness point is a good one and what I did and enjoyed and seemed to work post VLM was a series of shorter (400m) reps. I did 6 of those in the week and plan to do these weekly, adding a couple of reps on until I get to 10 or 12 before I get into my next marathon plan.
Nov 2019
8:29am, 8 Nov 2019
202 posts
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riggsy99
PTB yes feeling quietly confident about another sub 3:15 but my wife asked me the other day if I was ready for the marathon and I said I never feel like I am ready. Larkim and HappyG the 3*1 mile is my favourite session as it feels like the plan is saying do this one and your ready
Nov 2019
8:54am, 8 Nov 2019
33,093 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Yay! I think it was rather nailed on. I've had to go and nominate geordiesanta for next month now because I felt bad about her being swamped by the love for Bazo!

How does it feel to be a fat b*stard? Will you hang up your VFs now and take up beer and skittles? Is running bad for your knees? etc? I have asked my question now.

Lol at never ready for the marathon! Best of luck, I'm sure you're in great shape.

I never got the "feel fresh and like a tightly coiled spring" during taper period before marathon. I always felt a bit sore and battered, creaky and phantom niggles and nervous. But that was probably mostly mental. Managed to park all that on the day, of course, which is key.

A huge 4km tomorrow for me. Racing (with, not against!) Calum Hawkins and Andy Butchart. Bronze target - not to be lapped, silver target - not to be last in my club, gold target - to do a pace that isn't slower than my marathon pace from 6 years ago! ;-)

Happy running weekend all! :-) G
Nov 2019
10:58am, 8 Nov 2019
203 posts
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riggsy99
Dont feel like I am tapering at the moment but that may be because of doing the 3*1 mile on Wednesday then a 13 mile (that was actually a very wet 14 mile run) on Thursday. The 14 mile run I have blogged about as it was a run around the local war memorials as an act of remembrance fetcheveryone.com/blog/42920
Today has been a nice easy 4 miles before bed.
Well done on the MOTM Bazzo
Nov 2019
8:54pm, 8 Nov 2019
3,164 posts
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STOOSH
Could be a good sign riggsy - i vaguely remember not feeling ready the year i set my pb in London and it all seemed to click on the day! Pretty sure i remember passing baz around mile 16 on one of his sub3 trial runs ;-)
Nov 2019
9:41pm, 8 Nov 2019
15,575 posts
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Bazoaxe
I think I have been overtaken by most people on here in the later stages of London. :-(
Nov 2019
10:33pm, 8 Nov 2019
4,244 posts
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clare1976
And yet the 3*1 mile has been replaced in the new P&D book by 4x1200 - I wonder what the rationale for that is given how little else seems to have changed. Same total distance of hard effort but perhaps splitting it into 4 (and hence with more recovery within) slightly less taxing on the body?

About This Thread

Maintained by Windsor Wool
For those who want to go sub 3.15 in a marathon and/or those that have already done it and want to give advice. Share your journey or help someone else's here.

2024 achievers:
Akie: 3:15 @ Rotterdam
allmatthew: 3:09 @ Manchester
Bowman: 3:01 @ Boras
Mark J: 3:12 @ Christchurch NZ
PJH92: 3:13 @ London

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