The Sub 3:15 Marathon Thread

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Jan 2023
3:23pm, 27 Jan 2023
20,072 posts
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larkim
Maybe I was just pondering how much I could blow away the sandbags...
Jan 2023
4:01pm, 27 Jan 2023
370 posts
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Forrest Jooligan
My marathon WAVA PB of 71.70% is from Manchester last year.
I’ve regularly raced 5K-HM with higher WAVA for the last 10 years. Highest is over 78% as recently as June.
Jan 2023
12:31pm, 29 Jan 2023
5,727 posts
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Windsor Wool
so how was the Hebden KinkyS, allmatthew?

I see the MP run went well larkim. Similar pace to my own MP session (which was a bit harder work than I would have liked tbh).
Jan 2023
1:56pm, 29 Jan 2023
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larkim
Thanks WW, always a nice challenging start with the 13 incl 8 at MP.

I was definitely guilty of racing myself mentally against last year's session with identical route choice etc and it shows in the HR efforts being higher than last year as I pushed beyond MP effort. Still, happy to have tested myself and pleased with the ability to sustain effort towards the end.

Lesson learned, stop trying to mirror last year and just let the plan evolve.

Here's the comparison.

Jan 2023
2:37pm, 29 Jan 2023
30 posts
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allmatthew
Windsor Wool I'd built it up in my mind to be horrific but I really enjoyed it. I was running with a friend, so there was no pressure on time, and the weather was absolutely perfect for about the first 4 hours (and after that it only clouded over).

I should probably organise my thoughts a bit more clearly but the first 14 miles or so were good, with some tough climbs (and a lot of walking) but the views more than made up for it. The last 7 miles were significantly harder with steeper but shorter climbs, and was navigationally more challenging. Thankfully there was someone near to us who knew the route better than we did.

The more said about the Checkpoints the better - cordial, sweets, chocolate, and even hot drinks and sandwiches at one of them! There was also breakfast before hand and pie and peas / beans afterwards (and what I think was a Mr Kipling apple pie with custard).

If the weather was anything other than lovely it could quickly become an absolute challenge but I think I'm going to enter next year's race, and I'd fancy giving it a proper run to see where I end up.
Jan 2023
4:00pm, 29 Jan 2023
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clare1976
Sounds like some good quality training and racing going on here, well done all!

I bagged my first 20 of the campaign today, albeit somewhat unconventionally! Today was one of my favourite local races, an undulating 12k 'Not the Roman IX' (named as it's based on but not the same as a previous version, the Roman IX!). I wanted to do a long run today so opted to arrived early and do 10 miles easy pre-race. All good and after a quick top and shoe change plus banana and water, I was ready to give the race whatever I had left in my legs to take me to about 18 miles for the day. I'd hoped for a min. avg pace of marathon-ish, or quicker ,though due to hills its not one for even pacing. As it happened I had a great race, better than I expected and came out with 7:05mm avg pace and a strong finish. Then still felt pretty good so did a much slower 2 miles warm down with a friend to round it up to 20 - because why not?!! My legs actually feel better this afternoon than they did last Sunday after a bog standard 18!

Cutback this coming week, then I'm racing our local Warwick half next weekend so will be a good marker of where I'm at. It's disappointingly early in the season to race a half really, but I'm feeling good so will give it my best. It's usually scheduled for early March, not sure why it's 4 weeks early this year. But I know the route like the back of my hand as I've trained and raced on it so much over the years, so hopefully i can judge it to get my pace right for my current fitness levels.
Jan 2023
5:05pm, 29 Jan 2023
20,079 posts
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larkim
Cracker of a day there Clare! There's a sub 3:10 in you I reckon ;-)

Doesn't it feel good to have a normal January of marathon plans and early season racing?
Jan 2023
5:32pm, 29 Jan 2023
4,712 posts
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clare1976
Lol larkim, I doubt it 🤣 but I'm pleased with where I'm at for now anyway!

Yes it's nice to have what feels like a more 'normal' race calendar back though locally we've got some gaps in the usual events for the year ahead - not sure if it's down to momentum being lost in the covid years, race organisers not surviving, costs going up or a mix of factors. Probably the latter. Races generally aren't filing up as quickly (if at all) as they did pre-covid around here - certainly in our club people are being more selective I think due to costs, plus we got out of the habit of racing so people are more happy to focus on training for key races only.
Jan 2023
5:49pm, 29 Jan 2023
18,111 posts
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KinkyS
allmatthew glad you enjoyed some of my local trails :-)

As routes around here go it's pretty good underfoot - all on trails with no bog-snorkelling, heather bashing or vertical ascents/descents and as you say the weather was fantastic, none of the forecast fog appeared so we got decent views across the valleys. It's a route I do parts of in training and on my commute home (I work in Hebden Bridge) and I should probably do the whole thing occasionally as a good long run!

Pie and peas followed by pie and custard is the diet of champions.

I took it really easily as (a) I'm unfit (b) I was running with my partner who had a spectacular wobble climbing a steep flight of steps in the second half and (c) I was racing again today.

Today's Meltham Tough 10k had over 800ft ascent and wind gusting to 40mph to add to the tired legs so it was never going to be quick but I enjoyed it, and managed to miss out on first F45 by a mere 15 seconds. I'm sure it was good training :-)
Jan 2023
5:59pm, 29 Jan 2023
5,728 posts
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Windsor Wool
Wow, some epic race reports there. Not sure how you did that tbh KS!!

Clare - even if there’s not a sub 3:10 there (yet!) do you think there’s a chance of a sub 90 HM? Your looped tempos have been looking good…

What do you reckon your HRmax is lark?

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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