The Sub 3:15 Marathon Thread
1 lurker |
334 watchers
15 Jan
9:52pm, 15 Jan 2025
2,520 posts
|
rhb
I started a small 10k in Solihull ("The Hearing Dogs 10k") and was a few places back as the leaders forgot to exit the run track and started a 2nd lap, others and myself followed the route out. I was expecting the leaders to come back past quite sharpish but they never did. Me and another guy ran most of it at the front together then I kicked on and won. It was a weird feeling as it was unexpected, but the move to win it felt great when I realised there was no response. This was when running seemingly wasn't as popular and 35mins+ could win a small town 10km! I've led / 1st finished a few Parkruns which always feels awkward for some reason. The faster times I've run at 5km in competive fields have probably been the best feeling even though I'd been a few minutes behind the winners. As mentioned up thread standing on the line knowing the fitness is there to do my own best was a great feeling. I haven't run enough Marathons to have that feeling fully over 26.2. |
15 Jan
11:40pm, 15 Jan 2025
4,740 posts
|
riggys99
I have been lucky enough to win two marathons. The first was the cleethorpes maravan when i took the lead at mile 1 and ran the rest of the race solo winning by a couple of minutes. The second was a mainly off road marathon. Conditions were terrible at the start after a week of solid rain and just got worse as it rained heavily all race. Took lead at 10 miles and won by 2-3 minutes. Wasn’t even sure I had won that one as there was multiple races going on at the same time Achilles recovery going well so I have entered the Tissington Trail marathon on 27 April may well be a sub 3:30 attempt rather than sub 3:15 but see how we go |
16 Jan
8:45am, 16 Jan 2025
1,910 posts
|
Akie
Windsor Wool wrote: wow. The few times I’ve led at parkrun I’ve been so full of fear it been difficult to overcome to the point that more than once I’ve completely imploded. At parkrun!! I was first finisher once at parkrun. Was running with a friend, we thought we were reasonably far behind the leader so were joking about a sprint finish for 2nd place. The leader then struggled mightily up the hill after 4k and we joined him. I probably led for about 100m so never been in a position where Ive had time to think about! I agree with @larkim. I felt like everything had gone well ahead of my marathon in Rotterdam in April so was confident but especially with a marathon Im never fully confident Im just gonna go out and smash it. Heard too many stories from running friends whove been in great shape and their race has just fallen apart in the final 5-10 miles of a marathon. |
16 Jan
8:59am, 16 Jan 2025
4,428 posts
|
Big_G
I was second in a very, very low key (but hilly, at 4800ft of elevation), trail marathon on Sunday. I’ve won I think 2 or 3 low-key other marathons (including one of Foxy’s, I think). All in poor times really, but it still does funny things to your head when in the lead of a race. Even on Sunday, I was thinking ‘if the guy ahead cracks, I could win this one’, but actually it was me that cracked 
|
16 Jan
9:13am, 16 Jan 2025
6,614 posts
|
Windsor Wool
I don’t think that a lack of confidence ever cost me a faster time in any longer races, particularly the marathon. Perhaps there were a few 5ks where I could have gone off more aggressively and profited - for sure I’ve always been a cautious starter compared to most. There was one time I did feel really good with about 5 miles to go in the marathon and I consciously picked up the pace. Sure enough about 1 mile later I’d blown up and was holding it together for my normal 7:30 miling dribble over the last 5k! Caution probably works well for most over the mara. |
16 Jan
12:31pm, 16 Jan 2025
27,893 posts
|
Bazoaxe
I am not sure if if it was over confident or over enthusiastic but I did often set off too fast and was feeling good, only to regret my mistake.
|
16 Jan
3:02pm, 16 Jan 2025
3,365 posts
|
B Rubble
I won an off-road half marathon once. It was a CaniX race and my kids said it was the dog that was the winner not me , which was a fair comment.
|
|
16 Jan
3:03pm, 16 Jan 2025
3,366 posts
|
B Rubble
It was covered by Runner's World too - so I got my name in there.
|
16 Jan
5:00pm, 16 Jan 2025
1,860 posts
|
Daz Love
I won a small 5k once. Monthly event (before parkrun took over the world but still happens today I am pleased to say) It was 2 laps round a common. After the first lap the marshall said "You are the current leader and there is Prize Money on offer today" I knew it was a special event that month for the town as part of their "Month of Activity" (or something similar) Anyway, I then started thinking "I wonder how much that is!!", I held on for the win and got presented with the prize money envelope. £15. So yes, I can say I have earnt hard cash from running!! fetcheveryone.com/races/nhrr-first-saturday-5k-101346 |
16 Jan
9:26pm, 16 Jan 2025
26,420 posts
|
larkim
My kids high school put on a 5k and 10k race to fundraise. Just when I was at the quickest I'd ever been I think. Signed up to run both, won the 5k and finished second in the 10k. (1 week later I finished first at my home parkrun and tore a calf muscle the same day.) Won't see those days again. No prize at all though! |
Related Threads
-
RW sub3/3.15
Feb 2025
-
Sub-4hr marathon support and celebration thread
Feb 2025
-
Sub 3Hr Marathon
Feb 2025
-
The sub 3.30 marathon thread
Feb 2025
-
Sub 2:30 Marathon
Oct 2024
-
The sub 2.45 marathon thread
May 2024
-
The sub 3.45 Marathon Thread
Oct 2023
-
The sub-5 hour marathon thread
Apr 2022
-
5:43 Marathon to Sub 5hrs
Dec 2018
-
Sub 3.05 Marathon Plan / Advise - Help please
Aug 2016