Your training plan sounds really interesting - I had good luck with running less days a week my last marathon (granted, I've only done 3) - I felt stronger and was less worn out.
Try a flatter course for that 3:30 - like Chicago! I'm sure you'll get there soon.
Yeah this really worked for me too. I did more speed work than I have done before, and it was a lot more intense. Some of it was down right shocking to a pretty conservative runner like me! But the compensatory extra rest was really great. I definitely felt less worn out and like I wasn't constantly flirting with aches and pains everywhere.
My next one (Kiawah) i think is pretty flat, so hopefully that will be a help! Chicago some day, for sure. It's on my list
You are so inspiring in your dedication to your goals and the work you put in to making them happen. You 'talk the talk' AND 'walk the walk!'
I feel very similarly to you in that I want to work closer to a BQ marathon time, but every time I set a PR I feel sick if I think about how much faster I still need to run. It's a process, right? And then if you look at how far you've already come you know you can keep on with the journey.
I'm glad you are celebrating your PR and happy in your accomplishment. Your marathon progress is just awesome to behold. Congrats!
OMG YES! This. every single step between mile 20 and 26.2 I just kept thinking why in the hell did I ever say 3:30 out loud. It is so so hard to scrape those minutes off a marathon. I worked really hard in training and suffered a lot during the race for just 5 minutes. Thinking about taking off another 20 minutes just makes me question my own sanity.
But it is definitely a process and that process is so much fun.
ktzmoh - Right?? The two minutes for me from 3:59 to 3:57 were big. And now to get to 3:35...
I know it will be at least a few years before I go after an aggressive training cycle again, so at least I will age up in that time. But then the standards may very well get faster. And really I just want to stay consistent and fulfilled in my training. So even a marathon PR is a long range goal right now. Idk how you do it while balancing in tri as well.
I came across this quote recently, and I've kind of adopted it as my athletic rallying cry. I'll just leave this right here.,
"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." Earl Nightingale
Well, now that’s a new shiny PR to be proud of! What a well run race, I’m so impressed (but not surprised)! Congratulations! The mental grit tells me 3:30 is coming. Well done!
Yeah this really worked for me too. I did more speed work than I have done before, and it was a lot more intense. Some of it was down right shocking to a pretty conservative runner like me! But the compensatory extra rest was really great. I definitely felt less worn out and like I wasn't constantly flirting with aches and pains everywhere.
My next one (Kiawah) i think is pretty flat, so hopefully that will be a help! Chicago some day, for sure. It's on my list
Oh yay - I'm signed up for Kiawah too. It's my backup in case Chicago doesn't go so well. I'm aiming for 3:50 which would be a big PR for me. I'm going to start working with a coach soon and am curious about her approach (I had been working with a coach who not only had me doing crazy high mileage, but speedwork at every single workout - I had no easy runs and I burned out after 2 months).
ktzmoh - Right?? The two minutes for me from 3:59 to 3:57 were big. And now to get to 3:35...
I know it will be at least a few years before I go after an aggressive training cycle again, so at least I will age up in that time. But then the standards may very well get faster. And really I just want to stay consistent and fulfilled in my training. So even a marathon PR is a long range goal right now. Idk how you do it while balancing in tri as well.
I came across this quote recently, and I've kind of adopted it as my athletic rallying cry. I'll just leave this right here.,
"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." Earl Nightingale
Im jumping in lol
So much of it is the course. I ran napa 10 minutes slower than i ran nj last year. NJ is pancake flat. I felt i ran a much better, stronger race at napa. 10 minutes was all from hills (and maybe partly sun). 10 minutes! I think flatter courses, with smaller fields of runners and better weather can definitely help as much as better training can!