Can't get near sub 3 hr marathon!!!!!!!!!!!!

Piers wrote (see)

Cheerful Dave wrote (see)

As for joining a club with an EA accredited endurance coach, it's simply not necessary.   

As opposed to getting random advice from strangers on a forum who know nothing about you?

No, that's not necessary either.  They're both available if you want them, but neither is a necessity to run sub-3.  

I think you need to get nearer 1:22 for your half marathon and under 18 for your 5K, and as Jools says to get plenty of endurance running.  The mid-week medium-long run that Jools mentions is a staple of Pfitzinger & Douglas's "Advanced Marathoning" schedules.  It's quite feasible to do that on 40 - 50 miles a week, if you're focused about what you're trying to achieve with each run.

You could try upping your miles to 70 miles a week by taking no rest days, but you would run a 100% chance of getting injured.

The sub 3hr schedules are tough. I only started running at 49 and did my first marathon at 50. I did sub 3 at London again this year and my approach might be of help.

The only way I can do the schedule is to go into it with a good base mileage. So for the 3 months up to christmas I have normally done  40 to 50 miles per week including 16 to 20 mile long runs. 3 weeks like that and one week easier. I concentrate on getting my average pace for the whole week up (around 07:30 pace) Then when the schedule proper kicks in after christmas I am normally in pretty good shape.

I have used the freebie Runner's World sub 3 schedules.

I hit the schedule and just aim to keep improving the average pace for the week to nearer 7:15 pace. I will have done at least 5 x 20+mile runs in that last 3 months including a full 26.2.

I guess I must be doing something right as I am clearly punching above my weight off a half pb of 1:27 (marathon of 2:57)

If you think the half time is bad you should see my 10k. My pb for a 10k is just under 40 mins. I have worked it out that there is only about 20 to 25 seconds difference between my 10k and marathon pace - now you know where the "One Gear" comes from!!!

Ex Booty wrote (see)

Training 4 to 5 days a week between 40 and 50 miles in total.

Are you training closer to 4 days or 5. 40 miles or 50?

Consistency is the key. The willingness to maintaining a training regime that will be both time consuming and at times tedious. I would suspect that you are not running enough quality miles where you have a clear pace range. That you are at times simply putting in the long/easy miles and avoiding stamina and speed work. As One Gear says you must have a solid base that is not a struggle for you to maintain you then build on top of that. Also what of your strength excersises? If you are to go sub 3 you must be strong enough to deal with 50+ miles a week that will include long runs and stamina/speed work and maybe some doubles. Running is just not enough.

Its for all these reasons I dont run marathons. I stop at HM. I know what it takes to run a sub 3 comfortably and I am just not prepared to do it. That copy of Daniels formula may get bought one day though.

I am sure I read that 15 secs difference between 10k - half - marathon is standard.  My 10k is 38:49 at the moment (6:15 pace) and this becomes a 2:59 marathon via the calculators (6:52m/m). 

Consistency in training is also key. Although not a sub 3 marathon runner (yet?!) what I have learned frm having coaching this year, is that you need a good expanse of consistant training behind you. I do believe that 50 miles a week is enough, but the right kind of miles is needed rather than just getting out for a long run. They need to be run in the right way. For example 10 miles easy and last 10 miles at MP, rather than just time on feet

One thing to remember is that everyone is different and you need to find the right balance that suits you.