sub 4 hour group,if anyone wants to get together - Page 7 - Spring Marathon

Dr Galah

10/10/2003 at 16:29

I've followed a 4 times a week schedule for the past three mararthons (only 3!!) and have chalked up:

4.26
3.53
4.10

Don't think you necessarily need to run 5 times a week to crack four hours (though you'll seeI've only proved this once so far!). Just make sure you get 1 speed/hill session and 1 long run each week.

And remember rest is important too!

Off to pack for Liverpool - toodle pip!

Llama Man

10/10/2003 at 22:29

Guy in our club cracked 4 hours in his only marathon on only 3 quality runs per week!

I'm jealous. I've stuck to 5 runs per week and of the 2 marathons I've done 4.03 is the best. My current training for Dublin has been so disrupted with injuries that I've only averaged 4 runs per week and fewer long runs so should be interesting to see what happens on 27th. Don't think I've got a chance of sub 4.

Welsh Poppy

11/10/2003 at 06:58

Hi Guys

I am hoping for 3.59 it will be my first marathon and really excited.I will do 5-6 training sessions a week...will need all the help I can get.Just done my 1st half marathon in 1.50.56 and need too build back my mileage I was on 50 miles a week think I will break 35 this week with my long run tomorrow.

Good luck everyone with your training

Wolf with Runs

13/10/2003 at 10:23

i'm sure that you CAN do a sub 4 using a three or four day training schedule, but you'll be a better man/woman than i...

the thought is that for carthorses, the sub 4 don't come easy and needs some real grit and application. for me that was the 5 day schedule.

now then, given that my longest run since april 13th has been 2.5 miles, there's a bit of distacne to travel for my dear self (ahem)!!

LLL(Triple L)

13/10/2003 at 19:42

I run 4 days a week and do about 35miles and have been running for about 6 months.
Just done my first 2 half marathons in 1.30 and 1.27 at Bristol and Stroud.I dont do any speedwork i just give it all every time i go out and next year my target is a 3.15 full marathon and within 3 years i want to qualify for London(3 hrs im 30 now.)
I believe if you want something so badly and work your guts of you will get it.
GO FOR IT GUYS.

LLL(Triple L)

13/10/2003 at 19:43

sorry i meant Cricklade not Stroud thats next week.

Dr Galah

14/10/2003 at 08:21

Liverpool Half done in 1.49.58, so everything going to plan so far. Now need to increase those long runs at the weekend.

never/give up

14/10/2003 at 17:46

Would love to achieve this i have my acceptance through, after being rejected 5 times.

20/10/2003 at 10:12

Where have all you sub-4hr folks gone?

I managed my long run of 15 (and a bit) miles this weekend. The "and a bit" was me getting lost - I have a true girlie sense of direction - but all in all it was more fun than I expected. Its certainly taken some of the fear away and I'm now feeling much more positive about FLM training.

Welsh Poppy

20/10/2003 at 19:43

I too managed a long run of 14 miles this weekend in 2.06 and build my mileage back up too 43 miles which I was very pleased about.

Well done M on your long run !

I too believe if you want it badly enough and willing too work your pants off you can achieve what you want too achieve.

Higs

20/10/2003 at 19:55

12 for me this weekend. I'm still on for sub4 but keeping quietish 'til I know whether I'm in.

Higs

21/10/2003 at 10:15

000h welsh poppy - you're ever so quick - no trouble on the under 4 hours for you

My 15.7 miles took me 2hrs 52! Mind you I wasn't exactly sprinting.

Welsh Poppy

21/10/2003 at 21:20

M. I don't think I am-hope you are right about under 4 hours would be great for a 1st marathon.

You took a steady pace and that is what it is all about building time on legs there is plenty of time...Good luck with your training!!!

Alex Popplewell

22/10/2003 at 17:24

no need to worry about speed too much yet i think.am still keeping off my feet and on the elliptical cross trainer to try and keep my shin recovring.next stage is to get some new shoes and then i'll take to the roads in a couple of weeks time..if i can resist.

Edski

22/10/2003 at 23:47

Hello Alex.

Here's a link to a great pic. It's of a water station at this year's Chicago marathon. Sadly I didn't take it - I got it from someone on the RW US site. I don't know how to make it into a hyperlink (complaint - the US site software does it for you) so you'll all just have to copy it into your browser. It's not the water station that's interesting, it's the Nike poster in the background above it.

If this doesn't give people inspiration, I don't know what will.

http://images.andale.com/f2/125/117/914703/1068535188730_billboard

Wolf with Runs

23/10/2003 at 09:22

nice acupuncture yesterday.

mr chinese doctor stuck these 4 inch long needles in my back and said i'll leave you there for a few minutes. easy.

he then returned and put electric current through them that crackled, arc-ed and fizzed and left me in mind of marty feldman and the frankenstein monster in that film (name???). not quite so easy. ha.

followed by a well deserved body massage from a nice japanese lady "i love you long time, yes". and some crushed animals to take during the week.

am also having physio and running about 5x 3 miles per week

so as alex would say - no need to worry about distance or speed yet !!

the good news is that i have lost 5 lbs in the last couple of weeks - no grog during the week.

"it's a mighty long way to the oriole" as Mott the Hoople sang in " All the way from Memphis"

Minks

23/10/2003 at 17:05

Hi all,

Am reluctant to post on here as I'm not in yet and am superstitious about tempting fate and all that ...

But - I'm hoping for a 3:45 time now, I think. I did Windsor as my first half in 1:51 on about 20 miles a week over 4 sessions. I actually didn't find Windsor that hilly <ducks to avoid flying objects hurled at head> as the hills I run on normally are tougher. There was one nasty one around 10 miles but other than that I thought it was a nice course.

Am working on building mileage up to about 40 miles a week over 5-6 sessions until mid-January, then I've decided on Hal Higdon's Intermediate II schedule, joining it at the 30 miles a week point (I think 'step back' weeks are a good idea when you're increasing mileage and pace).

Welsh Poppy

24/10/2003 at 06:43

Minkin
We seem too be at the same level of training and same result for a 1st half although I did build up too 50 miles a week.

I intend too run 45 miles at least over 5 sessions until end Of November when the serious training begins!!!

I too believe in step back mileage and it really does work during my programme I followed there were no step back and being a novice struggled until my coach advised me too back off and it worked wonders.

24/10/2003 at 10:07

I'm not starting a schedule till late December / early January but am hoping to build mileage to about 35 miles before then. Doing 20-25 at the moment.

My first 1/2 wasn't too good - did 2.11 at Lake V but that was off weekly mileage varying between 5-15!

I'm really hoping that increasing the mileage and running 5 days a week will help. My second half marathon is coming up in just over a week so I'll let you know if its helped so far!

Minks

24/10/2003 at 16:57

Hi WP,

I'm not planning to start my serious training until mid-January. I'll already be doing more mileage by then than at the start of the Hal Higdon programme, so it makes sense to me to build to 50 miles a week after the 8 weeks of getting to 40 miles I've just planned. I'm currently running on 6 days a week but may reduce that to 5 once I start getting in some 'pace' sessions as I may get more tired. M, I'm sure that just increasing mileage will result in a better time. I thought 1:51 was pretty good off only 20 miles a week (and less than that on quite a few occasions, especially in the 4 weeks before the race). I'm hoping to get to 1:40 on increased mileage. Am aiming for 3:45 in London (although with a secret hankering for 3:30).