Outside: 'How Our Totally Average Runner Broke the Sub-Five Minute Mile'

This isn't my first marathon, it's my sixth.

Your larger point certainly stands, though - I will have to go into it with a plan of attack for finishing at 3:10. I can start slow, but not too slow, or else I won't be able to get it all back. My friend recently ran a half, and was really frustrated that he felt like he left a lot of time on the table.

 

Do you post on a running site as well?

 

I did today. Good advice there, but a lot of naysayers, too.

 

I lurk on that site too. At first I was struck by how similar that poster's goal & progress were to yours, then the simpler explanation occurred to me. In case you're not a regular there, it may help to know that the two posters who gave you the most specific advice are (unlike most or all of the naysayers) knowledgeable and constructive contributors on other threads. It's a good sign that they were encouraging. Good luck.

 

Thanks. There are two things about that site that you see over and over: (1) People are absolutely obsessed with what your previous PR was. That's what they typically use to catch cheaters, for example - big jumps in race times. But in my case, the 3:40 marathon was run on a bit of a whim. I don't think it's that revealing; and (2) They don't think anyone actually wants to work hard. I once asked a question about whether I should have scheduled days off, whether that would help my times. I made clear that I was willing to run every day, but wanted to do whatever was best. No matter, I was bombarded with posts slamming me for not wanting to do what it takes.

 

I'd be very suspect of any training g program that doesn't include an occasional off-day in it. It's not about running every day and "doing what it takes." It's about staying healthy and saving your peak performance for race day.

 

I usually run short (4-6) on Saturday, then shut it down on Sunday. Maybe a bike ride.

 

Good training weekend: did 21 miles Saturday and finished at 2:31 without really straining that hard. Did nine 800s this morning with 200 yard cool downs, which surprisingly I feel kept my legs fresh. Avg time for those was 3:05, but a very tight grouping because I was looking for pacing not clock time.

 

What was the pace for that? (I'm too lazy to figure it out.)

My long runs have been pretty slow - 8:40-50ish - because I have been doing two speed workouts a week, including the marathon pace run that I do the day before the long run.

This morning I did mile repeats. Best was 5:49, five seconds slower than my PR. I'm going to alternate some 400s and 800s repeats the next month, then make another go at it. It doesn't help right now that it's pitch black during very windy stretches of my path when I get up to run, but such is life in a two-income home with kids who have to get ready for school.

 

7:13 per mile, which didn't feel that bad. But it was uneven.

 

Impressive. My long run is pretty slow every week, largely because it comes the day after my semi-long run, at which I aim for race pace.

Giving 14 miles another go tomorrow - shooting for your pace basically, 7:14, after fading in the last 2-3 miles last week.

 

Ran 14 miles today at 7:10.

Closed 7:07, 7:03, 7;03, 6:53.