Boston can I make it reality

[Joshua Verdin]

Hello All,

My name is Joshua I'm looking for advice and a reality check. This is my story...

On January 14th 2009 @ 5'7" I wieghed 247 by April I wieghed 191 (thank you running). I now wiegh 171-181 depending on hydration and food consumption. I've completed a Half Marathon, a Full Trail Marathon, and some other small races. I'm 28/29 and never been injured. I don't have a running body I have broad shoulders and a deep chest. Whenever I've ran in my younger days I knew I just had to out last them and maintain longer than they could always doing 2-3 miles. Thats why I've gotten back into running love it.
Currently, I'm signed up for the Madison Mini Marathon (13.1), the Fox Cities Marathon (26.2), and the Goofy Race. I want Boston and something fierce. Can I make this reality in time for 2010? Should I attempt? I ask because I'm set, the goal is in place, and in my mind I'm already there... I'm obsessed with this mission I scrible on paper daily 7:18, 8MPH, 3:10... I've pushed my body to every possible brink and its responded well. Is this a reasonable goal or too much, too soon, too fast?

[Eric Day]

Wow, you've had lots of changes in a very short time. Loosing almost 80 pounds, congratulations.
Maybe you are pushing yourself too hard too fast.
Take it easier, build your base mileage first, then go for the big one. Although your times in 5k, 10k and HM are already quite good. You have no history on your blog to comment further, but maybe others can enlighten you much more.

Keep up the good work!

[Jon Allen]

Joshua

Welcome to the blog.  It's hard to give too much advice because we can't look at your blog to see your training.  But, based on you 42 10k and 1:32 half marathon, you are in the ballpark.  Your training for the marathon would have to be on the same level as your training was for those races, but scaled up.  So can you do it?  Probably.  Should you?  Some would advise against it, but it's ultimately up to you.  It's not unrealistic, if you have been training properly.

Given that your marathon is only 7 weeks away, I'm hoping you have already done several long runs and that you are regularly running good mileage.  The key will be the mini-marathon in 4 weeks- try to race it all out and see if you can do a sub-1:30 or so.  If you can, you could go for your BQ at Fox Cities (while realizing there would be a high probability you crash and burn and miss the BQ).  If you can't get 1:30, I would strongly recommend against even trying the BQ pace without more time and training.

In the end, though, you decide what you do.  If you get a BQ this year, great.  If not, you could try to qualify later this year (until about Feb 2010).  Or, I can guarantee you they will hold the race in 2011, 2012, and beyond.  It's not worth risking injury if you aren't ready for it.  But if you are ready, go for it.

[Joshua Verdin]

Sorry... I've been using the Nike+ iPod gizmo to do my logging. Although its not correctly calibrated at all times and becuase sometimes I where my Adidas Sequence with the slot in the sole for it precise calibration is almost impossible. Its not a $400 GPS system but it comes close most of the time +/- .5 miles. I plan to start blogging more on this site though!

Here is a link to my Nike+ Site http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeplus/?l=runners,runs,1008892375

The main thing is that I'm still young (28 is that still considered young?) and thus far had no injuries which is a huge plus! I want to keep it that way. I typically will not run more than 40 miles a week. Mostly my training consisted of a 10 mile on Monday a 13.1 on Wednesday and a long run on Saturaday. However, 2wks before my first marathon I ran 50 Miles a week. I love long runs but the time factor becomes an issue. My training right now is kind of in limbo. I just finished a Marathon 7-11 so I think I'm just now past adaptatoin phase and I've kept running to a minimum with only low and slow runs. Now I feel I can begin to start training again. I was think of starting to run 10k 4x per week with a long run on Saturday somewhere between a 13.1-20 miles. Yet I debate if I should do 5k's and speed work with a long run at the end of the week. Any suggestions are welcome?

[Sasha Pachev]

Joshua:

My advice. Run 6 days a week, at least 8 miles. One long run before your day of rest. Do not worry about speed for the next 8 months or so. Run marathons to gain experience if your legs are itching. I would not even bother tapering. 1:32 half shows you have the speed to run 3:10. But not necessarily the endurance. So I would work on endurance at this point.

Truth of the matter - 1:32 is very likely not your true half speed. Your mile PR is listed as 4:52. I imagine this is from about 10 years ago. In 10 years the extra weight might have destroyed a portion of your speed potential, but I do not think it would be bad enough to preclude you from running a 5:20 mile once you relearned the pain of running an all out mile. Somebody who runs a mile in 5:20 can run a half in low 1:20s, possibly even 1:18 off 60-70 miles a week for a couple of years. If you have that speed, the only way you can fail to run 3:10 in the full marathon is to royally blow up. Which can happen, but not likely if you are running 1:18 half with only a 5:20 all out mile.

So in short, I think if you train right eventually you will be running under 3:00, possibly a whole lot under 3:00, but do not hurry to get there. Let it happen naturally as you gradually increase the training load and build the fitness. It could very well happen in December, but if it does not, there will always be another marathon.

[Vinh Nguyen]

I know I haven't been on this site very long, but I was wondering what some of you more experienced runners think would be a realistic goal for my marathon in February. From all the info I've gathered so far on this site, it seems that I should definitely up my weekly mileage. I know I have it in me to run 6 days a week, 8-10 miles a day but I don't want to do it so quickly. I also fear that running that much will slow me down and make me feel sluggish and tired. Lately, I've been trying to emphasize on my speed. I feel that it I need to be able to run in the 6 min range so that a 7-8 min mile would be easy. I'm definitely a long ways away from where I want to be. I have about 13 weeks of training before the race. As bad as I want to qualify for Boston, I've always thought it was out of my reach. I would like to do extremely well on this marathon so that I know that it is within my grasp and attainable (and not just a dream). I'm open for all suggestions.

[Benn Griffin]

I'm 23 and have done two marathons. Actually I became so obsessed with finishing my second marathon before I turned 21 that I ended up running a marathon the night before my birthday. Now, some would say I started marathon running too soon, but there's one thing I've learned after going the 26.2 distance. You have to be adequately prepared. I was a novice, mainly racing 5ks and 10ks up until that point and I jumped to the marathon and got humble punched. Big time. That's my my 5k PR is a 19:44 and my marathon only a 4:26:xx! Since then I have started doing more races in the 10-15 mile range, many trail races, etc. and I absolutely love them! I want to go for Boston. And I like you want to run the 3:10 qualifier. One of the girls I went to high school with qualified by running for a charity, but I don't want to cop out. I want to know I earned the spot at the starting line in Boston! I don't know if I'll ever make it though. My body doesn't like running fast, much less running fast for over 26.2 miles.

I will follow your progress. You are an inspiration to me. You can only do what you set your mind to. And it sounds like you are dead set on running Boston. Don't worry about scribbling 3:10 and 7:18 everywhere. I too am obsessed with running numbers and constantly scribble them everywhere at class, school and work. We can and WILL do this!

[Jon Allen]

Vinh- assuming adequate training for your marathon, your recent 10 mile race predicts out to a 3:30-ish marathon.  I would run 6 days a week with as many miles as you can handle.  If you want to throw a few tempo runs or fartleks or something, great.  But mainly focus on just getting in the miles.  And yes, Boston is possible for you.

[Sasha Pachev]

General rule of thumb is that if you do not have a severe heart defect, limb damage, muscular dystrophy, serious spine deformity, or some other incurable illness, Boston is possible with healthy lifestyle and proper training over the period of 5 years. What a lot of people do not realize is that proper conditioning allows you not only to run the marathon, but to essentially sprint it.  Thus, assuming the endurance training will take place properly, and there are no serious genetic conditions that limit the development of endurance  the limiting factor of your life-time best becomes how fast you can sprint using only the capabilities that can be trained for endurance. This, will, of course, be no faster than how fast you can sprint period, but unless you are a blazing fast sprinter like Usain Bolt, I it would be a fair guess to say that your endurance-capable top end speed is no less than 60% of your actual top end speed.

66% ratio of all out 100 meter speed to marathon race pace is achievable. So a man under 35 that can break 17.9 in an all out 100 meter sprint or a woman of the same age that can break 20.7 will have hopes of achieving BQ. Most people who are not overweight and do not have severe conditions can reach those standards.

[Rhett]

I agree with Sasha, and who wouldn't.  He has a wealth of running knowledge.  I think the Boston qualifying starndard is set at a level that most people can achieve with proper training and eating.  I remember thinking how imposible it would be to BQ when I first started runnning about 5 years ago, and now I seem to be able to BQ every race.  I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

[Kory Wheatley]

Getting the higher mileage each week is important to build the aerobic endurance like the rest of what (Jon, and Sasha) have said.  Don't care about pace just build your mileage up to create that endurance factor that's needed in a marathon.  Don't get disappoint if you don't BQ on your first marathon because it's a tough challenge to do so.   You learn from each marathon you run.   But with increased mileage and building your endurance you will get there.  Throwing in a speed session once a week is a good idea, but mainly work on keeping your feet out there for a while on long runs.  Your feet and legs need to build that endurance.