Running For Endurance And My Life

After running my first marathon in 2:56.  I thought I would give my thoughts on what it took to run a sub 3 hour marathon.  If you want to run a 2:40 or a 2:30 marathon this article is not for you.  This article is mainly for the person looking to achieve a marathon time of 2:55 to 2:59, as that is what I have achieved.

Running a sub 3 hour marathon I believe takes a certain amount of commitment.  It would be very tough if you are just a casual runner, running say 25 miles a week, to break the 3 hour barrier.  Here are some tips that I feel helped (and a few little extras) that got me to running a sub 3 hour marathon:

1. Most runners reach their Vo2 Max Maximum at roughly 60 to 70 miles of running per week. I hit a minimum of 70 miles a week about 2 months prior to the race and had a few higher mileage weeks intermixed in there.
2. Consistency is key.  I ran every single day.  I feel this really helped as it acclimated me to having my body sometimes feeling like crap, but still forcing myself to run.  This ultimately prepared my body for the aches/pains it might experience during the marathon.
3. I did a few long runs in the 6 months prior to the race including a bunch of 15 milers and one 20 miler.  I stopped doing long runs about 2 months out from the race which probably wasn’t the best choice for getting my best race possible, but at least I knew I could handle anything the marathon would throw at me.  Ideally, in most marathon programs they have you complete your last long run typically 20 to 22 miles about 3 weeks out from the marathon, which is about the time you would typically start tapering down for the race.
4.  I was 6′ and 167.5 lbs. on the day of the race.  I had lost roughly 32.5 lbs since May 2011.  I feel the closer you can reasonably and in a healthy way get your weight to roughly 2 lbs. per inch of height, but no less than an 18.5 bmi, the more your time should improve.  Less body weight equal less oxygen required to operate your body.  I was roughly 2.29 lbs. per inch given my height and weight stats.
5. I didn’t do a traditional taper.  I was running my normal 10 mile days right up to 4 days before the marathon.  My pre-marathon days consisted of 4 days in which I got at least 8 to 9 hours sleep a night.  I ran 5 miles, 5 miles, 2.5 miles, 2.5 miles, respectively on each of the 4 days.  I probably should have allowed for a better taper as this was barely any rest.  That being said I do feel that the traditional tapers in training programs are really overkill.  I think in a way I benefited a bit from my type of taper as it kept me fresh and I never really got stale.  I feel if I followed a traditional taper I may have gotten a bit stale come race time.  That being said I do feel that I should have given myself at least a full 7 days of reduced intensity prior to running the marathon.
6. I skipped about 2 aid stations during the race.  They were roughly every 2.5 miles.  Other than that thought I fueled up on Gatorade and water at just about everyone.  I ate a couple clif bars and a couple Gus during the race as well.

Ultimately this is how I feel I ran a sub 3 hour marathon.  If you are looking to do something similar I feel the two biggest contributing factors were hitting 70 miles a week (I did no speed work) and dropping body weight.  Dropping body weight is tough as for most runners it’s easier to just go for a run than change their diet, but reduced body weight will bring about very good improvements in your times.  I ran for 8 months and didn’t change my diet and I didn’t lose a pound, but as soon as I fixed my eating the weight came off quick.

I’m a big advocate of running without music outside for a couple of reasons.  One I prefer running outside as I believe running is something that is ingrained in all human beings and that we were meant and built to run outdoors.  We were built for long journeys outside.  Our bodies were made for endurance, tracking down animals until they would eventually tire so we could get our next meal.  We weren’t built to trudge away indoors on a treadmill.

Treadmills are great when the weather doesn’t permit us to be outdoors like during lightning or other rare extreme weather conditions.  Treadmills are also good for some special types of running training, but that is really it.  Other than that I find running on them to be mostly boring and it to be much more invigorating to get outdoors and run even if it is 20 degrees Fahrenheit and snowing hard.  Getting outdoors gives you the opportunity to connect with nature, breath the fresh air, feel your feet along the uneven ground, see the birds, etc.

I am against running with music when outside.  When running indoors on the treadmill turn your music on or your tv as the treadmill is meant to boring, but when outdoors leave your music at home.  For starters music distracts you from the sounds of nature; it destroys some of your ability to connect with the great outdoors.  Music also distracts you from yourself.  I have always looked as myself as a bit of a Zen Runner I guess you could say.  Running is in a lot of ways like meditation.  It mellows you out and helps you sort out your problems.  You have to become comfortable running in your own thought space when you don’t have music.  You have to let your mind wander for both the good and the bad and let yourself zone out as well.  You have to cope with your discomfort of your mind telling you that it’s bored (and you will eventually learn to cope with this.)

With time you will find that you grow as a person as you become more and more comfortable with listening to your own inner voice (rather than music) and connecting with nature.