Mac's Training Log for Dublin Marathon 2016

Mac Cormaic

Well here is an attempt to keep my training log till the Dublin Marathon, having started last week.

Weight 211 lbs.

Mon 4th - Sunday 10th April


Wed: 1 hr, light weights & exercise

Friday: 5 mile jog, 48.45 mins (pace 9.44 p/m).

Mac Cormaic

Based on McMillan's calculator, my present marathon time should be about 4:46:29; although given that I would have to walk-run, walk-run parts of it, I'd estimate it would be closer to the 5 hour mark.

My first goal is to run 5 miles in 42 minutes by the end of April, and run the Cork Marathon at the start of June, hopefully in 4.10.

Dubgal72

Hi Mac, have been reading your recent posts with interest. I think you've been told but there's more to just getting out there and forcing your body to hit certain paces and mileage.

Training is exactly that. I am not an expert so take this with a pinch of salt. You are training your body, your muscles, your tendons, your ligaments, your bones, your blood etc to become accustomed to running. This is optimally over a long period of time. The body will adjust and adapt most effectively if this is done in cycles of training over time: months and years, not weeks.

People who really know what they are talking about recommend a period of two year's regular running experience before training for a marathon. It seems to me that a marathon in June after a few weeks of training is going to put you back in your habitual cycle of overtraining, injury and lack of motivation.

If you think five miles in 42 mins is a feasible goal in a few weeks, why not target a 10k? Sub 40 by the end of the year....

Mac Cormaic

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Hi Mac, have been reading your recent posts with interest. I think you've been told but there's more to just getting out there and forcing your body to hit certain paces and mileage.

Training is exactly that. I am not an expert so take this with a pinch of salt. You are training your body, your muscles, your tendons, your ligaments, your bones, your blood etc to become accustomed to running. This is optimally over a long period of time. The body will adjust and adapt most effectively if this is done in cycles of training over time: months and years, not weeks.

People who really know what they are talking about recommend a period of two year's regular running experience before training for a marathon. It seems to me that a marathon in June after a few weeks of training is going to put you back in your habitual cycle of overtraining, injury and lack of motivation.

If you think five miles in 42 mins is a feasible goal in a few weeks, why not target a 10k? Sub 40 by the end of the year....

Thanks Dubgal. I think the difference is everyone knows their own capacity. I would guess that with six months training I should naturally be able to run a sub 3 hr.

I'll target a 5 mile first, for sub 35, for mid June, so will aim for a sub 40 5k for the end of July.

If anything I would say I under-train.

Mac Cormaic

Last years training for the Cork marathon consisted of 14 weeks training:

Week 1: 3 runs, total 14 miles
Week 2: 2 runs, total 10 miles
Week 3: 1 run, total 5 miles
Week 4: 1 run, total 5 miles
Week 5: 2 runs, total 9 miles
Week 6: No training
Week 7: No training
Week 8: 2 runs, total 20 miles (one run 16 miles, my long run).
Week 9: 4 runs, total 25 miles (one 10 mile)
Week 10: 4 runs, total 18 miles
Week 11: No training
Week 12: 2 runs, total 10 miles
Week 13: 1 run, total 13.1 miles
Week 14: Marathon (4:18:53)

I think with minimal training, I can run a marathon, not in a good time, but able to complete it. All the training I do is just casual jogs, so this time I'll try to focus on a plan with some speed training.

Mac Cormaic

Week 2

Mon 11th - Sun 17th April.

Mon: 5 mile jog, 44:11 (pace 8:49 p/m)

Tue: 1 he weights & exercise.

Wed: Rest

Thurs: 6 mile jog 58:19 (pace 9:42 p/m).


Fri: 6 mile jog 55:04 (pace 9:10 p/m); 1 hr weights & exercise.

Sat: Rest.

Sun: 6 mile jog 53:59 (pace 8:59 p/m); 1 hr weights & exercise.

(Estimated marathon time 4:46:29).

tang1

Where are you getting this estimated marathon time from?

Mac Cormaic

tang1 wrote: »

Where are you getting this estimated marathon time from?

McMillan's calculator, plus a guess from previous experience of running marathons, and judging my current level of fitness.

tang1

How did week 3 go?

aquinn

I was advised to base McMillian marathon time for a more accurate prediction to be off a 10 mile or HM recent effort. Are you doing this or based on what you currently train and do 5 miles in? You then train for that time in mind as more realistic I think.

rooneyjm

I wouldn't hang all my hopes on the McMillian calculator. Is says to roughly double your half marathon time and add 10 minutes. This has never come through for me, its always be more like 20 mins.