The Sub 4 Support Thread

FinnC

Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again and Expecting Different Results

Fair play to you ewc1978 for admitting you needed a new approach and doing something about it.

I train the same way you do and I consider changing to this way of training was the sole reason that got me to the promised land of a sub 3 Marathon after many failed attempts.

Best of luck with your future training, its time for you to have a look at the sub 3 thread 😜😱

BKWDR

Got sub 4 in Belfast on my 2nd marathon ever.

Like some distances and times, do people find that once they achieve the sub 4 , that its nearly easier to replicate it or is it just that the marathon is a different animal and too many moving parts?

Well done OP on your recent sub 3'30

Murph_D

It depends on who you are and where you’re coming from. For a male runner under 50, I’d say sub-4 is a pathway to sub-3:30. Everything else will be a bonus. If you are in your 30s or 40s, be more ambitious, maybe. Up to you really.

Anbocmorrua

With so much success around here do we need a sub 3.30 thread?

Murph_D

We have one already.

JKerova1

Anyone here aiming for sub 4 in Cork this summer?

masterK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120426240#Comment_120426240

Yep sure am. Travelling down for the weekend so really looking forward to it.

weadick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120434479#Comment_120434479

How's your training coming along? This is my first ever attempt at a full marathon. So far I'm up to about 16 miles on training runs. Feels like a long way to go to 26!

masterK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120436161#Comment_120436161

It's going pretty well so far, the next 5 weeks will be the toughest part. Best of luck on the first attempt, this will be my 2nd.

Not sure if anyone listens to the Any Given Runday podcasts, they did an episode recently on Cork

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7d24gcvcUUdp4ckmi5KpFb

For those of us not from Cork according to their guest the route is downhill all the way with the wind on your back the whole time😂

Bluesquare

i have only ever did the half in Cork -my memory of the hills is slightly different 🤣.

Good luck to both of you .

Have you did any tune up races ? Have you a pace plan for the day? What shoes are you wearing ?

Hopefully I will be targeting sub4 myself come October so always looking for info

weadick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120445484#Comment_120445484

I did the Cobh 10 last week. The race went really well and I was delighted with my time. My legs are really sore though, must have been all the steep down hills! I haven't really any plan formulated yet. At the moment my long runs are up to 15 miles so it still feels a long way off before marathon distance. I have always used Brookes runners since 2015 and find they give great support.

Murph_D

Cork is a great marathon and a fair course. This thread is probably more about consistent <4 hour training than particular marathon courses though. The more interesting question is: if you your Cork goal is sub-4, what are you bringing to it, training wise.

ewc1978

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120442518#Comment_120442518

No harm in discussing the course if you are both running Cork and both going for the same goal time. It’s a decent enough course alright though and probably a better course than say Dublin if you are going for sub 4 for the first time though wouldn’t have the same level as support around the course as Dublin would.

Best of luck anyway to the both of you.

It was me actually who originally started this thread and it took me a few attempts to break 4 so don’t be too disheartened if it doesn’t happen this time especially for those attempting it for the first time. Have a read back through the thread there are plenty of good comments and advice from plenty of different posters with various ideas about training. Just remember one size doesn’t fit all, people respond differently to different types of training. It was only when I realised this my training and times started to improve. There’s more than one way to skin a cat!

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120446947#Comment_120446947

Fantastic to hear this news, ewc78. Where did you break the sub-4? I note from the other thread that a sub-3 is in your sights so obviously the breakthrough was decisive, which is fantastic to see. You mentioned earlier about cross training being a big part of the approach, can you tell us more? Really incredible progress!

weadick

If you are training for Cork in June would you be beginning to taper around now or is it too soon? I'm following a programme since late January. I did a 20 mile run over a week or so ago and did 16 miles yesterday. I'm just wondering is it too soon to be cutting down the distance of the long run? It seems a big jump to go from 20 miles training to 26.2 on marathon day...I don't feel confident.

Murph_D

What does the programme say? If following it since January, might as well stick with it. It's normal for the long runs to reduce in length over the final few weeks. And not unusual for the long run to peak at 20 miles. What's your marathon history to date?

weadick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120597579#Comment_120597579

Yeah it says my longest run should be 20 miles. This is my first attempt at a marathon, so I'm just a bit uncertain if I'm doing the right thing.

Murph_D

Sounds like you are going about it correctly. What’s the plan that you’re using? Best of luck with it all.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120597994#Comment_120597994

weadick

Finished 4.09 today in Cork. Feel pretty deflated at the moment. I'd never really experienced running in that kind of heat before. Glad to have my first marathon done but dissapointed not to break 4.

4Ad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120676991#Comment_120676991

I'm well used to running and I struggled on a 10k this morning.

I'd imagine you will easily break 4 hours.

Just pat yourself on the back on a doing a marathon...Well Done.

How many people do you know have finished a Marathon !!

weadick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120677015#Comment_120677015

Thanks very much for the kind words. Yeah I suppose I don't know too many people that have actually finished one.

thehairygrape

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120676991#Comment_120676991

Watching the race for a change today. You shouldn’t be disheartened with that time. The heat was savage. Well done. As an aside, what’s the feedback on the wooden medals?

weadick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120677072#Comment_120677072

Not great. I think they look very cheap. The t-shirt this year seems really cheap too actually.

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120676991#Comment_120676991

Congrats on becoming a marathoner! Yesterday was tough. I did the 10Km at a jog and the heat was unreal. We haven’t had any time to acclimatise either as stayed cold until a couple of weeks ago. You would have been faster on a cooler day.

ariana`

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120676991#Comment_120676991

Well done, great achievement to finish a marathon! It was your first marathon so a PB all the same and not far at all off sub 4 at all. It will be there for you next time, don't worry. Recover well now and try to savour the achievement, good on you 👋👋

weadick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120681304#Comment_120681304

Thanks very much. Now that the dust has settled a bit I'm a bit happier at actually having done it alright. Can the marathon ever actually be enjoyable? I've heard people say it's an enjoyable experience with the atmosphere and everything. After the first ten miles I didn't enjoy Cork at all. In fact the last ten miles was awful. I really don't know if I could do another one. I thought I was well prepared going into it but it didn't seem like that on the day.

ariana`

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120682754#Comment_120682754

I'm glad you are feeling happier about it, you should, it's a huge achievement finishing your 1st marathon!

From my experience it can be enjoyable. I've done 4 and I've had very mixed experiences. The first one I was very nervous but I did enjoy it to an extent, certainly once I got to a point where I was confident I'd finish it I enjoyed it. But it was Dublin, the crowds were amazing, the conditions were perfect and I was running very comfortably well within myself pace wise. My 2nd, again in Dublin and again perfect conditions but it was an absolutely miserable experience, I felt so sick and couldn't stomach fuel/water from very early on... 3rd was very enjoyable, again I was running very much within myself as I had only decided to do it a few days before hand so I took it at a very comfortable pace and soaked up the atmosphere. My 4th was less enjoyable but very satisfying as it was my first sub 4 and a big PB, thankfully I never felt absolutely awful the way I did on the 2nd but it was a tough run all the same as I wanted a specific time and the enjoyment really came afterwards from the sense of accomplishment... So a variety of experiences and I expect if I did another 4 that they would be all different also! Marathons are difficult to predict really but getting to that finish line is always an achievement because no matter what there will always have been sacrifices and some suffering along the way ☺️

weadick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120682973#Comment_120682973

Thanks...amazing how one marathon experience can vary from another. How long does it take to get over a marathon? I've been told no races, even parkruns, for three weeks. To be honest I don't feel remotely like running another race right now anyway!

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120684738#Comment_120684738

They say a day for every mile but I think listen to your body. Don’t rush it anyway. There’s a lot of repairing to be done. A few easy runs when you are feeling up to it won’t do any harm but I wouldn’t do speed work or races. No harm to jog around Parkrun though if you feel like it.

ariana`

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120684738#Comment_120684738

Exactly what @Kellygirl says there. I'd try to get active again soon enough if you have no persistent soreness, but active could just be going for walks for now. I'm not sure what your circumstances are but I'd use the time to make it up to the people who made sacrifices for me during the training block and catching up on the activities I missed out on, whether that is going for walks with friends or my other half, bike rides or swimming with the kids etc.. You need a mental break after a marathon training block, as well as a physical break i think.