Caveat: Race is in 3 weeks. As of now, there are no updates on the web site re: corona virus, so for now I will assume the race is going on as planned.
So, I've been training for this, my third marathon (first one in ten years!) with Hal Higdon's "Marathon 3" program. It's a 24-week-program w/ three runs (one progressively longer mid-week run, one tempo/interval run, and one long weekend run), one day swim, one day bike (been doing Sufferfest videos) and two rest days. Training has been going well -- skipped one week over xmas, but other than that I was able to follow the plan to the T.
I just wrapped up my third 20 mile run in the last 6 weeks @ 3:12, 3:09 and 3:09 (same course each time). They each had about 500 feet of climbing which is a tad bit more than the race course will have. So, where does that put me on race day? I haven't found many race predictors online based on 20-mile times. I am quite tired and looking forward to a taper. According to my Garmin, my "performance condition" is going into the negatives, which confirms my fatigue. That being said, I tend to recover well during a taper and tend to out-perform my training during races. That, plus race day adrenaline and running with a group lead me to believe I can run between 4:05-4:10 (or at least that is what I want to chase!).
There is a 4:00 pace group, and a 4:10 pace group. Do I start with the former knowing I'll probably fall back somewhere around mile 16 or so and need to drag myself to finish line, or do I start w/ the 4:10 pace group knowing I'll need to go ahead on my own around mile 16 to try to make up some time to get to 4:05, or do I just go out on my own (I am not very confident in my pacing abilities - nor do I consider myself a runner!)?
Me: F, going on 46, 5'7", 137 lbs, BMI 21.
So, any wisdom for me ST? I have three weeks minus one day to wrap my head around this :o.
Thank you
So, I've been training for this, my third marathon (first one in ten years!) with Hal Higdon's "Marathon 3" program. It's a 24-week-program w/ three runs (one progressively longer mid-week run, one tempo/interval run, and one long weekend run), one day swim, one day bike (been doing Sufferfest videos) and two rest days. Training has been going well -- skipped one week over xmas, but other than that I was able to follow the plan to the T.
I just wrapped up my third 20 mile run in the last 6 weeks @ 3:12, 3:09 and 3:09 (same course each time). They each had about 500 feet of climbing which is a tad bit more than the race course will have. So, where does that put me on race day? I haven't found many race predictors online based on 20-mile times. I am quite tired and looking forward to a taper. According to my Garmin, my "performance condition" is going into the negatives, which confirms my fatigue. That being said, I tend to recover well during a taper and tend to out-perform my training during races. That, plus race day adrenaline and running with a group lead me to believe I can run between 4:05-4:10 (or at least that is what I want to chase!).
There is a 4:00 pace group, and a 4:10 pace group. Do I start with the former knowing I'll probably fall back somewhere around mile 16 or so and need to drag myself to finish line, or do I start w/ the 4:10 pace group knowing I'll need to go ahead on my own around mile 16 to try to make up some time to get to 4:05, or do I just go out on my own (I am not very confident in my pacing abilities - nor do I consider myself a runner!)?
Me: F, going on 46, 5'7", 137 lbs, BMI 21.
So, any wisdom for me ST? I have three weeks minus one day to wrap my head around this :o.
Thank you