I have decided to give a go at Boston qualifying and need some input for running a 3:15 marathon. What should my quality workouts be for the week? Pace runs? Tempo runs? Pace runs within LSD runs? Mile repeats? How much slower should my LSD runs be than marathon pace. How do you incorporate swimming and biking into the equation? I just came off IM training so my base is pretty solid…I just need to do a more specific run focus.
Thanks in advance!
Depends on what your running background is and what sorts of times you can run right now.
Get a coach.
All the advice you need, mang. All other answers you encounter here will just confuse you. Besides, your question doesn’t contain nearly enough information about you. A coach (good one) will review it.
If you want a recommendation (not me), email me through the site.
I’m not a coach or have had any kind of formal training, but I’ve done a couple of 3:07 marathons. What worked for me & kept me injury free was:
Run three times per week
1 x tempo, 1 x embarrassingly slow LSD, 1 x interval session (Flat one week, hill the next)
Bike three times per week
Mostly active recovery from the three runs
Recovery
Timely & relevant post workout nutrition
Wellness
Massage, chiro, stretching, core, rest
Best of luck with your goal. I know you’ll better the qualifying with time to spare.
Cheers,
Paul
Start here:
https://www.runningtimes.com/rt/articles/?id=4535&page=1&
One of the best articles I have ever seen. Good luck!
Thanks for the insight so far. I would hire a coach…but that isn’t any fun now is it??? How will I afford my carbon plated water bottles 
Background - Have run 3 marathons all in the 3:45 range (long ago when I only ran for fun - no planning). Current fitness…I would say 3:20ish (ran a low 4:xx IM recently) Half marathon PR - 1:32. Current LSD pace…8:20. Biking is my strength. I would like to incorporate as much biking into my program as possible. Right now I am biking 6x a week, running 4x a week and swimming 3x a week. Race is 20+ weeks away. I will of course switch to more running as the date approaches.
I am mainly looking for suggestions (they can be across the board) from those who are in the “know” or have run in this range. I realize I will have to sort out the good from the bad…but if someone recently ran a 3:15 as thinks “man - you need to do this”…that would be helpful.
Thanks again!
Don’t chance missing qualifying by a few seconds. Train to be the best you can (given your parmeters)…maybe you can do a 3:05. If so, sure makes qualifying a lot less stressful.
The key to a fast mary isn’t your cardiovascular system based on what you have said. I’d recommend mile repeats, lots of long runs with marathon pace near the end of them (say, 7 min miles AFTER you have run 16+). Your leg fatigue/pain is usually what stops a good performance. Hill repeats are nice too if you don’t do them.
Good luck!
What are “carbon plated water bottles”?
Good call. Great article. Thanks, I learned lots.
The 38:00 10K 2:59 marathon time was about right for me. The article assumes the athlete is running exclusively. FWIW - My biggest mileage week was 40 miles run, 120 mile bike for my 3:07.
I would think if Keyser_Soze wanted to do a 3:15 or faster, being able to do a 39:00 or faster 10k would make sense.
Cheers,
Paul
Mileage mileage mileage
Within reason of course. Building up to 50 miles / week for a few weeks is solid and realistic for most people with a goal like yours.
The two requirements for a successful marathon PR for those of us in the 3+ to sub 4 hr range are:
Long runs
Start at a modest 10 miles 4 months out and gradually increase to 20+ (3-4 times) 2-1 months out. Slower than ‘marathon pace’ but not too slow (about 1 mn./mile slower on similar terrain). 2-3+ hours out on soft trails would be ideal. You should be able to still run OK the next day. 3x a month
Medium long runs
Practice marathon pacing. Start with a 7-8 miler with 4 miles at MP and build up to 12-14 miles with 10-12 at MP. This should be tough but not wreck you. 3x a month
Any good plan has these as its basis … Everything else is filler, but the more filler the better. A little speed / track / 5 & 10Ks help, but should not detract from the other 2 workouts.
I have done 3:04 twice, once in May '03 and again 6 months ago. Both times I was going for sub 3 but, well … anyway. I can do a 1/2 in 81 minutes, so I obviously haven’t quite figured out the marathon yet … happy training!
Check out “Advanced Marathoning” by Pete Pfitzinger: http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Marathoning-Pete-Pfitzinger/dp/0736034315/ref=sr_1_1/002-7017259-9246442?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177437012&sr=1-1 … He also has a good website (http://www.pfitzinger.com/) with lots of articles, tips, etc… my running friends swear by his book…
Another great read is Jack Daniels “Daniels’ Running Formula”: http://www.amazon.com/Daniels-Running-Formula-Jack/dp/0736054928/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-7017259-9246442?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177436887&sr=1-1
I’m not a coach, but this is what has worked for me each of the three times I’ve run sub-3:15:
Long runs - as someone suggested previously, have a base long run of 10 miles about four months out and start building from there. What worked for me was consistently being able to run 16-18 for my long run and then getting at least two 20-milers in before tapering. Mix up some of the long runs by adding some long tempo sets in, say 3x15:00 w/5:00 recovery.
Speed workouts - repeat 800s. 15min w/u, 4x800 hard with recovery 800 in between each one. 15:00 c/d
Hills - if you can, find a good long hill (about 1/2-mile in length if possible) to do repeats on. 15:00 w/u followed by 4-5 hard hills, come down easy to recover. 15:00 c/d
Regular weekly runs - try to get in 45:00 to an hour each time if you can. Maybe even sneak in a 90-minute run during the week if possible.
Swim/bike - 2-3x/week of each to cross-train.
Hope this helps, good luck!
“What are “carbon plated water bottles”?”
LOL - they alone will drop your HIM bike split by 5 minutes…plus they only weigh an amazing 9 grams 
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I would second this recommendation for Pfitzinger’s book. It has been voted the best marathon training book by either Runner’s world or Running Times.
The plans are variable from low mileage to high mileage and range from 12-24 weeks long.
Attach your timing chip to any runner at the front or the pace car. Once done retreat for enjoyment of many donuts. You’ll win the race without the need to get sweaty. What better way to run? For a more realistic time, you can borrow my dog, Donuts, who will easily break 2:00hours. Who can’t break 2:00 hours? Oh yeah, you’re trying for a 3:15min marathon. No insult implied, only stating the truth. Your favorite reporter, the Daily Slab.
The words of a true champion: With little effort, you can all come second. Too bad, I’ll be first. First one to the pace car wins.
I did what you are trying to do Sept 05 after LP-IM. I was well trained for the IM, took it easy for 2 weeks, started cycling and light running in the 3rd. I only did three runs a week, tempo, track (speed-work) and long steady run-nothing longer then 2.5 hrs-had a good base. All previous IM and marathon attempts I was not diligent with the tempo and track workouts-they are not the most fun but I had a relative easy time of hitting the mark with them inserted.
Good luck.
The Lydiard Method ** ** For as long as possible ** **
Monday Long aerobic run 1 hour
Tuesday Long aerobic run 1 ½ hours
Wednesday Easy fartlek/hills 1 hour
Thursday Long aerobic run 1 ½ hours
Friday Jogging 1 hour easy
Saturday Long aerobic run 2 hours or more
Sunday Long aerobic run 1 ½ hours
** ** ** **“There is no easy way” Arthur Lydiard
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So the equation is:
trained coach with record of experience who knows you face to face < wierd internet freekos you’ve never met who are going to plan your marathon training in a post of around 200 words or less
Consider carefully.
Run until you damn near injured, then run more until you REALLY think your almost injured.
Take a couple days easy… then repeat… increasing you mileage until your shattered.
Rest a bit.
Ok… now your ready for a proper marathon.