I don’t want to start a debate on 3 hrs vs. 2.5, etc. - just looking for some data:
A. the time you spend on your longest runs when training for an IM (e.g 2 hrs, 3 hrs. - 3.5 hrs?).
B. How long in the sport
C. Self coached or hired coach
D. Running background or not
A. Longest was 2:20, majority were 2:00
B. 3 yrs
C. Self-coached, though hired for the last 9-weeks of IM training
D. No
A. 3.5hrs + (I like to do at least one maybe two 20-22 mile run)
B. 6yrs
C. Self Coached
D. An occasional fitness jogger before I started triathlon
A) one 3hr run, two 2.5hr runs, five 2 hr runs.
B) 3years
C) self coached. Overstatement of the year. Did what I felt like when I felt like it with a few long workouts scheduled in.
D) no background. Well, a smoking background.
I’ve only done one IM, taking a year to do shorter stuff (one 1/2IM for 07) then another IM in 08.
A - 1 hour 24 minutes (ran a single halfmarathon as my longest run in several years)
B - been doing tris for 20 years, with a couple years off until April '06
C - CBB - Coached by Budweiser
D - heavy running background, just not recently.
A. 2.5 hours
B. 5 years
C. Self coached, (poorly I may add)
D. No
E. I am MOP, so do not let this throw your data too far off!!
A) 22 miles in 2:45…I had 2 22s, a 20, a 19, and a bunch of 15-17s. I would have done more but I was nursing an injury.
B) One year as a triathlete. ~15 years as a runner.
C) Self coached since college.
D) Team MVP of the University of Delaware Cross Country team.
- long run for last IM (IMH '06) was 3 hrs twice, several just under 3 hours
- in the sport for 15+ yrs, first IM in '01
- hired coach for last IM (markallenonline.com). I wouldn’t have ever done 3 hour runs if not coached to do it, thought it would have been too much. Ended up being a crucial part in my training - the IM marathon finally felt “easy”.
- yes, running background but no marathons or anything, just jr high thru college, track and XC.
What about adding E: IM run split
.
E - 4:2x IM split. So maybe I should have run longer than 1:24 in training??? 
(I had planned to, but injury forced me to shut it down completely until race day)
Nah…then you just get a bunch of people bragging about their times and the MOPers & BOPers will stop chiming in
.
2:35-2:45 generally
6
self
yes, but it’s a sprinting background
.
a. 2.0 - 2.5 hours every week for last 3 months before IM
b. Running? 25 IM’ing? 3.5 years/6 IM’s
c. self-coached
d. yes
For IM CdA in '05 (my only IM to date):
A) about 15 miles in 2:15 (only had about half a dozen 2+ hour runs, but all were very hilly)
B) at the time, it was my third year in the sport
C) self-coached, though I borrowed heavily from Gordo’s philosophies
D) no running background
E) I went 3:56 at IM CdA
I didn’t run extremely long, but I tried to run a lot, with very few weeks all year with less than 4 runs, and most with 5-6. That said, I didn’t break 30mpw at all until the race.
I think this is probably the barest minimum for a sub-4 IM marathon (assuming, of course, a properly-paced bike), and if you want to run faster, you’ll need to do more (an assumption that’s shaping my run prep for IM CdA '07).
cramer
A. several at 2 hours, 3 x 2.5 hour runs
B. 5 years
C. Self coached
D. Previous CC runner
E. IM mary: 3:44 (IM LP, mildly hilly) (but looking for sub 3:30 next time) 
A. the time you spend on your longest runs when training for an IM 4:45
B. How long in the sport 6 years
C. Self coached or hired coach Self
D. Running background or not Running
A. 3:15…it was a 30K race (I was injured…achilles tendonitis during this run…so I ran with a friend training for a marathon, I probably would have run this race about 2:50 had I not been injured)
2. 4 years in triathlon
3. Self coached…followed Don Fink’s Be IronFit plan (mostly competetive plan, but some weekends didn’t do the extra biking and running)
4. More running background…ran cross country/track in highschool, a few marathons in college, and then ever since
My split was 4:34 (I was still injured, so I ran the first 1/2 at 9.0 min mile pace, because I knew the second 1/2 would be so painful I would be going 11 min miles despite what my legs wanted to do). If I had not been injured I would have probably run 9.5 min miles for most of the race.
A. the time you spend on your longest runs when training for an IM (~ 3 hrs)
B. How long in the sport (6 yrs)
C. Self coached or hired coach (Self)
D. Running background or not (some)
A. 3:00 (but only one. Most were 2-3 hours)
B. 5 years
C. Self coached
D. Little to no running until I started tris
A. At least 2.5 hours, sometimes 3 if I get into an adventure
B. 10 years
C. Formerly coached for a lot of money; now self-coached
D. Yes
IM PR of 10:23 with best IM run of 3:38