Hi ,
It looks like you're using an ad blocker.



The revenue generated from the adverts on the site is a critical part of our funding - and it's because of these ads that I can offer the site for free. But using the site for free AND blocking the ads doesn't feel like a great thing to do, which is why this box is so large and inconvenient. Some sites will completely block your access, but I'm not doing that - I'm appealing to your good nature instead. Did you know that you can allow ads for specific sites, whilst still blocking them on others?

Thanks,
Ian Williams aka Fetch
or for an ad-free Fetcheveryone experience!

The Sub 3:15 Marathon Thread

6 lurkers | 336 watchers
Aug 2019
9:15am, 23 Aug 2019
2,313 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
B Rubble
As I've said on the GFA thread I've missed out this year, caught on both of the new rules. I'm thinking about doing Manchester instead, or maybe even Boston.
Aug 2019
9:21am, 23 Aug 2019
4,155 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
Windsor Wool
Really a bit shocked by that ^ BR. Really sorry....
Aug 2019
9:30am, 23 Aug 2019
2,314 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
B Rubble
Thanks WW. TBH I thought 42s was a bit tight. 2 minutes out in the end so no thoughts of if I had pushed a little bit harder, I wasn't going to get 3:12 on the day unless I had maintained my 3:10 starting pace - which I tried.
Aug 2019
9:41am, 23 Aug 2019
4,156 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
Windsor Wool
that’s it isn’t it? As long as you’ve run as fast as you could on the day then no regrets.

I suppose one thing that the GFA targets do is to serve as targets when things aren’t going perfectly on the day.

Manchester is defo a faster course...
Aug 2019
9:59am, 23 Aug 2019
8,376 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
larkim
I reckon with a margin of safety built in, I need 3:06:30 to have >80% confidence of getting in as a 45-49yo - London was fast this year, so there'll be a good chunk of decent times set there which are eligible for the 2021 entry, plus this autumn and next spring everyone running now knows that 3:09:59 just won't cut it.

That's at the top end of my hopes, so it'd better be decent weather!!
Aug 2019
10:09am, 23 Aug 2019
6,591 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
paul the builder
BR - sorry to hear that. Good luck getting a wee bit faster (or older) for 2021 :-)

WW - that'd be my attitude too (run as fast as you can, and then see what you get later with no regrets). But then jda had written: ""There will probably be a lot of people thinking they could have gone 30s quicker if they knew they had to...""

Really? Who coasts in the last part of a marathon (unless the wheels are entirely off, and you're grabbing cans from spectators)?
Aug 2019
10:18am, 23 Aug 2019
4,157 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
Windsor Wool
lark - is that right? VLM times from 2019 will still be eligible for 2021 applications?
Aug 2019
10:20am, 23 Aug 2019
8,377 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
larkim
In my head, that's about pacing the first 13-18 miles or so. If GFA was your sole aim and towards the top end of your expectations (though not unrealistically so), you'd plan a first half at GFA pace (with say 30s comfort) and then work hard in the 2nd half to get out whatever you can - whether that's 3 minutes inside, sneaking it by a few seconds or finding it too hard and missing out.

If you have to take off a further 30s then you'd run that first half quicker, or be banking on being able to find it in the second half. No-one cruises the last bit of a marathon (unless that is their aim, of course), but you could lose a GFA place by planning too soft a pace in the first half by mistake, before you get to the hard part.

So for me if 3:06:30 is the target, I'd have to be looking at 1:33 first half and crossing my fingers that I can maintain that to the end - I ought to be able to do that, but I wouldn't be 100% confident. If 3:10 was the target, I'd probably go for 1:34:30 and potentially be hoping that I could run 1:32:xx to the finish on a great day, but a secure 1:34:30 on an average day and tolerate a 1:35:29 on a day when things don't quite go to plan.
Aug 2019
10:22am, 23 Aug 2019
8,378 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
larkim
Isn't that the way it works WW? Spring marathons have eligibility for 2 iterations, Autumn ones only once?

From their page, the window for this year was 1 January 2018 and 6 August 2019, so 2018 and 2019 VLM eligible for 2020. Though the time / age bracket has to match on race day etc.
jda
Aug 2019
10:25am, 23 Aug 2019
5,031 posts
  • Quote
  • Pin
jda
PTB, you only have to look at finishing times. About 200 people finished in 2:59:xx in London, versus 100 at 3:00:xx. And about 150 in 2:57:xx. I'm not saying many of them were coasting, but it certainly looks like some found something extra just to duck under the threshold. If there had been a big reward for sub-2:47 this spring I would have certainly tried a bit harder towards the end, though I can't absolutely guarantee I would have made it.

There's always a difficult judgement to make with "as fast as you can" in any race, and a marathon really exaggerates this. None of us really know what "as fast as you can" is on the start-line, it's a balancing act between optimism, ambition, realism, and the penalty for failure.

About This Thread

Maintained by Windsor Wool
For those who want to go sub 3.15 in a marathon and/or those that have already done it and want to give advice. Share your journey or help someone else's here.

2025 targets:

Chicago 12 Oct: Mark
Abingdon 19 Oct: Clare
York 19 Oct: PJH

2025 achievers:
Charles 3:07 @ Ghent
Mark 3:07 @ Christchurch
  • Show full description...

Related Threads

  • goals
  • marathon
  • sub
  • support
  • training

Report This Content

You can report any content you believe to be unsafe. Please let me know why you believe this content is unsafe by choosing a category below.



Thank you for your report. The content will be assessed as soon as possible.










Back To Top

Tag A User

To tag a user, start typing their name here:
X

Free training & racing tools for runners, cyclists, swimmers & walkers.

Fetcheveryone lets you analyse your training, find races, plot routes, chat in our forum, get advice, play games - and more! Nothing is behind a paywall, and it'll stay that way thanks to our awesome community!
Get Started
Click here to join 114,523 Fetchies!
Already a Fetchie? Sign in here