5:43 Marathon to Sub 5hrs

2 watchers

mjthomas May 2015 7:59pm, 5 May 2015 First-time poster!!	0 mjthomas So a little back story. 12 months ago I was a couch potato at 23st, I entered the London Marathon as a target to sort myself out and start getting the weight off and get fit. Starting from Couch 2 5k I increased my distance over the year, completing this year's Marathon in 5hr 43min @17st in weight. I'm now addicted and will be running the London Marathon again in 2016 for the same local charity. This time though I want to be completing the course in under 5hrs, as close to 4hr 30min as I can get. Looking for as much advice and tips I can get for how to structure my training and what sort of training I should complete to increase speed over the distance.
JohnnyO May 2015 8:14pm, 5 May 2015 17,898 posts	0 JohnnyO Welcome If your log is accurate (there aren't more miles that were't logged), then the biggest gains will come from just increasing distance. Specific training runs (various forms of speedwork) are often not recommended until you are over thirty miles a week for a good few months, but there is no reason you couldn't do some fartlek type stuff.
Canute May 2015 8:14pm, 5 May 2015 1,407 posts	0 Canute You have made a great start. The main requirement for improvement is consistent training. It is also crucial to look after your joints. Therefore, long walks can be a useful addition to your program. You might want to consider the run-walk-run strategy, as it is a good way of minimising stress on the body. There is a thread devoted to that.
mjthomas May 2015 8:24pm, 5 May 2015 2 posts	0 mjthomas Not all runs were recorded also did lots of spinning and treadmill work that's not logged
mjthomas May 2015 8:28pm, 5 May 2015 3 posts	0 mjthomas Wanted to join a running club for help and group running, but our local one meets too early in evening for me.
LindsD May 2015 9:43pm, 5 May 2015 5,006 posts	0 LindsD Nothing to add but welcome to Fetch!
Windsor Wool May 2015 9:48pm, 5 May 2015 1,888 posts	0 Windsor Wool just run more, you'll get enormous gains from a simple increase in quantity. You have just so much potential improvement locked away by doing this rather than worrying about specific sessions. Good luck, enjoy it.
lammo May 2015 10:22pm, 5 May 2015 6,062 posts	0 lammo Great stuff well done, are you after suggestions for a high level training plan? As the other much more qualified than me have said more miles will get you some great gains for next year without any speed work at all, you'll get a bit quicker, or your pace will be easier due to further weight loss and the training effect of more miles. There are lots of threads on here about various training options, like the heart rate thread, which you might like. In general terms though people tend to split their raining up into chunks, perhaps four weeks at a time, with three good full training weeks and a cut back week that includes more rest, fewer intense sessions and shorter long runs. Whether you run, walk or a combination of the two, people tend to do their longest run once a week, with perhaps your usual sessions for the rest of the week with perhaps something slightly longer midweek. Remember the longer the session the easier the effort level. I hope that's all clear, good luck.
Rosehip May 2015 11:12pm, 5 May 2015 4,884 posts	0 Rosehip Well done ! what an achievement you should be feeling so very proud of yourself as the knowledgeable folk have said, plenty of steady miles, a few short burts of something faster, keep up the cross training and remember to rest and recover Good luck!
Dvorak May 2015 12:37am, 6 May 2015 10,052 posts	0 Dvorak Well done. Can I suggest more races? Some half marathons and 10Ks on the way to next year. And parkruns.