Marathon Training

[jogsxyz]

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I'm 6'4" 195 lbs and can run 1 mile in 6 minutes. I've never run for longer than 40 minutes at a time. What are my chances of having what it takes to run a 3:10 marathon with 6 months of training?

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Nearly zero. 3:10 is 7:15/mile. By mile 10 7:30 will seem like an impossible task.

[shemp]

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I'm 6'4" 195 lbs

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I can't remember many runners your shape. Maybe because I wasn't looking for them and that height isn't all that common as it is.

[dethgrind]

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I'm 6'4" 195 lbs and can run 1 mile in 6 minutes. I've never run for longer than 40 minutes at a time. What are my chances of having what it takes to run a 3:10 marathon with 6 months of training?

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Nearly zero. 3:10 is 7:15/mile. By mile 10 7:30 will seem like an impossible task.

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Really, if I train hard for the next 6 months, zero chance? What if I'm a natural?

[jacksquat]

imo, 3:10 would be a pretty ambitious goal for 6 months, natural or not. i did my first marathon in 3 hours and 40 seconds with about 9 months of serious training, but i was already in excellent physical shape. along with some occasional running, i moved furniture for a living, and played softball two days a week in the summer, and ice hockey two days a week in the winter. as you can see i already had a very sound base to build upon, and was able to train fairly hard from the beginning. i was also able to avoid any injuries and/or setbacks.

the training program i used was very similar to what has already been described. mixing up longer runs with short ones,and one day a week of hill training. i gradually increased my mileage and did the one slow long run per week, peaking at 22 miles two weeks before race day. i trained 6 days per week, and was up to 45 or 50 miles per week not including the long run. i also did 7 or 8 races during that time frame, mainly 10k, and a couple of ten milers.

last but not least, "hitting the wall" is a very real probability, and trying to put an exact number on your time is at best, unrealistic. i know that i trained to go faster, but at some point i just started slowing down, and had several miles near the end that just didn't feel very good.

anyway, good luck

[jogsxyz]

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Nearly zero. 3:10 is 7:15/mile. By mile 10 7:30 will seem like an impossible task.

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Really, if I train hard for the next 6 months, zero chance? What if I'm a natural?

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Lance Armstrong trained for about 6 months for his first marathon. Lance has about the highest VO2 max known. He had Alberto Salazar(pass NY winner) pace him. His time was 2:59 and lots of seconds.
Are you that much of a natural?
Your chance of winning the 2008 WSOP ME is greater than your chances of running under 3:10 on 6 months training. That assumes you currently have no run base. Meaning currently at running no miles a week.

[BreakfastBurrito]

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Lance Armstrong trained for about 6 months for his first marathon. Lance has about the highest VO2 max known. He had Alberto Salazar(pass NY winner) pace him. His time was 2:59 and lots of seconds.


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Lance trained VERY poorly for his first marathon. He relied heavily on talent. He's not a good example to use to convince someone of what they can't do in 6 months. Here's a comment he made during an interview with Runnersworld 6 weeks before his first marathon.

RWD: What kind of running have you been doing?
LA: I have a very low-key approach to the marathon. Lately I've been running 45 to 60 minutes. Usually it's about five to ten miles. On Tuesday, I ran seven miles in Central Park. My longest run so far is 13 miles, so it would probably be a good idea to get some longer runs in. You can tell my training isn't very scientific about this. Most of the time I'm running with people and we're talking about business or life and my scheduling.

[jogsxyz]

One year later, Lance ran 2:46 with proper training.

3:10 is very fast for a marathon. Most marathoners who can break 3:10 can also run 40 in a 10K. 6 minutes for one single mile isn't that fast. Five times your 10K is a better indicator for predicting marathon time.

[rivermetimbers]

follow this training guide

this man has helped thousands

edit: after reading thru it seems many people have posted the same thing, you should obviously follow it ldo

[Victor]

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26.5 miles.

I can make as much time as would be needed to complete it in less than 4 hours. Given my fitness levels aren't great the amount of time i can train each week will be limited.

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Well I've never trained specifically for a marathon since I normally do a lot of cardio, but theoretically the best way to train for this event would be...

1) OK you have 5 months until this event. this gives you 20 weeks to prepare - thats not a lot of time though if you keep strict with your training and incorporate some dieting advice (basically eat a lot :P) you'll be fine.
2) Before you do start make sure you have some proper running shoes - maybe visit a podiatrist if you can be bothered? They usually have reccomendations of how to improve your running posture and can tell you which shows would fit you best or even where to get custom running shoes.
3)You should train 3-4x a week. Now obviously you can't be doing full marathons every day (nor shouldnt) but every 5th week you should attempt to do the length of the marathon - too see how your progress is. You might just want to go for runs for 1-1.5 hours and try increase distance each time. Start off gradually though - maybe start off at 3x a week for 1 hour and try gradually increase time and then distance.
4) You also want to be able to "peak" for the event. The best way to peak for the event is to spend some time leading up to the event training at less intensity then what you're used too - so for a week before the marathon you may only want to run twice a week and extrapolate the time/distance as to how you'll go in the marathon. Also at week 8 and 14 you may also want to take a rest week where you train only 2x a week so to keep you from over training.

That my IMO, somebody more experienced might have a better idea.

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this is horrible advice. esp the bolded. most of the other stuff is wrong too. op just ignore this post.

[J.R.]

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Lance Armstrong trained for about 6 months for his first marathon. Lance has about the highest VO2 max known.

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Lance Armstrong by contrast reports a VO2 Max of about 84 to 85, but even this is a bit lower than the highest-ever recorded VO2 Max of 93.

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link

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Derek Clayton, marathon world record holder at the end of the 60’s, had a lower VO2max value than mine, about 69 ml/kg/min, but he could run the marathon in 2h09’, approximately 20 minutes faster than my best performance ever.

This simply because he was able to run at an intensity of 90-92% of his VO2max without accumulating relevant concentrations of lactic acid: less than 2.5 mM/L!
At the same percentage of my VO2max value, my lactate concentration exceeded 8 mM/l.

In cycling the measuring of VO2max has about the same meaning as in running: it is useful and indicative of the potentiality of the athlete, but once again its correlation with competitive results is not so tight.
Lance Armstrong for instance was measured a VO2max of 82 ml/kg/min, which is an excellent value, but common to many other professional athletes that obtained far inferior results in their careers.

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link

List of elite athlete's VO2 max


That all said, these are lab tested VO2 Max. Some have suggested that in cycling events, the usage of chemistry altering substances can artificially increase these levels.