Usually in winter months I hit the trails but this year want to improve speed vs endurance so after completing Port Macquarie 70.3 I set a goal of sub 4 hour marathon.
Originally was looking at doing Rottnest which gave me 5 weeks of training and its not a flat course so the time would been hard. The Bravehearts which was Monday 1st and Bibra Lake were flat and gave me more time.
I choose Bibra Lake Running Works Marathon as I did a half marathon in 2021 so knew the course and it gave me an extra week of training for a real taper.
Firstly the results…
Race Recap
- Course: Flat – Starts without and back of 3km and then 6 laps of the lake.
- Weather: Very wet for first hour and then dried up
- Nutrition was on point, 2 bottles of tailwind with 2 scoops for first 3 hours
- Breakfast: Crumpets and Jam
- Hour 1 / 10km: Tailwind 2 scoops, 1 caffeine marten gel
- Hour 2 / 20km: Tailwind 2 scoops, 1 non-caffeine marten gel
- Hour 3 / 31km: 1 non-caffeine marten gel
- Hour 4 / 42km: 1 caffeine marten gel, Crampfix Shot
- Shoes: New running shoes as they cut the back of my ankles. I knew this the moment I put them on that morning so could put on extra socks. They were really sore for 3-5km and then the pain numbed. The new shoes were Fuelcell Supercomp elite v4 which I think did help save my legs besides the cutting.
- Pacing: Stuck with the pacer throughout. Had stop for quick toilet break at 19km mark (which you can see in the below graph)and then increased speed to catch back up. At 32km mark calf, hips, knee got sore but heard somebody else moaning and realized everybody is sore. The pacers helped take the thinking out of it and were very supportive. On the last lap they turned on a speaker with some ACDC to help get us there.
Pacing Chart from Strava
Training Plan
Proposed Training Program
Found a sub 4 hour marathon training program online from Caffeine Bullet. SUB 4 HOUR MARATHON TRAINING PLAN (2024) – Caffeine Bullet
The plan was based on my race time I wanted to get based on my last half marathon which was at Port Macquarie 70.3. I feel like I could of done that quicker since its the end of a triathlon but it was a good gauge and looking back my zones seem right.
I had 8 weeks to the event so just cropped it and made a plan to start at week 9.
Got following tips from Vicci Richardson our Perth Triathlon club run coach.
4 quality runs per week if you are cycling/swimming too.
2 x strength sessions a week in the gym single leg RDLs, step ups, calf raises off steps (and/or seated) lunges and squats – low reps (8 per leg/10 double leg) + add whatever weight suits you reasonably.
Running wise: 1-2 x intervals, 1-2 x easy + long run. This could look as follows:
- Mon gym 2 Tue Intervals – Threshold intervals are your friend
- Wed: mid-week easy/long – suggest starting with 40 mins, building up to 1-hour z2
- Thurs gym/xtrain
- Fri Hills e.g 10x30s or just a rolling hilly run or some MP efforts through a shortish run up to 45 mins
- Sat xtrain /long run
- Sun xtrain /long run Long run- I’d suggest you want to get up to 3.30 if you can… easy z2 running but for your last 2 before tapering you could add some MP/HMP efforts either in the middle or as a fast finish- E.G. 2×15, 2×20 mins
All just suggestions- see how it fits with your schedule. There are some good sessions in the book 80/20 running for marathon training or you’ll have loads to go at in the plans you’ve already see
Actual Training
Started on 15th May with 11km easy run and Friday 6.2km another easy run. Felt jumping to 27km was a bit too soon so did a 2 hour slow to start things. Then Snakes & Ladders Perth Trail Series which is my favourite trail run of the year. Took it relatively conservative.
Strength training I think I went maybe 5 times during the 8 weeks but did try some morning stretches with Pliability. Could of done more.
I actually thought missing that second last run was going to ruin my hope of getting the time so wasn’t very confident the week leading up to the race and felt a lot of internal pressure.
Looking at the Data
Recommended Stats from Training Peaks
Actual Stats
Started fitness at 24 and finished at 40. On 16th I hurt my groin at the gym and it really slowed things down followed by a weekend out momentum kind of dropped. Before that you can see the pink spikes which were my long runs on weekends. The longest got up to 32km. Followed by 10km and then 20km.
What’s interesting though is my form started to climb from that longest run and what it seems like I pretty much peaked perfectly for weekend of the run.
Recovery
Went to Recovery Lab at least x3 p/w for ice baths and compression boots. When I hurt my groin it took a few days of doing nothing for it to stop feeling sore. I probably could of run on it but took conservative approach and just rested.
Also, stopped cycling and primarily focused on running which I think helped a lot.