14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 11, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Thirty-second Session: Week 11 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 8
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Managed to go out for a 15km recovery run on Monday (a day after the 18km MP run). The legs actually felt better after the run, so something I may start to incorporate more of, but a shorter version. I'm also walking more with the kids as a form of recovery and enjoying the glimpses of sunshine in a very wet period; managed to take a funny picture with my daughter whilst she was on my shoulders (and showing off her guns).

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 8
Another wet track, although not as wet as last week, but enough to have the socks and shoes drenched and squishy by the end of the session. During warm up, the calves did not feel good. But I kept at it and employed a range of dynamic stretches, short strides, and a warm up jog (1.6km). I was still sitting on the fence whether or not to do the session, but after seeing all the other athletes and team mates on the track, I decided to give it a go. I led out the first 800m cautiously, and the calves seemed to hold up during the 3:00mins interval. As the sets rolled on, my confidence grew and by the time the last lap came around I was over the moon (even spitting out some trash talking to my training partner's delight). All of us managed to hit pace targets consistently and lap times were very close this week (+/- 2 seconds of 3:00mins).

During the 8 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 149 bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 172 bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 125bpm, 2: 137bpm, 3: 136bpm,  4: 138bpm, 5: 138bpm, 6: 138bpm, 7: 140bpm, 8: 137bpm
Cadence: 179 (but includes 1.6km of warm up)

Session Analysis / Review:
(26/42 sessions completed): 62%,  (2/42 sessions failed): 5%, (4/42 sessions missed): 10%, 
Total Plan (32/42): 77%

Heart rate recovery was better this week compared to last week, dropping faster after 1min of rest. This is good news considering how muggy it was. The cadence and heart rate zone data is misleading (this week) as it includes the 1.6km warm up (I forget to reset the watch before the start of the Yasso 800m). Note: I managed to crop the file to obtain the HR average, but after cropping the file in Strava and importing back to Garmin, I lost the cadence and HR zone data. Legs feel good, no limping or tightness to report. Time to fuel up for tomorrow's long easy run. I'm going to make a few slight modifications to the next few training sessions to better prep my legs for the upcoming marathon.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 11, Session 1: MP Run

Thirty-first session: Week 11, Session 1: Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 16.1 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

The training plan calls for a 16.1km run at goal marathon pace (4:09min/km) for this session. However, as I failed last week's session I wanted to redeem myself this week with a longer run. As my first marathon is 4 weeks away, I wanted to do a long marathon paced run today; 25km at 4:15min/km (Singapore marathon pace). I decided to use the Sentosa loop again and start at sunrise, 7:00am.

Main Set: 16.1kms in 1:06:40hrs (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

I was on my own for this session, as all my training partners are travelling this weekend. I used the bike ride to Sentosa as warm up, followed by a 5min dynamic stretch sequence and a 500m warm up jog. I was hitting 4:20min/km (+/- a few seconds) every kilometre, and by the time I'd completed my first loop, I was fairly comfortable. Breathing, running form, and legs were all fine. Second loop (6-12km) felt longer, but I was still hitting the 4:20min/km (+/- a few seconds). This lap, the legs started to feel heavier. The calves definitely made their presence felt with a dull ache on both legs on the second loop. The third lap (12-18km) was a tough slog. It's approximately 8:00am, it's warming up, and I'm about to take my second gel, but my calves are now complaining a lot more. It takes focus to drive my legs forward and take the pressure off the calves, and losing that focus (by thinking about breakfast) only caused me to slowed down. So it was a constant effort to stay focused and keep driving forward and keep the calves from stopping my run altogether. At the 17km mark, my calves were screaming at me. I decided to make one last push and finish off the 3rd loop and hit 18km. My watch showed the average pace to be 4:20min/km, so pacing was spot on (including the drinks stops to grab a new bottle of water for each lap). I wanted to run 25km, but my legs (calves) had other ideas.

During the 18.3km run
Average Heart Rate: 162bpm
Max Heart Rate: 173bpm
Average Cadence: 187

Session Analysis / Review:

Legs: The good news is that during and after the run, the quads, and hamstrings were fine. I've had issues with these muscles on previous runs, but not for this session. The bad news, the calves refuse to give me a break. I decided to schedule a massage in the evening after the run to try and drive out the knots and tightness.
Pace: Although the pace was spot on, I wanted to run faster and hit 4:15min/km pace in some parts of the run (as I was feeling good). However, once I was moving and set at 4:20min/km it was hard to accelerate faster than this pace without exponentially increasing the effort. This was very interesting. I've been training at 4:09min/km pace, so I knew I had the speed, but once I mentally focused on a pace, shifting up a gear was very hard. I will try again next week, as I like the idea of having negative splits during my runs and races.
Heart rate: Reasonable. Comparing this data set to the 16.1km MP run (on the 5th Feb, before my hospitalisation), my average heart rate for that run was 160bpm. This session was 162bpm and 2km longer. I think I'm back to my previous fitness levels, just not with the legs just yet.
In summary, this run doesn't feel hard breathing wise. I just need to figure out a solution for the calves so that I can cover more distance at my goal pace.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:
(25/42 sessions completed): 60%,  (2/42 sessions failed): 5%, (4/42 sessions missed): 10%, 
Total Plan (31/42): 75%

1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, at the start of the session I had targeted to run 4:20min/km pace.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: Yes, and 47% of the time is spent in Zone 3 or less.
3. How well am I recovering: Quads, hamstrings are great. Calves not so good. Will be spending some time to work on the calves (stretching, and strength work).

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 10, Session 3: Long Run + MP (Session MODIFIED)

Thirtieth session: Week 10, Session 3: Easy Run 1:50hrs + 9.6 km @ Marathon Pace (MP) - SESSION MODIFIED
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Update on my stolen shoes: I found this notice in my lift lobby of my apartment block in the evening. I'm glad to know it's a "community" thief, rather than a stalker who has a thing for my stinky feet. Anyways I bought a new pair of replacement shoes for my long runs as I believe the flatter (lower drop) shoes that I used last week (which are normally used for track) could also be another cause of my calf pain. The difference in drop between the two shoes is probably only 2 - 3mm, but enough to change running form.

Long Easy Run

The training plan required an easy run for 1:50hrs, plus an additional 40mins at Marathon Pace. But I decided to modify the training plan slightly for this session. This session's total duration is 2:30hrs, so I decided to run long and easy for that duration (and exclude the 9.6km MP portion). The reason: To make up for the failed 19.3km MP run last Sunday, I will try for a longer MP run (25km) at 4:20min/km pace this Sunday (in preparation for the Sundown Marathon in 4 weeks). So by excluding the MP run this session, I'm saving my legs for a big MP run next session. [Note: Although the target is to go under 3 hours for the Melbourne Marathon in October, I don't think a 4:09min/km pace is achievable just yet in Singapore (with the heat and humidity), hence the revised target pace of 4:20min/km].
My training partner and I started the run together, but unfortunately he had to stop about 40mins into the run due to a pain in his right leg (he suspects it's the tendon between the knee and quads). I continued on, and after 2:25hrs, this run ended up being the the longest run I've ever done on my own. It's incredibly boring to do a long run on your own, but even harder with no music. At least that's locked away in the mental (I can do it) bank; covering 25kms, and averaging 5:45min/km pace. No gels used, and hydration was 500ml of water and 500ml of 100 plus.

During the 25.0km run:
Average Heart Rate: 121bpm
Max Heart Rate: 143bpm
Cadence: 178

Session Analysis / Review:

Session was very comfortable, just boring. Legs started to tighten up on the return home from the Singapore Flyer, approx 1:30hrs into the run. At least it was something to think about and manage during the run. Interestingly, where the legs started to ache, that's where my heart rate also picked up. Looking at the HR zones, the time spent in Zone 1 and 2 doesn't add up to 100%. Garmin provided a note to say that this is due to my heart rate being below Zone 1 for some of the run. Maybe they should consider a Zone 0 for completeness. In summary, it was great to go out for a really long easy run, nice to be able to test out the shoes and even better that I had no limp after the run.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:

(24/42 sessions completed): 57%,  (2/42 sessions failed): 5%, (4/42 sessions missed): 10%, 
Total Plan (30/42): 72%
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, kept it under Zone 2 which is perfect for a long run and base building.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: Not applicable for this session as there was no MP portion.
3. How well am I recovering: The long run was a good test for the new shoes, and they passed. No pain coming from the leg muscles, which is great as a lead up to Sunday's MP run. Some fatigue in the legs, but that's expected after a long run. 

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 10, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Twenty-ninth Session: Week 10 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 10
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

I decided to cycle out to the Kallang track as a warm up for this speed session. My legs were on the mend after the failed Sunday session, so was looking forward to a good session. Five minutes into my ride, it started to rain very heavily. The 45min ride was a stop, find shelter, resume and repeat journey as the rain was short and heavy in parts. My training partner had sent me a picture (see below) of the track during my ride, and I should have brought along my flippers instead. After a frustratingly and careful ride, I arrived at the track, and to my surprise the track had drained the water really well. Amost all dry with only a few puddles remaining. The rain won't stop us from training!

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 10
The last track session I completed was the Yasso 800m with 7 repeats, almost a month ago (Jan 24th). We jogged two laps around the track as warm up and set off after a quick drink. We used the same game plan to alleviate boredom by rotating lead pacers on each 800m repeat. The training plan calls for 3:00mins active recovery, but we were managing around 2:35mins for first 3 sets, and 2:45mins for the remaining sets. We viewed this as a positive change as we were able to have our legs and body recover faster before each 800m. Each 800m was spot on or close to 3:00mins duration, with the largest difference coming from the first set, recording 2:56mins in duration.

During the 10 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 151 bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 174 bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 125bpm, 2: 134bpm, 3: 126bpm,  4: 139bpm, 5: 143bpm, 6: 144bpm, 7: 143bpm, 8: 150bpm, 9: 138bpm, 10: 143bpm
Cadence: 182

Session Analysis / Review:
(24/42 sessions completed): 57%,  (1/42 sessions failed): 2%, (4/42 sessions missed): 10%, 
Total Plan (29/42): 69%

Session was comfortable. Legs were starting to tighten up (hamstrings mainly, and I'm guessing due to the increase in stride length to accommodate the increase in speed), but nothing serious. Breathing felt a little harder than what I remembered from the last track session, and the HR data also supports that with values higher. I attribute this to the lack of track (speed) fitness, and I should start to see an improvement as I regain consistency back in the plan. The ride home also helped to warm down the legs, by flushing out the lactic acid. No limping or tightness whilst enjoying my dinner at home.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 10, Session 1: MP Run - FAILED

Twenty-eighth session: Week 10, Session 1: Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 19.3 km (Session FAILED)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

This session is the peak of the Marathon Pace runs at 19.3km. At the beginning of this 14week plan, I was sceptical I would be able to complete this session. But after 9 weeks, and hitting all the previous MP sessions, I was feeling pretty confident and looking forward to this session. Confident enough that I mentally prepared myself for a 21.1km run and record my fastest half marathon.

Palawan Beacg Sentosa

Main Set: 19.3kms in 1:20hrs (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

We rode to Sentosa before sunrise with the plan to start just after sunrise and enjoy the run in the "cooler" Singapore morning. Each loop of the route is 6km long, so we needed 3.5 loops of the route from Siloso Beach to Tanjong Beach if we wanted the half marathon distance. After setting up our drinks station at the Beach Station carpark (approximately halfway), we started. We clocked 4:16min/km for the first km, but that slowed to 4:25min/km and stayed that way for the next 6km. We knew we were slower than the intended target pace, but both of us didn't have the strength to push faster. Our legs just wouldn't turn over like we wanted them too. And immediately after the 7km mark, I ended up stopping. What started off as a dull pain in my right calf (during the warm up), intensified, until I couldn't deal with it anymore. I like to think I can "eat" a lot of pain or push through pain, but this was too much. Disappointed, I limped back to the Beach Station carpark and spend the rest of the morning stretching and handing drinks to my training buddy during his run. He managed to complete the session, and ran a half marathon at just over 4:30min/km pace. With this as his last run for the week, he ended up with a 90km running week. For me, this was a 55km week after this run, and from zero the week before. I'm betting the increase in volume from our previous week is why we didn't hit the 4:09min/km pace target.

During the 7.0km run
Average Heart Rate: 150bpm
Max Heart Rate: 160bpm
Average Cadence: 188

Session Analysis / Review:

First session I've failed. Legs didn't fully recover from the last session on Thursday night. I had tried my best to use recovery compression, stretch and foam roll, but it wasn't enough. It was hard to get them started, hard to move them to the desired pace, and the legs couldn't complete the distance. This is probably the biggest learning from this plan for me. My legs do not have the muscular endurance to handle the volume. Yes, I was out for all of last week, but I need to be able to cope with those unplanned "breaks". Before the next training block (early July)  for the Melbourne Marathon in October, I'll be including lots of long slow runs and strength training to build the endurance and strength in the legs.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:
(23/42 sessions completed): 55%,  (1/42 sessions failed): 2%, (4/42 sessions missed): 10%, 
Total Plan (28/42): 67%

1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: No. I didn't have the power in the legs to reach the pace (and speed) that I needed to.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: Yes, but I didn't complete the session. Only managed approx 30% of the planned distance, and also at a slower pace (4:25min/km). But it looks like this pace is more comfortable (under my heart rate threshold) as it sits nicely below Zone 3.
3. How well am I recovering: Not as well as I hoped. Will keep up the rest, compression, stretching and foam rolling. 

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 9, Session 3: Long Run + MP Run

Twenty-seventh session: Week 9, Session 3: Easy Run 2:00hrs + 9.6 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

My luck keeps improving. As I was about to head out the door for this run, I was shocked to find my running shoes had been nicked. My 500km old, off white, smelly running shoes. But the funny thing is, I was going to replace them anyways, but just a week too early, Mr. Robber of dirty things. I hope you find speed and comfort with them, just like I had for the past 5 months.

Long Easy Run for 2:00hrs

My legs were still sore after 3 full days of rest and recovery! And my training buddy had a few choice words for my complaining, and simply said, "don't be a princess" (changed from another word I can't bring myself to type). So with that injection of verbal abuse (or motivation), we headed along the same route used during week 7's long easy run, as it is a perfect 2 hours jog from Tiong Bahru to the Kallang Stadium and back. In 2 hours, we covered 20.1km, averaging just over 6:00min/km pace. I took one gel around the 1:20hr mark, and we had one short break at the Barrage to refill our drink bottles. By the time we finished the long easy portion, my legs were definitely complaining, but I decided to suffer quietly.

Marathon Pace Portion: 9.6km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 40:00mins)  

The treadmill is starting to become an all too familiar sight, but has become one of my favourite tools, especially for runs I'm not sure I can complete (as I can hit the stop button, or decrease the speed at anytime) and it's ease of managing hydration. The overall soreness in my legs was weighing on my mind and confidence, so I just wanted to get this over and done with. Quickly setting the machine to 14.5km/hr and 1% incline, the first 10 minutes was bearable. But after that, it was a mental war. I decided to take a gel to try and perk myself up a little, but it was just about hanging on. We knew the treadmills would stop at 30mins, and we were glad they did as we had something to aim for and earn that little break before making a final push for the last 10mins. The final 10mins was just about being in the moment, feeling and eating the pain (dull muscle aches in the hamstring, quads and calves), treating it like a mental and physical dress rehearsal for the latter part of a marathon race. To hit the stop button after 40mins was pure delight. This was the last time we would run a total of 2:40hrs in a single session for this training plan (as next week reduces to 2:30hrs, and continues to reduce until race day).

During the 9.6km run:
Average Heart Rate: 166bpm
Max Heart Rate: 177bpm
Cadence: 188

Session Analysis / Review:

Tough session and I'm glad I pulled it off. My heart rate recorded the highest average HR (for the 9.6km) of this training plan (average of 166bpm), so it seems my body is still not back to where it was before the bout of food poisoning. The other factor that could be influencing this is the sudden ramping up of mileage from zero last week to 46kms this week (and counting). On the flip side, my training partner stops his treadmill and says, "that wasn't too bad", and who is also on track to hit 80-90km this week in run mileage.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:
(23/42 sessions completed): 55%,  (4/42 sessions missed): 10%,  Total Plan (27/42): 65%

1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes for the MP portion.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, and my heart rate is again heading north instead of south. Hitting a new average high of 166bpm. Hopefully it will decline and stabilise in the next few weeks as I stay on track with the plan.
3. How well am I recovering: Legs are absolutely shattered. Limped home from the gym (treadmill) and around the house. The longest MP run is on Sunday, so I have lots of rest and recovery to do.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 9 Session 1: MP Run

Twenty-fifth session: Week 9, Session 1: Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 17.7 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

After missing the last two sessions from the training plan due to illness, I decided to try this 17.7km Marathon Pace run on the treadmill (as I would have hydration on hand for the entire run). I was a little worried as I wasn't sure how I would perform after missing back to back sessions, but wanted to give it a crack. I had nothing to lose, and wanted to see where my fitness and legs were at.

Main Set: 17.7kms in 1:13:40hrs (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

My training buddy was away for the weekend, so moving this session to Monday worked well for both of us. After a short warm up, and a quick recap of our nutrition plan (one gel every 25mins), we started; the treadmill was set to 14.5km/hr and at a gradient of 1%. The first 30mins was comfortable. The legs felt great after a week off, and my breathing was normal. Unfortunately, the treadmills were pre-programmed to stop every 30mins, so we used the breaks to taken on more water before restarting the machines. The second 30mins block was exponentially harder; 40mins after starting, my legs started to feel heavy, and I was started to breathe a lot harder. I made an effort to keep my high cadence but a slight pain in my right knee and calf had started. For the remaining 33mins, I just sucked it up and pushed on. After a hard fought mental battle, I managed to finish the 73mins session, and so did my training buddy. One more difficult session checked off, and hopefully back on track with the rest of the training plan.

During the 17.7km run:
Average Heart Rate: 164bpm
Max Heart Rate: 179bpm
Average Cadence: 188

Session Analysis / Review:

Going into this session, I was treating the week off like a "taper", to give myself positive reinforcement that my body had a good rest leading into this long hard session. That was true for the first 30mins where I felt like gold, but that feeling rapidly faded and possibly be due to the dehydration element of the week's rest. This is also congruent with the heart rate data. This session recorded the highest Average and Maximum heart rate so far of this training plan. Maybe due to a loss in fitness, or maybe due to the illness, but whatever it was, my heart was working overtime to get this session done. Mentally and physically tough session. Will be keen to see how next week session compares.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:
(22/42 sessions completed): 52%,  (3/42 sessions missed): 7%, Total Plan (25/42): 59%
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, at 14.5km/hr and 1% gradient on the treadmill. However, the treadmill stops every 30minutes, so a mandatory break is required to restart the machine and reset to the desired speed. This would mimic walking through the drinks stations.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, but after a week off with illness, the average is higher so definitely lost some fitness over that period. Still managed to get 35% in Zone 3 or less.
3. How well am I recovering: The week off was good for my muscles, although the dehydration aspect probably negated that. And writing this post a few days after the session, my legs (quads and calves on both legs) are very sore. Lots of foam rolling required before Thursday's long run.
4. On restarting the plan: My advice for anyone attempting this plan and missing out sessions due to injury or illness would be to take a few days to ramp back into the training plan. That is, perform a few easy short runs to get the legs moving again. Increase the distance of the short easy runs over the few days. Note, I would recommend this only for short bouts of illness or injuries. Missing more than 2 weeks in this plan would require re-planning. 

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 7, Session 3: Long Run + MP

Twenty-first Session: Week 7 Session 3: Easy Run 2:00hrs + 9.6 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Unfortunately I had to attend to a family emergency in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on Wednesday. I stayed overnight and returned just before dinner time on Thursday. Just in time to put on my run gear, and head out the door to meet my training buddy.  

Long Easy Run for 2:00hrs
Given the hamstring soreness, the last minute travel and stress of the family emergency I wasn't sure what to expect for this run. I told my training buddy that I would prefer to use the treadmill for the MP portion just in case I couldn't complete the hard part of this session. The long easy run took us from Tiong Bahru along the river to the Kallang Stadium, then around the back towards Gardens by The Bay East, passing the Flower Domes, crossing over the Helix bridge and back to Tiong Bahru. The route was a perfect 2 hours, covering 20.3km, averaging just over 6:00min/km pace. I was surprised my legs survived the 2hours without any tightness or complaints. I also made sure to take on nutrition, one gel at the 1hour mark so that I'm practising my nutrition strategy.

Marathon Pace Portion: 9.6km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 40:00mins)  

Straight onto the treadmill from the 2hr run, we set the speed on 14.5km/hr (4:09min/km pace) and 1% grade. I was not confident in finishing this portion, but wanted to give it a good go. My training buddy had found last week's treadmill session easier than mine, so he was happy to swap treadmills with me for luck. The first few kms started without any issues. Both of us were talking, taking our gels at the 1mile mark, and drinking regularly (the luxuries of being on a treadmill). At the 4mile mark (6.4km) my training buddy decided to call it quits to save his legs. Earlier in the week, he had run an extra 20km in addition to the training plan, and we believe the fatigue was still in his legs. Or it could have been the treadmill, as I was on a roll. I managed to finish the MP portion on 40:00mins with only one small stop due to the treadmill automatically shutting down at the 30min mark (which you can see in the HR data, a sudden drop in my HR). My legs were tired, but definitely not as tight as last week after completing the set.

During the 9.6km run:
Average Heart Rate: 160bpm
Max Heart Rate: 167bpm
Cadence: 189

Session Analysis / Review:

Was very surprised I managed to pull of this session given everything leading up to it. Skipping the Tuesday Yasso 800m session had definitely helped the recovery process, and also having a running partner definitely helps make this 2:40hr monster session pass so much faster. Nutrition and hydration was on point, and I think that helped with the positive outcome.

Success Criteria Checkpoints:
(20/42 sessions completed): 47%,  (1/42 sessions missed): 2%,  Total Plan (21/42): 50%

1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes for the MP portion.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, but my Zone data shows that I'm operating 61% in Zone 3 which is great news.
3. How well am I recovering: Skipping the previous Yasso 800m session paid off with no issues on this run. Will need to work recovering well as the next session is on Saturday morning.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 7, Session 1: MP Run

Nineteenth session: Week 7 Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 14.5 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Managed to squeeze in an 80km group bike ride on Saturday morning, but we had a little too much fun as a group "racing" during parts of the ride, so that took us out of the zone we would normally call an easy recovery ride. Sunday morning, my training buddy and I decided to do our Marathon Pace run in Sentosa; a 6km flat loop from Siloso beach to Tanjong beach. We used the bike ride from Tiong Bahru to Sentosa as a warm up.

My single speed commuter bike

Main Set: 14.5kms in 60:00mins (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

We decided to start the loop at Beach station car park, and also left our drinks there so we could collect/refill as we ran past, several times. We set off and quickly sat on goal pace, but both of us felt it was laboured. The first 2km for me was tough, as my body tried to adjust to the sudden effort early in the morning. My training buddy also said the same thing, so perhaps the easy bike ride to Sentosa was not enough of a warm up. During the 4 to 6kms, the pace slowed to 4:20min/km pace, as we cursed the "hard" bike ride the day before. Also, my heart rate monitor strap kept sliding down my chest, and it was a hassle constantly adjusting it every few hundred metres. On the start of the second loop (7km), I decided to make a conscious effort to run 4:09min/km or faster (as the current pace was too slow), and also let my HR strap drop to my waist as I had enough of constantly trying to readjust it. I felt my energy levels fluctuate, the lowest point at around the 11km, and pick up at the 13km as I knew I was nearing the end. I should have taken my gel at the 30min mark, which would have kept my energy levels up throughout the run. In the end, I was able to hit 14.5km in 1hr and 14secs, averaging 4:09min/km, and earning another tick in the box.

During the 14.5km run:
*Note: You can see that at the 26min mark, once my heart rate monitor strap fell to my waist, the readings jumped up, so I can't take the data past this point.
Average Heart Rate: 147bpm (if I take the first 26mins)
Max Heart Rate: 160bpm (if I take the first 26mins)
Average Cadence: 188

Session Analysis / Review:

Firstly, I really like this route in Sentosa. It's a flat, wide (spacious) and scenic route that allows you to plan for drinking stations. So now there are two good routes we can choose from for the Marathon Pace runs. Secondly, I need to work on a proper warm up routine prior to our MP runs so that I don't feel so flat during the first few kms. Lastly, I really need to focus on my nutrition. During the one hour run, as I had not taken my gel I did feel my energy levels drop (but was lucky it was only an hour run otherwise I would have hit the wall quite hard). My training buddy was quick to remind me that I should be practising my nutrition plan, and I totally agree with him. I will focus on this for the next MP runs.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 19 / 42 sessions completed (45%)
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, and with the slower start, I managed to pick up the average pace back to 4:09min/km. And for me, it was definitely easier holding this pace on the road than on the treadmill (for the previous MP session).
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: Not sure, as my heart rate monitor strap slid down to my waist, the data is not really useable (Zone 5 for 34mins!).
3. How well am I recovering: Not good. The Saturday morning group ride was definitely too hard and that resulted with muscle soreness in the quads and calves during the run and immediately after. In addition to that, after resting at home after the run, my left hamstring started to tighten up and was very difficult to move around the house without limping (though I'm not sure if this was due to the bike ride or the run). Lots of rest, stretching and foaming required.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 6, Session 3: Long Run + MP Run

Eighteenth Session: Week 6 Session 3: Easy Run 1:50hrs + 9.6 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

My Dad's in town for Chinese New Year, so that only means one thing, LOTS of eating! Living in Melbourne he misses the local Singaporean / Malaysian delights, so every meal is an opportunity to catch up for lost time (and calories). Also a great opportunity for me to test my self control. Well, sort of.

Couldn't be happier with their mango and durian dessert

Long Easy Run for 1:50hrs
Nothing really to report from the long easy run. We clocked 18.7kms in 1:53hrs, averaging 6:04min/km pace. Run felt comfortable until I stopped at the end to pick up drinks in preparation for the Marathon Pace portion. I felt both my legs tighten up in the transition period but nothing to be concerned about. To change things up a bit, we decided to run the MP portion on the treadmill. We spent a few minutes on the treadmill to get the legs turning over, but during the restart, I felt my left hamstring pull hard enough that I had to get off to try and stretch it out. This was my first injury scare of this training plan, and at this point, was worried if I would be able to make it through the session.

Marathon Pace Portion: 9.6km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 40:00mins)  

After a few minutes stretching, I decided to jump back on the treadmill and see how far I could progress. After setting the treadmill to 14.5km/hr at 1% grade, it took about 30 seconds before I was hitting full strides at marathon goal race pace. Immediately I could feel my running form feel very different (more laboured) to when I'm running on the road. My Garmin watch wasn't able to pick up the speed correctly, jumping around throughout the 40mins, so I'm not convinced the other recorded data is correct either (as I was looking through cadence, and stride length data to see if I could find what made my running feel different, but couldn't find anything obvious). But from a perceived exertion perspective, running on a treadmill at marathon pace is hard, and can easily say this was my toughest session to date. I managed to finish the 40mins at MP, but it took everything mentally and physically (especially the tight hamstring) to get the job done. But, this made the tick in this session's box so much more rewarding.

During the 9.6km run:
Average Heart Rate: 158bpm

Max Heart Rate: 172bpm
Cadence: 186

Session Analysis / Review:

The bad news is that this session was really hard on the legs. The extra 10mins in the easy long jog and the extra mile at MP really hurt my legs. During the MP set, it was tough to get them going initially, and to finish strong with them. The good news is that the average and max heart rate data are identical to last week's session even though the session is a mile longer. So the message from this session is that whilst I'm coping cardio wise, there's still more work required to improve the muscular endurance in my legs. In terms of using the treadmill, the results can vary. My training partner was flying on the treadmill, talking, drinking and feeling bored. Myself, on the other hand, had to summon every positive cell in my body to get through this. However, the positive take away for anyone attempting to use a treadmill for these sets is that its weather independent (no excuses) and everything is on hand when needed, so it removes the hassle and logistics around nutrition and drinking.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 18 / 42 sessions completed ( 43% )
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes for the MP portion, and also I'm glad the MP distance doesn't increase anymore, as it plateaus at 9.6km after the long run for another 7 sessions.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, and this week showed 3mins in Zone 5 which is not good news. Luckily I'm not racing on the treadmill, as I think this is the reason for the slight increase into HR Zone 5 this week.
3. How well am I recovering: Very sore in the glutes, and hamstrings. Luckily the next run session is not until Sunday so that's 3 days of rest.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 6, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Seventeenth Session: Week 6 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 7
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

I celebrated my son's first birthday over the weekend, at Punggol SAFRA indoor water park. Time really does fly, as just days before his birthday he started to take his first unassisted steps. And he's building his confidence everyday, as he's almost making it all the way across the living room without falling over. Very soon he'll be playing catch with his older sister, and then running the Yasso 800m with his Dad :)

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 7
After a few days of heavy rain, the track was a little soggy, and that visibly reduced the numbers of runners at the track. A less congested track is great for us, and my Garmin recorded 25degrees for this session, so it was a nice cool change for those that made it out. We had a good team turnout on track today, and there were no dramas finishing the required 7 x 800m. The only difference to the plan was that the recovery laps were actually run faster than 3:00mins, averaging around 2:45mins for the 400m. No complaints or issues from the group on this. The rotation of runners to lead each 800m is definitely a great formula to make the session feel shorter and more enjoyable. Definitely no competition or faster paced 800m this session, and I think that was due to the fact we knew the long easy run followed by MP kick session will happen tomorrow (moved from Thursday due to scheduling conflicts).

During the 7 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 146 bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 170 bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 123bpm, 2: 130bpm, 3: 129bpm,  4: 137bpm, 5: 140bpm, 6: 137bpm, 7: 132bpm
Cadence: 184

Session Analysis / Review: (17 / 42 sessions completed): 40%

Heart rate data (and HR zones) are virtually identical to last week's session, but the important take away is that each week this session increases by 1.2kms, so factoring cardiac drift (heart rate steadily increases the longer you exercise), this is good news as the average HR is still staying the same, rather than increasing. The other noticeable difference is average cadence for the session at 184, compared to 177 and 175 for the last two weeks prior. This is the same trend across other sessions (MP run and long run with MP kick), so happy to report that cadence is increasing consistently across all sessions, translating to better running efficiency, especially taking into consideration the HR data.

14week Marathon Training: Week 6, Session 1: MP Run

Sixteenth session: Week 6 Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 13.0 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Car-free Sunday today, so we decided to use the 5km loop of closed roads within the Singapore city for our marathon pace session. The car-free Sunday initiative has been running since last year, and attracts cyclists, rollerbladers, runners and alike to descend into the city and enjoy the urban route through the heart of the city and onto part of the Singapore Formula 1 circuit.

Main Set: 13.0kms in 53:20mins (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

With the music blasting and activities in the Padang area, we decided to start in front of the Old Supreme Court Building and move clockwise around the car-free Sunday loop. As you can see from the GPS tracking above, the Padang area was able to track us accurately, but once we entered the CBD area that's littered with high rise buildings, our GPS struggled to pinpoint our location. That's where we noticed jumps in our pace data on our watches, and so I decided to disregard the watch altogether and run based on "feel". Easier said than done as we become so reliant on our GPS data. So today was a good session to forget technology and try and run based on what I thought was 4:09min/km pace. As I couldn't trust the GPS pace data, and therefore the distance, I decided to run the required 53mins so that at least I had the required duration in my legs. With cyclists and runners all over the course loop, it was quite motivating when I could feel my legs start to tighten up and feel heavy. It took two laps of the entire course and two separate laps of the Padang to clock 53mins (as I didn't want to finish at the Tanjong Pagar end). 

During the 13.0km run:
Average Heart Rate: 153bpm
Max Heart Rate: 168bpm
Average Cadence: 186

Session Analysis / Review:

Another tough session as the legs had some residual tightness from the long Friday evening session. Also not having the GPS data made it hard to know if you're hitting the targets, but I used it as an opportunity to focus on cadence and form instead. You can see from the diagram above the difference in the second half of the run where cadence data starts to move slightly upwards and plateau. As I get tired, I tend to make a conscious effort to think about my cadence and efficiency. Heart rate data was a nice surprise, with a big increase in Zone 3 and reduced effort in Zone 4. Interestingly, my resting heart rate this morning (immediately upon waking up) was 38bpm. It's the lowest I've ever recorded and could mean I'm getting fitter as a result of this training. If only my legs would also say that.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 16 / 42 sessions completed (38%)
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Not sure, as the GPS was bouncing around between the buildings, so ran to 53mins at what I thought was 4:09min/km pace.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, but a dramatic decrease in Zone 4 for this session, down 29%! This is encouraging, but I want to check this against next week's session as I may not have been  case running at 4:09min/km pace (as I was running without accurate GPS, and based on feel, which could have been slower)
3. How well am I recovering: I felt my hamstring and calves were tight during the warm up, which led to tightness at the back of my legs midway through the run. I'll need to focus a lot more on stretching and foaming over the next few days.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 5, Session 3: Long Run + MP Run

Fifteenth Session: Week 5 Session 3: Easy Run 1:50hrs + 8.0 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Long Easy Run for 1:50hrs
My training buddy and I agreed to move this run to Friday so that we could do this session together, but that meant he would go straight from a zero degree climate, into a 17hour flight, and then straight into running in 30degrees heat (and humidity). Great if you want to sleep well that night, but in hindsight, probably not the best idea for a 2:30hrs non-stop running session. We ran a slower overall pace of 6:17min/km along the river towards the Kallang stadium, and after 1:50hrs (17.60kms) we ended up at the start of East Coast Park near Fort road. My training buddy was in good spirits, but 10mins prior to finishing the long easy jog, I felt my energy drain quite suddenly. I quickly took an energy gel (26g) to try and recover and complete the session without "hitting the wall". At this point, I was a little worried about having enough energy to finish, but I stayed positive and said to myself, "it's only 30mins of hard work left".

On route to the Kallang Stadium

Marathon Pace Portion: 8.0km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 33:20mins)  

My training buddy started like a rabbit out of the gate, and I was easily 10metres behind by the first few hundred metres. The sugars in the gel hadn't quite had time to absorb so I was trying to hang on with everything I had. Unfortunately, his shoelaces came undone in the second kilometre which upset our MP rhythm a little, and as a result we had a split of 4:20min/km during that kilometre. We recovered to marathon pace, and by this time I felt the sugars kick in, so I was feeling a whole lot better. But then around the 3.5km mark, I heard my mate yell out, "go, keep going" as he was fading and couldn't hold the pace any longer. It was disheartening to know we wouldn't finish together, but I knew he was suffering the effects of a long flight (dehydration, and lack of sleep) and also the sudden weather change. I charged ahead and just kept counting down the kilometres until it was over. I was just trying to hang on, as my legs were definitely feeling very heavy.

During the 8.0km run:
Average Heart Rate: 158bpm

Max Heart Rate: 173bpm
Cadence: 187

Session Analysis / Review:

The bad news is that this session was really hard on the legs. The extra 10mins in the easy long jog with the extra mile at marathon pace really hurt the legs, and was tough to get them going initially, and to finish strong with them. The good news is that the average and max heart rate data are identical to last week's session even though the session is a mile longer. I've also noticed an increase in my cadence during marathon goal pace runs. Combining this with heart rate data, this leads me to the following conclusion: whilst maintaining marathon pace, I'm able to save my legs from striding out to far (reducing muscle fatigue and injuries), at no cost to my cardiovascular system (heart / lungs engine). In a concise summary, I'm getting more efficient.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 15 / 42 sessions completed ( 36% )
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes I think so, if I take away the time that was lost slowing down for u-turns (going back in the direction of my training buddy so we could head home together) and his shoelace incident. The overall pace of 4:12min/km is close though. I'm also glad that next week's session will be at the maximum mileage at 9.7km at marathon pace (for these long run + MP run sessions) as I feel I'm very close to my limit in terms of muscular endurance in the legs.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, but this is the second session where I've started to see a decrease in percentage time spent in Zone 4. This week, it's dropped 4% from Zone 4. This along with the increase cadence is something positive I can take away from this tough session.
3. How well am I recovering: A little sore in the glutes (butt), hamstrings, and calves. Will need to manage this carefully as I only have one day rest before the next session.

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 4, Session 3: Long Run + MP Run

Twelfth Session: Week 4 Session 3: Easy Run 1:40hrs + 6.4 km @ Marathon Pace (MP)
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Long Easy Run for 1:40hrs
I had a friend visit from Hong Kong this week, so this session's long run was a perfect opportunity to show him around the Singapore City Centre. The easy run took us 16.5km in 1:40hrs, with an average pace of 6:04min/km. Looking at the heart rate data, majority was in Zone 2 (average HR 113bpm), and by the end of the run the legs were feeling good, rather than heavy. The reduced mileage (no 10km warm up run to the Kallang track) and reluctantly staying off the bike before this session are likely to be the key reasons for the freshness. But, it could also be possible that my legs are adapting to the training volume, which is great news.

On top of the magnificent Benjamin Sheares Bridge

Marathon Pace Portion: 6.4km at 4:09 min/km (Target Time: 26:40mins)  

I timed the finish of the long easy run to start at my usual trusted Marathon Pace route; Marina Promontory to Marina Barrage and Gardens by the Bay East, return. I also decided to start the Marathon Pace run just slightly over goal pace at 4:13min/km. Usually my MP runs start off too fast, under 4:00min/km in the first kilometre, so I decided to try a negative split strategy to see if it would a difference. Note: Negative splitting is a pacing strategy that involves beginning with a slower pace, and gradually speeding up so that the second half of the run is faster than the first half. In beautiful evening conditions, I finished the run in 26:43mins for 6.41kms, right on target and receiving another tick in the box for a completed session. The only issue I faced during the run was my hamstring started to tighten a little towards the end, but nothing serious, just more work required on stretching.

During the 6.4km run:
Average Heart Rate: 158bpm

Max Heart Rate: 166bpm
Cadence: 184

Session Analysis / Review:

I made two changes to this MP run; 1) mental preparation and 2) applying a negative split strategy. I have to say both of these made the run feel easier than last week's run. It's still a hard session, but the belief in my ability to complete the run at goal pace coupled with a strategy that helps you build into the goal pace makes it a lot more manageable. This session was a massive confidence booster going into week 5 of the training plan.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 12 / 42 sessions completed ( 29% )
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, although starting a little slower in the beginning, I was able to ease into goal pace and also accelerate at the end (4:05min/km) to make up for time lost and hit the target time for the MP run.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No. My average and max heart rates were marginally lower in this session compared to last week's set, and possibly due to the negative split pacing.
3. How well am I recovering: So far so good, but will work on my hamstrings and calves a little more during foam rolling and stretching sessions.

14week Marathon Training: Week 4, Session 2: Yasso 800m

Eleventh Session: Week 4 Session 2: Yasso 800m x 5
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Instead of the usual easy 10km jog to the Kallang track, a few of us decided to ride. As the mileage is starting to pile on, I thought it would be wise to give the legs a break from the constant pounding on the road (note: the extra 10km warm up to the track is not part of the training plan) in the hope it'll pay off in leg freshness for Thursday's long run. It was also a good opportunity to take my silver fixie bike out for a cruise after a long hiatus.

Main Set: 800m in 3:00mins with active recovery for 400m in 3:00mins  x 5
"Comfortably hard", and straightforward are probably the words that describe this session. I'm always confident that I'll come away with the tick in the box for these sets, and that gives me a little spring in the step each time. Training as a group, we're hitting the targets spot on, then having a chat and laugh during the 400m recovery. Mind you, I'm not saying this speed session was easy; for 30mins of work, as one of my training mates rightly pointed out, my running top was completely drenched in sweat.

During the 5 x 800m set:

Average Heart Rate: 146bpm (includes recovery)

Max Heart Rate: 167bpm
Recovery Heart Rate (1min after finishing 800m): 1: 127bpm, 2: 132bpm, 3: 130bpm,  4: 136bpm, 5: 135bpm
Cadence: 180

Session Analysis / Review: (11 / 42 sessions completed): 26%

This session's average and recovery heart rate data is slightly lower than last week's session, and this is definitely due to the even 3:45min/km pace throughout the 800m blocks (no negative splits and friendly competition). The easy 25min bike ride home was a welcome change to sitting in a car straight after a speed session. No injuries, and no soreness at this point. These sessions are a great confidence booster before Thursday's long run with the MP kick. It also needs to be said that the confidence I have going into these sessions (mental preparation) is definitely helping. I'm going to work on that same mental preparation and try to apply that same level of confidence before Thursday's set and see how what happens. 

14week Marathon Training Plan: Week 4, Session 1: MP run

Tenth session: Week 4 Marathon Pace (MP) Set: 9.7 km
Goal: First Marathon (Sundown Singapore 25 March 2017)

Yesterday I went on an "easy 65km Kranji Loop" group ride, with the team. Our small group of four enthusiastic triathletes have only been training a few short years together, but the team has definitely helped shape the competitor I am today. Our team remains nameless, but not due to lack of trying, as we even have a dedicated WhatsApp group chat for brainstorming one. The suggestions so far have been more funny than fitting, "TriLah", "DADS" which stands for our four nationalities (Danish / Australian / Dutch / Singaporean), and even "GOAT" was thrown in at one stage, which stands for Greatest Of All Time (accompanying a picture of a Silverback Gorilla). Maybe getting too ahead of ourselves but funny nonetheless, but the search continues. I digress. It was our first ride for 2017, and was nice to be back on the road, on the TT bike, in the early hours of the morning. Power data also supported this ride as "easy", showing 124watts as the average over 2:16hours and a perfect way to loosen up the legs from all the marathon training so far.

Mandatory coffee stop at the end of each ride (Tiong Bahru)

Main Set: 9.7kms in 40:00mins (pace constant at 4:09 min/km)

Fresh legs, an evening (6pm) start, a beautiful wide running route through Gardens by the Bay, Marina Barrage to the National Stadium and back, and the promise of a cold beer and pancakes were all key ingredients to the success of today's run. Running with my training buddy for this session, we quickly set into marathon goal pace and held it pretty much all the way. The only slight drop in pace was when we starting talking about our triathlon bike fits, where we lost focus on the pace and slowed down so we could get full sentences in. Looking at the heart rate data below, you can definitely see this happening as there is a dip in my heart rate just past the half way point (25:00min mark). We were quick to spot the slowing pace and picked it up again with no issues. So at this stage of the training plan, keeping our goal pace of 4:09min/km is still not natural, and requires constant focus and glances at our watches. Accelerating to goal pace doesn't seem to be an issue, its the body and legs being able to hold it without "thinking". That's definitely supported by the heart rate data that shows my heart rate in Zone 4 for the majority of the session.

During the 9.7km run:
Average Heart Rate: 159bpm
Max Heart Rate: 172bpm
Average Cadence: 182

Session Analysis / Review:

Beer and banana pancakes with nutella should be our regular recovery meal after our marathon training sessions. Couldn't be happier with it as we analysed the data on Strava. But on a serious note, I will need to consider and plan my nutrition and fuelling strategy during these sessions carefully. For today's session, no gels and only 250ml of fluid were taken. That will not be enough for subsequent weeks, as the distance for these MP sessions will max out at 19.2kms at week 10.

Success Criteria Checkpoints: 10 / 42 sessions completed (24%)
1. Did I hold the pace over the prescribed distance: Yes, and still believe a few miles were left in the legs, which is good news for coming weeks. Nutrition and fuelling will become important as the mileage increases.
2. Did my heart rate stay in Zone 3: No, and as I progress through the sessions, I'm forecasting this might not happen until the final weeks of the plan (where tapering happens), and all the training load and work has had an opportunity to "soak" into the body. This is not based on textbooks or on anything scientific, but rather an optimistic wish.
3. How well am I recovering: Great! The easy bike rides are great for the legs and also help maintain the base fitness for cycling.

Why run a marathon in 3 hours?

I was curious about marathon finishing times and what it meant to complete a marathon under 3 hours. So I started searching around on the Internet to get an idea of how this ranks. The first graph I found was one that showed the marathon finishing times based on a percentage of total finishers, for major marathons across 10 million runners. It forms a rough bell curve distribution, so reading it as such, if I achieve my goal of a sub 3 hour marathon, this would put me roughly at the top 2 - 4% of marathon runners. The other interesting thing to note are where runners set their goals. You can see a sharp drop off at the 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 and 5 hour marks, showing that their marathon goal finish times are rounded to these times and achieved accordingly.

So why choose sub 3 hours as a goal?

To put it into context, the current fastest time for a marathon (world record time) is 2:02:57 hours, set in Berlin 2014 by Dennis Kimetto (Kenya). So this sets the upper limit of human endurance and speed that requires talent, years of dedication, and the highest level of coaching and nutrition to attain it.

The average marathon finishing time globally (in 2014), was 4:13:23 hours (for men) and 4:42:33 (for women). This average also lines up quite well in the graph above being in the centre of the bell curve.

Then we have the qualification time for the Boston Marathon. The table below shows the current time needed to qualify:

I'm within the 35-39 category, so a sub 3 hour marathon should guarantee me a spot at the Boston Marathon. Note: Although 3:10hrs is the qualifying time for my age group, achieving this time will not guarantee a spot as its also based on a limited number of allocations and only the top fastest times submitted will receive a spot. So a faster time will offer a better chance of qualifying.

Lastly, I think the following excerpt from the Bridger Ridge Run webpage (where the 14 week Marathon training plan is from) is a great summary of why I'd like to go under 3 hours:

If I can hit my goal of a sub 3 hour marathon, I'd:

• be considered "darn good marathon runner",
• have a great chance at qualifying for the Boston Marathon, and
• build a solid running foundation for an amazing marathon leg of an Ironman race and one day qualify for Ironman Kona.

Although the first point is for a bit of fun, the other two points are definitely worth the hard work to improve my running and get faster. Bring on the next marathon training session!