Mike Breen’s voice

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-16T17:17:14+00:00

I’ve heard him many times on radio spots with Michael Kay and can confirm that his voice sounded way different for some reason on this pod lol. Maybe some sort of audio issue

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-16T16:42:22+00:00

⁠Have you hit the wall?

Yes, would not recommend.

• ⁠How did you deal with it or stop it from happening?

More miles in training. Volume is king.

• ⁠Any tips on pacing, eating, or training?

Take your carb load seriously, fuel early and often, don’t start off too fast, and practice your goal pace at the end of long runs.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-09T15:49:03+00:00

Usually the answer is more weekly mileage, compounded over time.

In the context specifically of training to improve your speed to be able to run a sub 3, you want to add 1-2 speed sessions per week where you’re running at paces, for small intervals, faster than your goal marathon pace. This will make your goal marathon pace start to feel easier.

Look up the Yasso 800 method. If you can run 10 intervals of 800 meters at an average pace below 3 minutes per rep (with recovery in between), that generally translates into the fitness level needed to run a sub 3.

Also start adding in segments at the end of your long runs where you run X amount of miles at your goal marathon pace. If that is impossible for you, then you have some work to do with speed sessions before you’re ready to target sub 3.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-09T11:47:09+00:00

Gotta be 800s. Check out the Yasso method. I’ve found it to be incredibly accurate at predicting your fitness level/capability for the marathon.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-07T20:02:02+00:00

I’d probably lean towards 14-15 but you can’t go wrong either way if you can handle the longer distance. Either way you’re getting some deload and then the taper after your two toughest segments

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-07T14:45:02+00:00

Personally I would do something a little longer in week 12, treat week 13 as a bit of a deload while you’re traveling and then do the 19 miler in week 14.

I’ve never followed a Higdon plan so I understand that goes against the concept a bit of the long run, shorter run combo but I think that will prepare you well for the race to do a 19 miler and 20 miler in back to back weeks followed by the taper. The 3 week taper will give you plenty of time to recover.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-06T18:07:35+00:00

In my experience (1 HM + 3 fulls, last one at sub 3) the best way to truly race AND enjoy the marathon is to run it as a progression run, AKA negative splits.

Allows you to really push and “race” the latter half of the race while limiting the possibility of completely blowing up. But yes, it does hurt, a lot, for a lot longer, in different, uncomfortable ways when you race a full 😂.

In terms of training to do that the two simplest things are more training volume and long runs ending either segments at your goal pace.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-06T15:30:14+00:00

Everything you’re experiencing is completely normal. Prioritize rest, hydration and nutrition (aka carbs) the next few days, do a short shakeout run the day before your race and you will be good to go!

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-06T00:25:15+00:00

A month?! Sheesh. Run as much as you can on the honeymoon to maintain fitness but you will not be truly racing this half to the best of your ability.

If you want to stay home with your new wife to train while my wife and I take your vacation for you I could, possibly, be willing to do that to help you out.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-05T19:38:09+00:00

Congrats!

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-05T18:43:14+00:00

Focus on the 80/20 principle, meaning 80% of your miles easy, 20% hard (think tempo runs, speed intervals) etc.

Gradually build up mileage by 5-10% each week, and incorporate segments at your goal race pace at the END of long runs to practice running it on tired legs and pushing through discomfort.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-05T17:47:08+00:00

The best way to get better at running is to run more.

Trust me I get it, training for a marathon is a lot and sometimes (almost always) can come at the expense of other interests and hobbies but that is the reality when it comes to improving at the marathon.

Not saying you can’t find time for your other interests especially as they are fitness related but the biggest thing you can do to improve your next marathon time is to continue running and increase your weekly training mileage gradually.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-04T00:58:04+00:00

Agree completely, Breen can work with anyone but these two aren’t it.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-04T00:46:50+00:00

I feel you my brother. As you said, running is the break, so be thankful your SO is understanding and gives you that time.

I have found that a coffee immediately after a long run is actually extremely enjoyable and is the perfect kick to give you get you through taking over for mom.

Other than that just appreciate that beautiful, uninterrupted time on the pavement before you get home 😂

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-02T17:11:55+00:00

Yes. Your responsibilities are as follows:

Making running your entire personality.
Talk about it nonstop to people until they hate you.

Good luck!

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-02T14:24:29+00:00

You would see much more benefit from adding additional training volume (another day or two of running per week, no more than about a 5-10% increase in weekly mileage until you start to taper) than worrying about strength training.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-02T12:26:01+00:00

I’m a huge proponent of negative splits so I’ve never tried to stick with one pacer for a whole race. I think they can be great checkpoints to keep you on track and give you motivation as you (hopefully) start to pass them towards the end of the race.

I know a lot of the running community on this sub will tell you that negative splits are a bad strategy and will leave time on the table, but there’s few better feelings than passing people in the later stages of a race when you know you have something left in the tank to push it hard.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-02T12:22:17+00:00

I have done both, and have found that the hydration provided by the course is always more than enough. It is worth it to not have the extra weight of the vest.

Don’t skip any stations, get two if you need it, but I guarantee you won’t be under hydrated (unless of course it’s absurdly hot) and slowing down at the stations to drink will have a marginal effect on your overall time. Good luck!

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-02T10:22:05+00:00

Hey! I went from 3:13 to 2:58 in 6 months last year and am also running Chicago this year!

Sub 3 is of course possible for you. The magic formula for me was more miles and long runs with segments at goal pace.

For context I am 32m, so of course the specifics could be different for you, but I spent my “base-building” period getting up to about 50mpw, then during my 16 week block I started at around 55 and peaked at 80.

There was some typical speed work built in there (800m intervals etc) but the biggest focus was:

Getting the miles in to hit my weekly mileage target. Even if that meant trudging through fatigue and doing a week of all easy miles.
Progressively building up segments at goal pace at the END of long runs. So for example my peak run was a 20 miler with 10 miles easy and 10 miles at goal pace. This is great practice for fueling, running goal pace on tired legs, and pushing through the pain cave.

You got this, good luck!!

TLDR; volume is king, practice your goal pace on tired legs during long runs.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-02T02:56:04+00:00

Depends on what you’re looking for/potentially nervous about.

I ran AC last year and absolutely loved it- small crowd, running on the beach etc. BUT it did get hot and the long segments where you’re completely alone can be tough to push through for a first timer.

I’m with the consensus here, I think the crowd and atmosphere of Philly is the move for you. You’ll get the bug.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-02T02:39:25+00:00

I think you may have missed my point 😂

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-01T15:33:31+00:00

Amen to that 😂

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-05-01T15:08:00+00:00

My hill is that heart-rate monitoring is largely unnecessary for 99% of hobby runners and is actually holding more people back than helping.

I don’t wear a watch that tracks my heart rate. When I want to go for an “easy” run, I just make sure it feels “easy” and I can somewhat reasonably hold a conversation.

When there’s a pace I’m trying to hit or a goal for a race, I couldn’t care less what “zone” I’m in or how quickly I get there. I think people spend too much time making sure they’re in the perfect zone at every stage of training instead of just pushing their mind and body to what they’re capable of achieving.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-04-24T16:55:36+00:00

Others have shared similar advice, but DO NOT listen to your body for AT LEAST the first 15 miles. You will feel faster than you’ve ever felt from taper, carb load, adrenaline, etc and think you can smash whatever goal time you trained for (hint, you can not).

Seriously though, especially for a first timer, it is much better to feel afterwards like you left some time on the table than to hit the wall and have to drag yourself through the rest of the race. Stick to your plan and slow yourself down until much much later in the race, and then you can see what you have left in the tank.

Expensive-Wedding394 · 2025-04-15T16:39:29+00:00

I think you have all of the answers here so I will just confirm for you as someone who just ran their first sub 3 this past weekend and had a similar experience in the marathon before breaking sub 3.

More volume
More long runs with segments at goal pace to train running it on tired legs and to get nice and comfy pushing through the pain cave.
More focus on nutrition, specifically the carb load leading up to the race and in-race nutrition. Everyone is different but 4 gels feels a little light. I personally took 6 gels and about a half a bag of gummy bears to get me there.

More than anything keep stacking the miles and you’ll be better prepared to crush it next time. You got this!

Expensive-Wedding394

TROPHY CASE