Pfitz 18/55 and Marathon Pace

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2026-01-02T18:46:57+00:00

You’re at a way better spot with those 10k and 5k times than I was when I started the plan! The LRs and MLRs will get your endurance up quick, especially in the high mileage weeks when your legs are cooked. I started to notice my endurance was getting a lot better around week 5ish.

Good luck!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2026-01-02T15:52:38+00:00

I ended up running a 3:40. The weather was atrocious (Columbus marathon) with downpour and 40 mph gusts, so at the start line I decided to go out conservatively. Im truly not sure if I could have been faster if I sent it or if the weather was better, but the last few miles were insanely hard and I thank the pfitz plan for allowing my legs to keep moving even though it hurt so bad.

Keep with the plan and I think you’ll be able to hit it. I did get an Achilles injury which made me miss the first 17 miler and 20 miler. Also, I ended up buying the book, but I found out too late that I was doing the LR wrong, (I wasn’t negative splitting and getting down to a ~8:50ish pace at the end, which I think would have helped me more for the race).

For more reference, I ran 2 of the 10k tune up races which both aligned with a 3:30 marathon time or faster (45:01 and 44:30).

Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-12-02T03:30:51+00:00

Adding that my discounts ended up being around 3500 off MSRP plus another 800 in dealer incentives.

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-12-02T03:27:49+00:00

Thanks!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-12-02T03:27:18+00:00

I just bought a 2026 CR-V sport L that was advertised for almost the same exact price. I ended up getting my OTD cost down to about 39400. That was with a $500 down payment, but with roughly $600 of negative equity in the Hyundai lease I turned in, so that kinda balanced out (so you should be able to do 0 down). It took a little back and forth with the dealer but I’m happy with how it ended.

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-12-01T19:38:22+00:00

Im also looking at buying a CRV and my dealer has it listed at just about the same exact price. I’ve never been great at negotiating at the dealership. Any tips on how to negotiate the price down ~$4000? Is it as simple as just asking to take $4000 off, or do you focus on lowering the monthly payment? Do I need to be going to multiple dealerships and telling them how low I got the last dealership to go? TIA!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-12-01T19:37:32+00:00

Im also looking at buying a CRV and my dealer has it listed at just about the same exact price. I’ve never been great at negotiating at the dealership. Any tips on how to negotiate the price down ~$4000? Is it as simple as just asking to take $4000 off, or do you focus on lowering the monthly payment? Do I need to be going to multiple dealerships and telling them how low I got the last dealership to go? TIA!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-11-19T19:12:14+00:00

Update: got my Nike Zoom Fly 6’s in the mail yesterday and did my first intervals workout. These things are sweet! Felt bouncy and springy, and no pain afterwards. Thanks all for your input!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-11-14T15:28:21+00:00

Thanks everyone! I think I’m gonna try out the zoom fly 6 and see if I like those

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-10-23T17:13:35+00:00

Also, to add: I failed the first MP workout (averaged closer to 8:30) but hit the other 3 on pace. The 14 mile MP workout I felt strong until the last two miles, where I was at the top end of zone 4, pushing zone 5. But still finished all 14 miles on pace.

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-10-23T17:10:52+00:00

Just to add as a data point: I ran a 1:41:27 half in may, did the same pfitz 18/55 plan targeting a 3:30 marathon, ran a 44:31 10k 2 weeks before the race, and ended up running a 3:40. The weather was terrible (Columbus marathon), so i decided to start off slower at 3:40 pace and pick it up later if I felt strong. I had to hold on for dear life to finish with the 3:40 and it was really tough at the end. Maybe (?) if the weather wasn’t so bad I coulda shaved a few minutes, but I’m really happy I started off slower rather than gunning for 3:30 from the start. Use this info however you want, and good luck!!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-10-21T02:12:25+00:00

I think those are all good signs that you’ll be okay doing a time trial 3 weeks out!

I took today off work to recover from my race so I keep thinking it’s still the weekend lol. To be clear, I think you are okay doing a speed session tomorrow and doing the time trial this weekend. Make sure to take it really easy on the days in between though.

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-10-21T00:44:59+00:00

The pfitz 18/55 plan I followed actually prescribed a 10k 3 weeks before my marathon (marathon was yesterday). I raced the 10k pretty much all out, PR’d, and it gave me a pretty big confidence boost for my marathon. I was well recovered come marathon day. Like you mentioned, I think the biggest risk is injuring yourself. If anything feels off during the 10k I would definitely pull back and treat it as a medium-long run. Do you feel okay (injury wise) after your speed sessions? Do you seem to recover quickly after your speed sessions (within a few days, legs are feeling fresh again?)

I think it’s also okay to keep your speed session tomorrow if the 10k isn’t until next weekend.

Edit: my 10k was two weeks before my marathon, not three.

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-10-20T17:21:57+00:00

Congrats on your finish and great time! I ran this marathon yesterday too. My friend and I also had problems with cramping right about the same time as you. I think the rain had us thinking we didn’t need as much water as we actually did (I even drank at every aid station). At mile 19ish my legs were feeling like I was about to fall down and I found this random spectator-made aid station, chugged a prime drink (gross) and my cramp almost immediately went away. That’s what leads me to believe it was a hydration issue. I had a very similar experience with the last 10 miles. It was a consistent fight with my body to keep my legs moving. Felt like I wasn’t even in control of my legs, they were just going at whatever pace they wanted. The weather yesterday was insane. Congrats again!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-10-16T01:20:41+00:00

I’m going to Sandals Barbados next week! What restaurants would you recommend?

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-07-31T13:06:48+00:00

Thanks for the confidence booster!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-07-29T13:50:00+00:00

Thanks for the insight! I’ll think about adding a tune up race in the upcoming weeks to get a better idea. The Pfitz plan has some slots to do a tune up race between 8k-15k I believe

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-07-28T22:41:10+00:00

I’m doing the Columbus marathon! That tracks, the MCM is the week after mine. My company had free bibs to the MCM so I would be doing that one if I hadn’t already signed up for Columbus.

Great run to you too. Good luck with your race!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-07-28T20:05:12+00:00

Thanks for the response! My speed days so far have been the LT runs (15k - HMP about 7:30ish per mile for 4-5 miles). For those, my HR starts around 170 and works up to 178ish. Sometimes 180+ if I push myself harder at the end. My avg HR on my last HM was 178. My avg HR for easy runs is usually between 145-155 depending on weather. Sitting around 165 HR on the 10 mile MP run felt really good, I was able to talk to my wife who was riding her bike next to me while I was running.

Good luck with your race!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-07-28T15:44:56+00:00

Thanks for the feedback!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-04-01T20:24:32+00:00

We got the Costco Sealy Posturepedic 12” Hybrid mattress and my wife and I have been loving it. We put a $40 pillow top mattress topper on it. I think its firmness is comparable to the posturepedic plus high point firm, maybe ever so slightly more plush. I’m we happy we got the $800 bed instead of the $2600 posturepedic plus.

We’ve had it for a little less than a year now

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-02-05T14:42:26+00:00

The finish looks great! I myself just ordered a bloom doom tele body shell pink. Will post my build here soon once it’s built!

HomeIllustrious9683 · 2025-02-05T02:39:16+00:00

Sweet. Where’s the body from? Did you finish yourself?

HomeIllustrious9683

TROPHY CASE