I’d say go out this week and try and run a half marathon under 1:26.
If you can’t do that, you’ve not got a hope.
#toughlove
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Moved the conversation over here.
I agree with you entirely for a traditional mara build. Only part of those runs would be race pace, but i would be building them up to include a significant percentage at RP.
In my particular circumstance i’m ‘only’ pacing a mate at his planned target. So any running at that pace should theoretically be under my own personal RP.
Tend to agree with the man of the Peoples here. Though i’d say a low 1.28/high 1.27 may scrape you through if you have good longer distance conversion. If you did, then it’ll just be building up the resilience for the longer miles, as opposed to what i’d call the edges of speed endurance.
But that would certainly be a good starter. The only fly in that particular ointment is you’re semi injured. So a hard half may just f**k you up good and proper. Guess it depends on how happy you would be in turning up at London and setting off at 4.15s regardless!
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If going for a low mileage plan and still targeting a time I would say a Marathon Pace run is key. Build it up so running at target pace is comfortable 2nd nature.
I did a 3 hour marathon off 4 runs/wk with no long runs. But I wouldn’t say it was particularly low mileage. I was cycling for low impact fitness and swimming for recovery. But my runs ended up being 1 hour minimum, and the key session was to run back to back 10ml + 10ml or 8ml + 16ml on consecutive days, with one of those days at MP. Still struggled with lack of run conditioning in the last 5 miles as legs started to cramp but I otherwise felt OK.
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Ran my first 2:52 off a diet of daily 10 milers over a winter/ spring. Sometimes doubling up. Started pushing the envelope with longer and longer runs over the Christmas break as I recall. Ran a 1:18 half in early spring so was very surprised when went well under 3hrs. Never did/do any speed work. Was metronomic. High mileage always worked for me. My mate was a speed guy but he’s always injured now
I’m VLM this year too. Haven’t raced anything since sept 2019 so god knows where I’m at, and tore hamstring in 2020 ha - could be calamitous
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Likewise, I do most my running about 30-40s/km slower than what I reckon my MP would be, and would possibly be even slower if I was targeting a marathon and doing longer mileage?
But like GB says, I have recently been doing more of my longer runs at mostly easy pace but trying to build down to a quick few km.
It’s my half this weekend. If it goes well I’ll probably target a half ironman 12 weeks later, but a first standalone Mara is tempting… 
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eh!?
How could a sub 80 half lead to you being surprised by a sub 3?! You should’ve been shooting for a 2.45!! 
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Need a bike first don’t you 
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Yeah ran a 2:47 following year. Didn’t taper. Ran a 25 miler on the thurs preceding lol
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Cheers fellas.
I’ll see how I go today just see what ‘running’ feels like.
Maybe a medium long one tomorrow morning if all feels sweet. I could have a shot at a half Friday/Sunday morning - in Cornwall for 10 days after that so will very much be plodding around down there.
A 1:26 is what? 4:05 kms - that seems a bit scary for me at the minute 
But yeah I’ve no worries settting off at 4:10 - 4:15s regardless at London. If the wheels fall off they fall off
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Good work!!!
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You’re always down here at the moment mate. You wanna get yourself out of that there London. You know it’s the right thing to do!
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I’m pants now comparatively - ran 3:08 in Madrid in 2017 ( and then 3:48 in my first IM marathon at Bolton few months later )
Reckon it’s still in me to dip under 3. Just can’t get psyched for long runs anymore
Next move mate 
- wanna be by the sea!
Just the Mrs’ Job has been very Canary Wharf based. Well traditionally. Who knows moving forward
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Does she work with birds or boats?
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Banking. The fucking worst 
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I would recommend getting hills in on your longer runs. Then when racing something comparatively flatter hopefully you’d feel pretty jazzy
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100% agree with this. When i did Manchester, my mileage was way down compared to most marfunists. I think i averaged less than 60km a week, which isn’t much at all. But i rarely ran on the flat, and i am 100% convinced that doing much nmore hilly stuff made up for a mileage shortfall. I would warn thoguh that you still need to get some flat stuff in. I don’t think i did enough, and i found it one hell of a slog on the flat, particularly in my hips. The legs just don’t get a break, no opportunity to change your stride, use different muscles etc.
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Dropped curbs are all I have in the immediate vicinity.
10 days of Cornish lanes / headland should help
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Well that first run was not great!
Not exactly pain free but manageable at plod pace. I don’t think this will be a goer.
Upped it to 4:50 ish pace for my final km. saw 150 bpm
Maybe next year
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