Hello, 35M:
2023 - 4:24
2024 - 4:18
2025 - 4:10
2025 - 03:58:25
2026 may - hoping to hit sub 3:45 in 3 weeks
Before every marathon, I do approximately the same amount of training (with coach): run +-800km in +-3 months. Then I usually detrain for a few months (maybe run 0-30km per week), drink beers, smoke (pack a day) and eat unhealthy. And then after a while start training for the next one. So far I have understood that fitness compounds. The gains you get in previous block quickly return and does help you in the next one even if you put in the same amount of work before each marathon. I assume this is because I am still early in the journey?
For those of you with experience, when do you think this progress starts to seriously stall and it gets a lot harder? Tell me about your experience - how did it work for you and when did you feel you need to really dial in without breaks? Because if things continue to be like they are, I am thinking I could potentially pull off:
2026 sept. : sub 3h 30min
2027 may: sub 3h 15min
2027 sept.: sub 3h?
Or once you get near 3h, you need to seriously dial in for a year or so?
EDITED: I guess the main thing I want to ask here is - when did you notice that progressing with same effort/time spent training before each race became a lot harder for you?