The Running Thread - 2026

[GuinnessRunner]

I'm in for NYC lottery too. Really want to do this race some day but not enough to committ to the charity route (at least at this point). Will figure out how I explain the budget hit to DW (with Dopey already planned) in the unlikely event the lottery gods smile upon me.

 

[marty3d]

I'm in for NYC lottery too. Really want to do this race some day but not enough to committ to the charity route (at least at this point). Will figure out how I explain the budget hit to DW (with Dopey already planned) in the unlikely event the lottery gods smile upon me.

May the lottery gods smile upon you!

I cracked under pressure and entered the lottery too. In the unlikely event I get in my plan is to defer to 2027.

 

[IamTrike]

Good luck to all who entered!

While I was in meetings today I vibe coded a web app to build workout plans and then track them. (not trying to distribute or anything) I just think its amazing how easy it's gotten to build stuff

 

[camaker]

You people are weak!!

Stand your ground and don't give in to FOMO or peer pressure!

 

[SheHulk]

There is a pretty fun vibe in the starting area though so I didn't think the wait was too bad.

P.S. NYC marathon is awesome because of the spectators (put your name on your shirt!); dealing with the hassle of the start logistics is totally worth it.

Listen, guys, I'm trying to talk myself *out* of entering this lottery!

You people are weak!!

Stand your ground and don't give in to FOMO or peer pressure!

THANK YOU

 

[Psymonds]

Does anyone have experience with Running world training plans? I see they have specific pace marathon plans.

I've been using he Higdon training plans but I'm curious if I need more direction on pace.

 

[KCO5988]

Listen, guys, I'm trying to talk myself *out* of entering this lottery!

THANK YOU

You know perfectly well this is not the place to get support for that.

 

[Novatrix]

You people are weak!!

Stand your ground and don't give in to FOMO or peer pressure!

I fully support this message.

(Disclaimer: This message brought to you by pure self interest in finally winning the lottery. )

 

[Naomeri]

Listen, guys, I'm trying to talk myself *out* of entering this lottery!

THANK YOU

Stay strong with me on Team Not-Entering NYC 2026

 

[marty3d]

I fully support this message.

(Disclaimer: This message brought to you by pure self interest in finally winning the lottery. )

None (well, most) of you have to worry about me impacting your odds - I'm in a different bucket for international runners. You're welcome.

 

[IamTrike]

Does anyone have experience with Running world training plans? I see they have specific pace marathon plans.

I've been using he Higdon training plans but I'm curious if I need more direction on pace.

I think I've played with the shorter ones but not the Marathon ones. For Marathon training targeting a specific Pace I've found Hanson's works really well, but it is a lot of running days.

Stay strong with me on Team Not-Entering NYC 2026

I managed to not sign up this year, but I definitely want to do NY again

 

[GollyGadget]

Does anyone have experience with Running world training plans? I see they have specific pace marathon plans.

I've been using he Higdon training plans but I'm curious if I need more direction on pace.

I don't have any experience with runner's world or higdon marathon training plans. I am a bit suspicious of plans built for a specific time. You definitely need to make sure that you're picking an appropriate time goal. I've always followed marathon plans that adjust pacing based on your fitness.

 

[nancipants]

Well,
finally caught the crud. Glad it was after my race and not before.

 

[eminemilie]

I am cracking up reading these. I was very seriously debating entering in the lottery this year knowing I likely wouldn’t get in, but with the wine and dine themes I had to pick those races instead. But I will run the NYC marathon one day. But I should probably get my mileage up and get more serious first

 

[Naomeri]

Hey, did you all know there’s this stuff outside called “fresh air”??

I’d totally forgotten how nice fresh air can be when it’s not trying to freeze your extremities off, but then I did my first outdoor run since Thanksgiving after work today.

 

[Psymonds]

I don't have any experience with runner's world or higdon marathon training plans. I am a bit suspicious of plans built for a specific time. You definitely need to make sure that you're picking an appropriate time goal. I've always followed marathon plans that adjust pacing based on your fitness.

I've had good luck with the Garmin adaptive half marathon trainings but they don't offer any full marathon plans.

I have a goal time that I think is appropriate, I just don't know if what I'm doing with Higdon will get me there based on the paces I'm running. I also have 20+ weeks.

 

[Mr_Incr3dible]

Does anyone have experience with Running world training plans? I see they have specific pace marathon plans.

I've been using he Higdon training plans but I'm curious if I need more direction on pace.

I went with the half-a--ed method to save on not doing all the really long runs.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/harm-training-and-running.3869032/

FWIW, it focuses more on endurance than a specific pace or distance and is effectively a modified Galloway RWR.
I personally like the Galloway RWR method for a couple of reasons: being able to tweak the run and walk intervals for a mix that is comfortable for me (for instance; several minutes of run and 30 seconds of walk instead of 30/30), and the Magic Mile is impressively accurate as a pace predictor. It is also worth noting that the run/walk intervals don't need to be static in that you can keep updating them as your conditioning improves. The 30/30 and 45/30 intervals I used when I restarted training after an injury are much more conservative than the intervals I'm using a year later.
IIRC, both Higdon and Galloway have increasingly longer runs on the weekends, partially for stamina, partially for confidence that you can do the distance.
I just never made the time for such long distances, so my longest weekend runs were 9 or 10 miles.
YMMV

As for NYC: I fully realize the odds are that none of us get in, but wouldn't it be a hoot if a number of us get in and we have a NYC Marathon rD meetup? We'll meet by the lightpole...

 

[IamTrike]

I have a goal time that I think is appropriate, I just don't know if what I'm doing with Higdon will get me there based on the paces I'm running. I also have 20+ weeks.

So I mentioned Hansons. For Chicaco I ran in a group of 4 (We all trained with Hanson's for a goal of a 3:30 marathon). The 4 of us all ran together regularly before we started training. Of that group (2 of us were pretty meticulous with our training and two were more relaxed). I tried to be meticulous but actually went through the training plan as though I was trying to run a 3:20 marathon. On race day I found it getting really tough above mile 16ish and the other meticulous trainer had some leg issues) We wound up running about a 3:40.

From my experience there were a couple of takeaways:
1. I think success is going to be more about consistency than the training plan (in general)
2. If you are doing temp or interval work even if those runs are long I think they need to be a decent amount faster than your goal pace to be in the right condition on race day.
3. A training plan for a goal time doesn't mean the race will be easy at that goal pace.

I think #3 was the hardest thing for me. I had done other goal based training for earlier goals and there the race really just did seem like a celebration, it was just a fun time. It's probably a "duh" statement but as your goals move to faster times the harder it will be on race day. I think that's why some people above may have the sentiment that training plans don't really train you well for a specific pace.

 

[Dopey 2020]

I have a goal time that I think is appropriate, I just don't know if what I'm doing with Higdon will get me there based on the paces I'm running. I also have 20+ weeks.

As a RWR I’ve never used Higdon but have heard good things. I use my own made up plans that originally were based on Galloway. The one I have a hard time with is the shorter long runs, I get cumulative fatigue and all but mentally I need to know I can be running 3+ hours so my long run is 20 which I do at six and three weeks from race day. After 19 marathons of trying to break 3:30 I am also adding in some very fast intervals because I also don’t see how you can make your goal pace without pushing past it on a few occasions. 20 weeks is definitely a good amount of time, I’m currently in about a 12 week plan for an “A” race the week after springtime surprise. I’ll be looking forward to how your race goes, always looking for new plans/training ideas.

I will say what’s been said, the Galloway magic mile is pretty accurate, within a couple minutes of my marathon and within seconds on the rest. If you want to find a time or two to run the hard mile and plug in the numbers you can get an idea of where you’re at
https://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/magic-mile/
Best of luck!

From my experience there were a couple of takeaways:
1. I think success is going to be more about consistency than the training plan (in general)
2. If you are doing temp or interval work even if those runs are long I think they need to be a decent amount faster than your goal pace to be in the right condition on race day.
3. A training plan for a goal time doesn't mean the race will be easy at that goal pace.

I think #3 was the hardest thing for me. I had done other goal based training for earlier goals and there the race really just did seem like a celebration, it was just a fun time. It's probably a "duh" statement but as your goals move to faster times the harder it will be on race day. I think that's why some people above may have the sentiment that training plans don't really train you well for a specific pace.

#3 for sure, been training for 3:30 and only got close once under near ideal conditions. Haven’t cracked 3:40 otherwise.
#2 yup, upping my intervals now. I think some speed work needs to be much faster than goal, not so much it stresses or injures anything but enough to make goal paces comfortable. As a faster than many RWR I use 4:00/:30 intervals and when running my goal is 7:05-7:10. I’ve started doing quarter mile intervals, run all out looking for 6:00, currently at about 6:20 for 1/4 then jog 1/4 to recover. Doing 4-5 of these a couple times a week for only 2 weeks so far and already noticed improvements. Only time will tell.
#1 is key, consistency is necessary not only for the physical running but when you grind out those runs you just don’t want to do your mental game improves drastically.

 

[IamTrike]

#2 yup, upping my intervals now. I think some speed work needs to be much faster than goal, not so much it stresses or injures anything but enough to make goal paces comfortable. As a faster than many RWR I use 4:00/:30 intervals and when running my goal is 7:05-7:10. I’ve started doing quarter mile intervals, run all out looking for 6:00, currently at about 6:20 for 1/4 then jog 1/4 to recover. Doing 4-5 of these a couple times a week for only 2 weeks so far and already noticed improvements. Only time will tell.
#1 is key, consistency is necessary not only for the physical running but when you grind out those runs you just don’t want to do your mental game improves drastically.

When I was trianing for 3:30 I think I only got intervals down into the high 6s or low 7s. I think most of my tempos were in the low to mid 7s. Good luck on hitting 3:30 it sounds like you've definitely got a good plan.

I really like intervals a lot more than tempo runs.