Breaking 3?

What is more challenging- going under 3hrs for a marathon or cracking 3min for a kilometre?

As always, the answer will be prefaced with 'it depends' As a 17 year old I could break 3min for a kilometer but wouldn't be able to even cover 42.2km. In my 40's I ran several marathons under 3hrs while being unable to get close to a 3min kilometre.

This year marks my entry into the sixth decade, a milestone that has, perhaps more than any other, forced me to pause and take stock. Reaching 50 feels like a tipping point, a reminder that I’m probably past the halfway mark of this journey. In these moments, the imperative is clear: check in with myself on both micro and macro levels. On the micro side, a quick in-the-moment check while running helps reinforce economy and efficiency. Am I upright? How is my cadence? Is my breathing in sync? Small, habitual audits become the difference between drift and intent, between fatigue and flow.

Yet the macro view matters just as much. Am I living in alignment with my core values? Is my training blending harmoniously with the more important roles that shape my life? When these pieces are in sync, consistency follows. It’s not about pushing harder; it’s about training smarter, living with integrity, and letting those priorities support one another as I move forward.

I thrive on challenges. Over the past 15 years I've set and achieved most of my athletic goals. From running a sub 2:50hr marathon, swimming 200m butterfly (without sinking), breaking 5min for the mile, beating my good friend, and training partner Andy in a 400m swim, and going under 2min 20sec for 800m. This year I wanted to run 50km on my 50th birthday. A calf strain 5 weeks out scuppered that goal. Rather than sulk for too long (it's still important to acknowledge the disappointment, take the lessons from the failure, then move on) I made a new goal. Swim 50 x 100m (the traditional birthday set) on 1:45min.

Every runner should have the ability to switch quickly to another cardio conditioning exercise. This can be cycling, swimming, or using a cross trainer or rower. This is imperative for general wellbeing and as a back-up when injury doesn't allow you to run.

Over the past 2-4 years I have been injured more than I've been able to run. What has allowed me to return quickly and maintain my mental wellbeing is my history of triathlon training. Within 24hrs I can continue to train around a running injury rather than pushing through and digging a bigger hole.

As summer approaches I've created a new challenge. When I'm back running, I want to work on breaking 3min for a kilometre. The chances of me achieving this is slim. Not just due to the fact I'm going to struggle to hold 72sec laps for 2.5 laps of a 400m track, but my body struggles to handle the demands of training for speed.

Training for this with my traditional 4 runs a week, 1 long slow, 1 cruise, 1 tempo, and 1 speed won't work. I've stuck with this routine for the last decade. I'm going to make a slight change in my running approach. The framework around the running will stay the same - cycle commuting, yoga, and 2 strength/plyo sessions.

Stay tuned for my new running method, and how I'm progressing. My next article will go over a running plan that combines a well-known method with a less well-known world record master's athlete approach. I have a feeling this could be a game changer with runners between 45-55 years of age.

Takeaways

• Make goals to help give structure and motivation
• Check yourself before you break yourself
• Don't be afraid to change your approach
• Surround yourself with awesome people                     

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