I wonder if Barefoot Ted has attempted it 
When I eventually get around to a hike in the Himalayas which I hope to include Everest base camp…I’ll ensure I get a photo in my Vibram 5 fingers! 
Maybe the insulated ones
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This might not be the place for this, so feel free to let me know if it doesn’t fit here, but I’d like some advice when it comes to weight and running.
I’m 5’11 weight stable right around 144 lbs. Currently training around 60 miles per week on the Pfitzinger 55-70 mile per week training plan. Goal marathon is in about 18 weeks. In addition to running, I also usually cycle about 6-8 hours per week for fun. I ran my first marathon in the spring in 2:51 and would love to drop to sub 2:50 for the next one.
I’m considering trying to drop around 5 lbs (2 kg) to get below 140 for the next marathon. I’m hoping that less weight means less wear and tear, less chance of injury, more speed. I’m worried that tit will actually mean that I negatively impact my workouts and completely fall apart since this is already a big workload for me.
For those more experienced than me, what do you think about trying to lose some additional weight? Is this a good idea depending on approach, or am I chasing a ticket to burnout and injury? Any advice if I do decide to lose the weight while maintaining volume and intensity?
You are VERY lean as it is right now. 144 at 5’11 is the oppo of a big person!
I dont think loosing more weight will necessarily make you faster. If anything it could make you slower.
There is a fine balance between weight and speed. You need to find yours. I know, for me, about 148-150 is the weight i like to race. It has the least amount of sacrifice when it comes to eating and I dont feel slow.
I think you should eat normally and just keep adding speed training to it. Let the weight be whatever needs to be. a 2.51 first marathon is superb. Most people, including me, would be very happy with a sub 3. This means you are more than capable runner. So I would not focus on weight as much as I would focus on quality runs and making sure you are challenging yourself on the workouts.
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Thanks. I think it’s easy in marathon training to start doing the 2 second per mile weight rule of thumb and start seeing every pound as almost a minute saved.
It also doesn’t help that I watch Paul Chilemo videos and then wonder if I can/ should look like him, haha.
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Used to do that with running but at the time I was 30 lbs heavier than I should have been due to all the drinking. Fast forward 4+ years of no alcohol, lifestyle changes, and I have been holding steady at 170 lbs and 6’ tall. At times though I do feel I can be 165 or even 160 to gain but remind myself I am good. Getting back on the running train as I have missed the trails.
No - don’t lose weight…marathon running is about experience, you are doing plenty of training…60miles/week is plenty to run sub 2:50 (I managed 2:47 on 55-60miles/week aged 45 at 5’7* and 135ibs) I got my time down slowly from about 2:50 to 2:47 over 4 years…I was actually running slower over 5k/10k and half marathon but had more miles in the legs and experience. Plus I wasn’t riding then so was training less than you. Just trust the process and you will do it…it’s SO MUCH EASIER when you know what the last 10k feels like in a proper marathon…mentally you can cope. One thing though…my last marathon I ran once I started TT - I ran 35 miles/week plus 6-8 hours cycling. I had no real expectations but had pre entered VLM so thought - why not - I run London most years…but I had no confidence…so I thought ok don’t blow it so I set off at exactly 4min/k pace and went through all the timing mats on that pace…waited for the wheels to fall off…they didn’t - ran the last 5k in 19:30 and did my only negative split…2:48:30 - not a pb but a lot better than expected. I don’t run marathons now but that race taught me 2 important lessons 1/ Experience is everything unless you are very talented and 2/ running the second half faster than the first hurts a lot less…and is the best way to do it. If you want to run 2:49 run the first half in 1:25 - if you speed up you’ve done it…if you slow down you were never going to do it…good luck 
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Don’t worry about weight, your training will get you where you need to be.
You are ready for a sub 2:50 already. Just having already done one means your body is likely already capable of running that time (it “remembers” for a lack of scientific physiological term). The best thing you can do is more volume and focus on recovery. Sleep is just as important as training. But the training is what we tend to focus on… so here are some questions for you:
Long Run - What is the length of your long run? IMO this is the most important piece of the puzzle. You should be working up to 2+ hour runs picking up the last few miles. Nothing can prepare you for the last 5k of a marathon but this can help.
Threshold Runs - Are you doing any threshold or marathon pace runs? Next to a long run if you are “racing” the marathon and not just trying to finish this is the next thing you need to work on. 30-60 min runs at marathon pace goes a long way. Like cycling the key is to not go too fast and keep it at the right pace.
VO2 Max - What are your workouts like? We all love the flashy workouts but in reality are just not that important unless you are elite. That doesn’t mean they aren’t important or we should do them, it just means if you feel crummy and don’t hit your target times it can derail confidence but really these have little impact on your race.
Volume-threshold-turnover
Sleep-hydration-nutrition
Remember, the little things add up to a lot. Good luck!
I’m just following the Pfitzinger training plan straight from the book. I think the long runs peak at 22 miles with 16 at MP.
Threshold peaks at about eight miles LT threshold. (running these around 6:07 based on Jack Daniels VDOT Formula) I usually split it into 2 or 2.5 mile intervals which breaks down close to 15 minutes per interval.
Last block is VO2 max. Typically, I do these as track workouts slightly faster than 5K pace at about 1200 meters which pretty nicely breaks down to around a 4 minute interval.
I felt pretty great about following this plan up to the last marathon, so I’m mostly running it back just bumping up the paces to reflect my finish time.
Congratulations! And great storytelling!
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His training plan is pretty good and sounds like you are doing everything right. Good luck on hitting 2:40’s your next go!
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I would suggest that any 22mile run with 16 at MP will be really taxing and should be done 4-5 weeks out from your marathon. That said I use to run a flat out 20m road race in 2:03-2:05 in the middle of my marathon training but it was always at least 8 weeks out from the marathon to give me a week to recover and then do a last 4 week training block (probably not the ideal strategy but it gave me confidence in the training). The long run is important but becomes less so as your mileage increases. If you run 40miles/week then 3-5 20milers are essential. If you run 80+ the overall length of your long run is less important as your volume is higher…but of course it will naturally be pretty long. Liz McColgan who one VLM and was World 10K champ never ran more than 17miles in training but she did run 2xday for over 100miles/week.
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If the 50 - 70 miles 18 wk plan
Unless I’m looking at the wrong plan the last 22 mile run is in the 7 weeks to go column and doesn’t have any at MP.
The longest run with MP I can see is 18 miles with 14 at MP in the 5 weeks to go column.
Spot on with your 4 - 5 weeks then.
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Yeah, you’re totally right. I just double checked. Glad I don’t have a 22 mile run with significant MP in it to be honest.
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Yeah…22miles easy is ok…16-18 with some MP is ok…22 with lots of MP sounds horrid 
I use to do 22miles@ 7:10-7:15 as my longest run…about 2:40 - 2:45 and 20miles with the last 3@MP a couple of times. My longer MP runs I did midweek as a mid distance run - say 14miles as 3miles easy/10miles MP/1 mile easy.
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I once did 22 with 15 at Threshold.
2 week later I burned out. Took solid 6 months to get out of the funk.
love some Pfitz plans…
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I think I like them as well… The only thing that trips me up is the mid-week medium long-runs. It’s pretty hard to actually make time to run 15 miles on a Wednesday, but I guess that’s a scheduling thing in my professional life more than a problem with the plan.
Yes I remember that and getting back into running so doing the base phase for a few months to get my legs back under me while doing easy Z2 on the trainer… Depending on life I just moved a few things around and didn’t fret too much but I am not close to being as fast as you.
I did the Pfitzinger 55 mile 18 week plan as training for Manchester, but only the last 15 weeks of it as I entered in Jan and that only left 15 weeks. I did sub in about 3 Jack Daniels longs runs of the same length as Pfitz that had a bit more variety i.e 15 miles as 2E, 6M, 1E, 4M, 1T 1E, that was my favourite on a windy damp day in Feb. Never missed a single session and added 3.2 mile recovery runs on the cross train days as well as bike sessions. Max week was about 64 miles not 55. It set me up well.
For balance:
I like running!
I run through the woods and fields.
Sometimes it’s a bit of a slog, but mostly it’s wonderful.
I record no data, have no idea of my pace. I just run until I’m tired.
Then I stop.
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