Runner · Marathon
Marathon: 3:27:14 (sub-3:30)
The goal
Break 3h30 after three previous attempts stalled at 3h38–3h42.
What we changed
Identified 9.3% aerobic decoupling at Easy effort — base phase extended 4 weeks before any marathon-pace work. Added marathon-pace long run segments from week 9. Garmin HR alert set at 75% max for all Easy runs.
Illustrative outcome
Completed race at 3:27:14. First sub-3:30 in four marathon attempts. No mid-race pace collapse in the final 8km.
Before → After
| Marathon time | 3:41:07 | → 3:27:14 |
| Aerobic decoupling | 9.3% | → 3.8% |
| Final 8km pace drop | −28 sec/km | → −6 sec/km |
Illustrative scenario only. The identifier, sessions, and before/after values are examples, not athlete records or performance evidence.
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