In July 2023, one of our Legacy Ambassadors, Ian Deeth, lined up for his debut marathon on the Gold Coast with a singular, burning ambition: to break the sub-3-hour barrier. In a series of blogs leading up to that race, Ian shared his evolution from an international sprinter in his early twenties to an endurance convert in his late thirties. However, as many marathoners learn the hard way, the 42.195km distance is a master of humility. After running perfectly to plan until the 32km mark, Ian met the infamous "wall" and fell short of his goal, crossing the finish line in 3:07:19
It took three years for Ian to return to the distance, with Seoul, Korea, on March 15th being the race for redemption. This time, the outcome was very different. The clock stopped at 2:57:32. A 10-minute improvement from the Gold Coast, and a sub-3 was achieved.
In this reflection, Ian recounts the five fundamental shifts he made in his preparation and mindset.
According to Ian, staying focused on your pace early on, even when you are feeling fresh, is key.
Breaking the three-hour barrier has always been a goal that sparked a unique fire in me. By nature, my athletic "home" is on the sprint track, and my heart usually finds its rhythm in the intensity of something short and sharp. Yet, there is something deeply magnetic about training at the opposite end of the spectrum and the challenge of a marathon. It demands a pace that sits right on the edge of your capabilities. A sustained effort that forces you to stay in the "stretch zone" for a dauntingly long period.
This pursuit felt especially poignant as I lined up for the Seoul Marathon. It had been nearly three years since my debut on the Gold Coast ended in disappointment, and the itch to settle that score had only grown. Three years later, I felt ready.
Now at 46, my life looks different from when it did during my sprinting days. Juggling the demands of a full-time teaching career with the beautiful but challenging responsibilities of being a husband and a father of two hasn't dampened the ambition; if anything, it has sharpened it. The challenge wasn't just about the 42.195km on the road; it was about proving that even with a full plate, we can still find the space to chase down the goals that scare us. And as we get older, this drive is more important; it keeps us sharp, and I hope it will also motivate and set the right example for my boys.
1. Seasonal Strategy: Racing the Calendar, Not Just the Clock
My first major shift was tactical: Instead of fighting the Singapore heat and humidity in the build-up to the marathon when it is at its worst, I shifted my target race to a date when it is better suited for long runs.
During my Gold Coast build-up, my peak long runs fell in May and June, usually the most unforgiving months in this region. I remember these sessions vividly: my heart rate would spike prematurely, my pace would falter, and I’d have to stop constantly to refill water. While I "completed" the mileage, the stop-start nature of those runs meant I wasn't building the specific physiological or mental resilience required for a continuous 42.195km effort.
By targeting a March marathon in Seoul, I shifted my heavy training block to December through February. While "cool" is a relative term in Singapore, the slight dip in temperature and humidity made a world of difference.
For the first time, I was able to maintain my target heart rate and a consistent pace with zero stops. But the real shift was internal. I transitioned from dreading the long run to embracing it. Every Saturday at 4:00 AM, while the city was still silent, I found a new rhythm. There was something profoundly calming about those early hours. With a carefully curated playlist, starting with some marathon-themed podcasts and finishing with a high-tempo playlist, I really looked forward to my weekend-long run. Equipped with my Omius headband to manage the thermal load, I wasn't just ticking off miles; I was building an engine that didn't need to pause.
I believe the long run is the most important part of the training, and this session became the heartbeat of my training and stayed consistent.
Ian's advice? At a mass-participation race, it is easy to settle into the rhythm of other runners.
2. The 14-Week Sweet Spot: Less is More
For my Gold Coast debut, I followed a marathon-specific build that spanned 28 weeks. At the time, as a "marathon novice," I felt I needed that massive runway to feel physically and mentally prepared for the distance. In hindsight, it was simply too long. Looking back, by the time race day arrived, the "spark" had been dampened by half a year of hyper-focus. This was reinforced as I also went slightly off track and took part in an OCR race, which veered away from my training and added extra unnecessary fatigue.
This time, I tightened the window to a 14-week specific block.
The key wasn't doing less work; it was ensuring I hit my "entry requirements" before the block even started. Before Day 1 of the Seoul training plan, I ensured I was already hitting these non-negotiables:
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The Aerobic Base: Comfortable 2-hour long runs.
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The Engine: One consistent threshold session per week.
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The Foundation: Meeting specific S&C (strength and conditioning) metrics to ensure my body could handle the increased load.
Having these baselines in place meant I could hit the ground running. The 14-week timeframe provided enough runway to build specific marathon fitness but was short enough to keep my motivation razor-sharp.
3. The Dress Rehearsal: Data-Driven Confidence
In my first marathon build, I planned a half-marathon eight weeks out as I felt I needed a strong period of time to recover from it. This time, we shifted the strategy. Four weeks out from Seoul, I used the RAK Half in the UAE as my ultimate dress rehearsal.
The choice of RAK was deliberate: it offered a similar flight time from Singapore as Seoul, a comparable flat course profile, and a reputation for world-class organisation. This wasn't just about checking my fitness; it was about stress-testing every single variable. If something was going to fail, I wanted it to fail there, not at kilometre 35 in Korea.
For Ian, the RAK Half Marathon was the perfect tune-up race to Seoul.
During this "tune-up" and the subsequent taper sessions, I audited my entire protocol:
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The Fuel: I dialled in my reliance on Mag-On gels. I had practised the exact timing of every hit in training, but now was a chance to test at race pace, even though the shorter distance didn’t strictly require it.
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The Pre-Race Ritual: From the night-before meal to the precise morning-of timing, I replicated the "Seoul schedule" to ensure my stomach was as ready as my legs.
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The Gear: I tested my full race-day kit: shoes, socks, shorts, and vest. I wanted to ensure there would be zero surprises on the big day.
This race gave me the most valuable gift a runner can have: informed confidence. While I knew my marathon pace would be slower, I was able to validate the key components of my performance. The result? A new half-marathon PB, eclipsing a mark I had set seven years prior. By the time I stood on the start line in Seoul, I wasn't guessing; I was executing a proven plan.
For Ian, RAK's flat profile was a perfect test ground for Seoul four weeks later.
4. Managing the "Stress Bucket"
One of the most overlooked aspects of marathon performance isn't what happens on the road, but what happens in the rest of your life. During my Gold Coast build-up, I was operating under an immense "allostatic load." I was a new father, navigating the sleepless nights of a first child. We were moving house three weeks before the race, I was in the process of buying a property in the UK, and I was simultaneously studying for my Master’s degree. This was all in addition to my full-time job as a teacher.
The physiological truth is simple: Stress is stress. Whether it comes from a 20km tempo run or a complex legal contract, your nervous system processes it similarly. By the time I reached the Gold Coast start line, my "stress bucket" was already overflowing.
This time around, I made a conscious effort to clear the decks. There were no planned house moves, no academic deadlines, and no major property transactions. While the daily priorities of work and being a husband and father of two remained, I approached them with a different level of organisation.
I stopped viewing training as "one more thing to do" and started treating it as my sanctuary. By scheduling my life with military precision, my 4:00 AM runs became a break from the world rather than an added weight. By reducing the external "noise," I saved my mental and physical energy for when I needed it most. The final 10km in Seoul.
"During the latter part of Seoul, I was content dropping my pace, knowing a sub 3-hour timing was in sight."
Ian Deeth, RDRC Legacy Ambassador at the Seoul Marathon 2026
The right training and strategy means the confidence to find your pace and achieve your goals.
5. The Flexible Race Goal: Strategic Patience
Entering Seoul, I was acutely aware of the fine line between ambition and ego. Based on my training data and that seven-year PB at the RAK Half, I knew a sub-2:50 finish was physically possible. However, I was also haunted by the ghost of Gold Coast. I knew that if I chased a "perfect" number too aggressively, I risked a repeat of the 32km collapse, blowing up in spectacular fashion and watching my goal slip away in the final 10km.
For this second attempt, my definition of success was broader: I wanted a finishing time that started with a "2."
I went into the race with a sliding scale of splits. I knew exactly what I needed to hold for a 2:50, a 2:55, and a 2:59. This flexibility became my greatest asset. As the race progressed and I saw runners around me begin to drop out or hit their own walls, I stayed disciplined. Unlike a 5km or a 10km, where you can "empty the tank" with relatively low risk, the marathon has a unique capacity to humble you the moment you overreach.
Patience was the key. Having experienced the agony of “the wall” before, I chose to respect the distance. I stayed within the margins I had practised, focused on a rhythm that felt sustainable, and prioritised the sub-3 goal over the "perfect" day. Crossing the line in 2:57:32 wasn't just about the time; it was about executing a mature, controlled race that honoured the work I’d put in over the previous 14 weeks. A few weeks on, I have no regrets and am immensely proud of both the training block and the execution. Both are as important as each other.
Feeding off the energy of other runners and crowd towards the end of a marathon can give you an extra lift.
What’s Next?
As one chapter closes, another begins. While the sub-3 marathon was a goal three years in the making, the beauty of the "stretch zone" is that it’s always expanding.
For the next few months, my focus shifts from the pavement to the functional arena: Hyrox. I’m heading into this new challenge with the strongest endurance base of my life as my foundation. I hope to continue setting goals that don’t just test my fitness, but keep me driven, balanced, and, most importantly, happy :)
(pssst: Hyrox next? Check out our Hyrox Fueling Cheat Sheet to level up with your nutrition and fuel game)
And most importantly, we cannot achieve our goals alone.
I am extremely grateful for the incredible support that helped me achieve this milestone. Firstly, to Anna Helowicz for programming my 14-week build, coaching advice and belief. To my Singapore Shufflers teammates who helped share the workload during our twice-weekly threshold sessions. To Jeri and the team at Red Dot Running Company for their advice on nutrition. Finally, and most importantly, my wife, Sharon, for her continuous support and belief.