Marathon vs. Triathlon Training. Advice please!
dangermouse
Posts: 28
in General Chat
Hi, please help!
The plan for next year was to hit the training hard and properly improve my times for Sprint and Olympic distance for next year. The training plan in my head was to do lots of speed work to improve strength as well as endurance.
However in a moment of madness I've entered a marathon for a laugh.
I've never run a marathon before, and I'm really worried that the training required for this will effect my chances for speed and improved times.
Can anyone offer reassurance or better still advice for managing both? I haven't been running long (couple of years only).
I'm not concerned about completing the marathon, but don't want to ruin my quest for speed. I currently run a 10k in 40 mins but had hoped to get that down to close to 38mins for a straight race (non tri). I don't care what time I do for the marathon (which is in April - the Brighton one).
Thanks in advance everyone!
D
The plan for next year was to hit the training hard and properly improve my times for Sprint and Olympic distance for next year. The training plan in my head was to do lots of speed work to improve strength as well as endurance.
However in a moment of madness I've entered a marathon for a laugh.
I've never run a marathon before, and I'm really worried that the training required for this will effect my chances for speed and improved times.
Can anyone offer reassurance or better still advice for managing both? I haven't been running long (couple of years only).
I'm not concerned about completing the marathon, but don't want to ruin my quest for speed. I currently run a 10k in 40 mins but had hoped to get that down to close to 38mins for a straight race (non tri). I don't care what time I do for the marathon (which is in April - the Brighton one).
Thanks in advance everyone!
D
0
Comments
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?uan=2493
Ade
I'm training for Dublin in October, also using the FIRST programme for the most part anyway.
The prescribed weekly speedwork sessions rarely cover 5k, usually 4.8k per session I think.
Is this a bit short to attack a 10k PB? I read an article recently advocating 5 x 2k intervals.
The session is clearly designed for a purpose, but also in context of running a competitive marathon whilst not overdoing the running.
Anyway, I guess I'll answer my own question in November / December when I start running 10ks again after the marathon.
What is you current longest distance that you run in training? If you already have a long slow 10 - 13 miles in training, then that is probably long enough. Certainly, if you go out for 2 - 4 hour rides on the bike.
I would be tempted to stick with your tri training program, only modifying it if you don't ever do a 10 mile run - a couple of those at an easy, or marathon pace, perhaps replacing a longer cycle ride, assuming a 12 week run up to the event (i.e. not that many needed!)
Then just treat the Marathon as a long slow training run.
Good luck!
I feel better now.
The plan was to kinda carry on the usual training, speed and tempo stuff during the week and then a long run at the weekend. I guess I've just got a few months to get that up to a very long run. It can only help right?
md6, sounds like we're in the same boat. Glad to know I'm not the only one.
Perhaps see you there!!
That doesn;t mean you should be looking to do 20 miles IN 3 hours... just if you train by distance no more than 20 miles (and even that only once or at the very most twice in your training program, just before taper), or if you train by time, no more than 3 hours (and again max twice in a program at that length of time).
usual caveats about received wisdom
cheers
didds
I don't think, if you've been running regularly, that it takes 16 weeks to get up to marathon completion shape. If you can do a couple of long runs in the 8-12 weeks building up to april of 16-18 miles then you'll be able to finish the marathon. Be around 40-50 miles for 6-8 weeks and you can finish it, maybe even less. If you want to really 'run' it, then you'd need different advice, which I wouldn't guess at but runnersworld has in abundance...
This'll be a stretch for me as I haven't been doing much riding for various reasons, but at same time it's perfectly doable at the right pace.
Do people think this ride will be beneficial, harmful or neutral in context of a marathon 3 weeks later? I'd be doing a long run anyway that weekend, which I'd obviously skip.
Three weeks is long enough to recover and for the body to adapt.
You will be developing your C/V system.
Some positive effects on muscles too, in terms of power/endurance.
Less chance of injury than if you ran for a similar time.
So lots of cross training benefits, reduced chance of injury, improved endurance performance.
Sure, a running specific programme would, perhaps, be optimal, but, then again, if you injured yourself, then it might not be.
Running wise, you just want to focus on speed work (speed being relative to the requirements of a marathon - so some tempo runs of 30 mins or so. Intervals if you fancy it.)