Recovery from an Ironman to get ready for a marathon?

There are some folks on ST that have done exactly what you are planning to do - with very good results. You may want to post there. One fellow that I know did IM WI and Chicago and crushed both. It can be done.

Given the weakness of your convictions (doing an Ironman because your coworkers made you?), I don't hold high hopes.

Not really made me, someone knew I was a good runner from my marathon and race results in the past and got the company to sponsor me doing this race. Given how much it cost I couldn't really turn it down. As I said, I really just want to finish the Ironman (no time goal at all) and still feel fresh enough to go run a semi-fast time in Chicago.

I'm only one example, but I trained hard for an ironman, ran a 3:30 ironman marathon and then ran a 3:45 stand alone marathon two months later. I lost some training motivation after the ironman, but I just wasn't mentally in it 100%. If the marathon is your A race, you should be fine.

Went 11:23 for the Ironman with a 3:06 marathon to finish it up. Felt pretty solid and feel great today, going to take a week of little to no running and then get back to training. Actually feel like sub 2:30 will be possible in Chicago.

i don't think you will be as beat up from the IM as you are from running a marathon. even if you are an incredible biker and don't have a problem running off of the bike, the ride prevents you from being able to hammer the run and pound your legs into oblivion.

also, the endurance you have gained through the IM training will have you going into the marathon in great shape. my suggestion would be to take 2 weeks of down time and just maintain fitness, then drop the biking and do sharpening workouts. i suspect you can have a great marathon. keep the swimming in there...good for the core.

Stephen Boedicker that was a damn fast marathon. Good work (14th fastest on the day)! Congrats on finishing the IM in a decent time as well.

Enjoy your stay in Louisville? Weather was awesome.

Thanks, couldn't have asked for much better weather. Don't know if I will ever do another one of those again, that was a very long day.

What is your PR for an open marathon? 2:32???

If I could complete an IM marathon 30 minutes slower than my open marathon PR, I would be right on my goal target.

I wonder what the correlation is from open marathon to IM marathon (30-45 minutes???).

Yeah, I have run 2:32 but that was in a race where I was solo for the second half and it was hilly. Probably worth faster in a race like Chicago.

How do you feel today? Are your legs sore? Did you put forth your best effort in the swim and bike?

Thanks for the info. It's always nice to hear how the other half train and recover.

Feel pretty good today, legs are a little sore but I've been walking around and went for a very slow run this morning and I'm feeling ok. Will take tomorrow off for sure, maybe do a really slow swim. Probably get back to decent running Saturday. I am an awful swimmer(plus I've only been swimming for a few months) so 1:42 for the swim was max effort for me, held back on the bike because I was afraid of nutrition and bonking but pushed the last 20 miles. Felt great getting off the bike and decided to try to push the run a little.

Ok, so I thought I'd post how I ended up doing yesterday at Chicago for reference if anyone ever decides to try this at some other point.

Ran 2:36:54, went out in 1:13:31 so had a very rough second half. Did not get any real quality long runs in since the Ironman and I felt it come mile 15. First 13 though were effortless with every mile between 5:30-5:40. Oh well, no more triathlons and next year at Chicago with the right training sub 2:30 should be easy.

probably stupid wrote:

Oh well, no more triathlons and next year at Chicago with the right training sub 2:30 should be easy.

No, it won't. Sub 2:30 is never easy. It is doable, but I wouldn't ever say it is easy. Even for someone who has run 2:18.