There's a half ironman and a marathon that I want to do. Training has been going well for both, but the problem is that the marathon's only a week after the half ironman. I figure I'd be tapering the week before the marathon anyway, so I can rest for a few days after the half. Anyone have any insight into how feasible this is?
I tried to do a 50 mile ultra, a marathon, and a half ironman over about a 12 week timeframe. I finished all 3 races but what I learned is that it is not possible (for me anyway) to run enough mileage with intensity while also doing the long bike rides and getting in open water swims to be reasonably competitive in all 3 events. I was 60 years old at the time so maybe someone younger could recover much better, but I had to cut my running mileage back to about 35 miles/week and as a result I could not be both a strong runner and triathlete in the same training cycle. Completing a half ironman a week before a marathon just doesn't seem very smart to me. I know the running in a half ironman is only 13.1 miles but you're pretty bonked being on the bike for 3 hours. Really not ideal marathon race prep
I feel the recovery from a Half Ironman is equivalent to recovery from a full marathon. So, for me, no I wouldn't do it. I would definitely need more time.
If you goal is to finish, you'll probably be just fine. If your goal is to race both, forget about it
feynman wrote:
There's a half ironman and a marathon that I want to do. Training has been going well for both, but the problem is that the marathon's only a week after the half ironman. I figure I'd be tapering the week before the marathon anyway, so I can rest for a few days after the half. Anyone have any insight into how feasible this is?
I can’t see this going well. I don’t feel like doing anything too long for a couple of weeks after a half or full Ironman. I did a half Ironman last year followed by a full Ironman 5 weeks later. I treated my half as a dress rehearsal for my full and I still felt drained for a good 7-10 days after even though I didn’t go all out.
Even if you’re moderately fast in triathlon, 4.5-5 hrs is a long day of exercise a week before a marathon.
So I actually recovered faster from my one and only Ironman than from any marathon I’ve run. Not sure why, but it seems possible that the first two events wore me out aerobically to the point that aerobic fitness rather than muscle damage was the limiting factor in the marathon. I know, n=1, but it was an interesting experience.
Do the half IM, much better event
Do you have goals for the events or are you just looking to finish? They're pretty similar events in terms of what kind of recovery you need after each one. You wouldn't race back to back marathons. A 70.3 has the same sort of demands. The run is basically 13.1 @ MP on tired legs. Would you do that 1 week out from a marathon? I don't think the timing works and would advise against it. I guess it helps if the 70.3 was on a Saturday & the marathon the following Sunday. 1 or 2 days off completely off. No real workouts. A couple 30:00-40:00 easy runs. 1 in the 45:00-60:00 range maybe with something light like 3x2:00 @ MP w./ full recovery. Then a couple more in the 20:00-40:00 range, cutting a little until the race.
If you're dead-set on doing both then be intentional as you can about recovery. Eat right when you finish the 70.3. Get in some Norma tech boots or get a massage. Hydrate with water &, unfortunately, not beer. Stuff like that.
feynman wrote:
There's a half ironman and a marathon that I want to do. Training has been going well for both, but the problem is that the marathon's only a week after the half ironman. I figure I'd be tapering the week before the marathon anyway, so I can rest for a few days after the half. Anyone have any insight into how feasible this is?
If you're not nursing niggles, should be no problems doing both.
But performance at the Marathon will certainly be sub-par.