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2008-02-22 9:52 AM

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Stillwater, MN
Subject: Tri training & marathon training
How do other MOP athletes balance the desire to do both tris and marathons?

I love tri (olys) and I love marathons - can the two co-exist, along with family, work and the ocassional beer?

? - intermediate run focused Oly plan with FIRST marathon training for the running segs?

Your thoughts?


2008-02-22 9:56 AM
in reply to: #1228202

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Pro
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McKinney, TX
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
Advice from a first yearer (is that a word.....it is now)

Im doing a run focused training program for OLY's......in anticipation of a half-mary in the fall. I've made a lot better gains on the run, with the more focused training. I don't know how that would equate with a full-mary though....

My .02
2008-02-22 10:05 AM
in reply to: #1228202

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Westlake, OH
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
sjgauge - 2008-02-22 10:52 AM

How do other MOP athletes balance the desire to do both tris and marathons?

I love tri (olys) and I love marathons - can the two co-exist, along with family, work and the ocassional beer?

? - intermediate run focused Oly plan with FIRST marathon training for the running segs?

Your thoughts?


I'm doing a 1/2 mary in 10 weeks, so my run training has increased a lot over what I had been doing. Since there is only so much time, something has to give. And that something for the next 10 weeks will be swimming and to a leser extent, my biking. Once the 1/2 mary is over, I'll decrease running and increase the other stuff.

My 1/2 planned called for 1 rest day and two optional easy runs or xtrain days. I do a swim on the off day. I do a split run/bike day, a bike on one of the optional easy run/xtrain days, a run/bike brick on the second optonal easy run/xtrain days.
2008-02-22 10:10 AM
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Cycling Guru
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Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training

Last year I ran Boston and Baltimore for marathons and did a sprint, an oly. a HIM, an iron distance aqua velo, and a full IM not too mention various other small running races.  This year I've got scheduled two (possibly 3) marathons including Boston again, another HIM and full IM, and potentially another iron distance race later in the year.

Lots of people balance it.  Just have to plan your schedule accordingly and give yourself ample recovery between big events and pace well.

2008-02-22 10:13 AM
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2008-02-22 10:22 AM
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Runner
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training

spokes - 2008-02-22 11:13 AM I focused most of last year getting ready for my first marathon... it burnt me out to some extent on running (for now). As a BOPer MOPer , I've found that more training hasn't really made me that much faster in ANY event but just tireder, so yes, you can do both, but unless you are a natural athlete, don't expect spectacular results.

Did you set any PRs last year? 



2008-02-22 10:27 AM
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Veteran
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Concord, CA
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
I want to do my 1st half marathon this year and my first marathon next year, so I'll be focusing my training for that...regardless, I will be doing a mini sprint tri, and cross training whenever I can...I hope that makes sense.
2008-02-22 10:49 AM
in reply to: #1228202

Expert
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Burnaby, BC
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training

Schedule your training and your races based on your priorities.  If your priority is the marathon, then focus your training for that and build your tri training around that schedule. 

 My 'A' race this year is the Vancouver Marathon on May 4.  I plan to do a few tris as well.  I schedule a few bikes and swims around my running.  After the marathon, I will start a new period of triathlon training to peak for an Oly in August.

2008-02-22 12:25 PM
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Champion
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Northridge, California
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
X2 to what daijoubu and daremo said. Lots of folks do both, but you have to be careful to allow not just the recovery time after the marathon, but a recognition that you probably lost a small amount of bike and swim fitness along the way and will want to have at least a couple good weeks after recovery to work on those disciplines a little. One useful tactic is to use the lightest run-volume weeks of your taper to get in some extra swimming and some extra low-to-moderate effort biking.

I've been doing marathon-centered training since October (I undertrained for my first mary last March and don't want to go through that again), but I've kept up regular biking throughout. I've shortchanged the swimming more than anything for the sake of long runs on weekend days I'd otherwise have done a long swim workout. My overall training hours were the same as during active tri training last summer...the only real difference was less swimming and shorter long bike rides (because I was doing 18-20 mile long runs which required some recovery).

Good luck! I'm doing my one mary of the year next weekend and not attempting a tri again until mid-April, but some folks have taken less time off between (with, apparently, mixed results judging from other threads on the subject).

(ETA: I have done one sprint tri already this year...it fell at a particularly helpful point in marathon training.)

Edited by tcovert 2008-02-22 12:27 PM
2008-02-22 12:56 PM
in reply to: #1228202

Coach
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Boston, MA
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
two words: periodization and planning or one word: coach
2008-02-22 1:50 PM
in reply to: #1228202

Regular
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Southeastern Minnesota
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
Iv set my schedule to train for tri's in the summer and do a fall marathon (twin cities). I figure if my marathon is mid october, Ill drop most of my tri training and start building up to 70-80 miles a week come August 1st. I bet you could train for both, espeically since youll be used to 2+hour workouts but if your going for a marathon PR, you may want to back off and focus on the running.


2008-02-22 1:59 PM
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Cycling Guru
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Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training

AndysStrongAle - 2008-02-22 2:50 PM ..... and start building up to 70-80 miles a week come August 1st ....... 

I sure hope you are currently a strong runner and experienced marathoner ........ or you are in for a world of hurt! (And since your training log is blank we have no ideas).

2008-02-22 4:06 PM
in reply to: #1228310

Expert
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Charlottesville, VA
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
Daremo - 2008-02-22 11:10 AM

Last year I ran Boston and Baltimore for marathons and did a sprint, an oly. a HIM, an iron distance aqua velo, and a full IM not too mention various other small running races. This year I've got scheduled two (possibly 3) marathons including Boston again, another HIM and full IM, and potentially another iron distance race later in the year.



Yeah, but you're a beast. ;-)

Seriously, it can be done -- plenty of evidence for that. IMHO, if you're newer to heavy training loads, it's not a bad idea to "pick and choose." For example, 2007 was my first 1/2 IM, and for 2008 I'm concentrating on trying to qualify for Boston. 2009 -- maybe the full Iron distance?

Personally, I'd like being a little on the conservative side and concentrate on fewer events, rather than cram 'em all in. But I'm 49 -- I've got years of racing ahead of me.

Good luck.
2008-02-22 4:07 PM
in reply to: #1228871

Expert
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Charlottesville, VA
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
amiine - 2008-02-22 1:56 PM

two words: periodization and planning or one word: coach


Shameless commerce alert!

;-)

2008-02-22 4:39 PM
in reply to: #1228202

Pro
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Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training
sjgauge - 2008-02-22 9:52 AM

? - intermediate run focused Oly plan with FIRST marathon training for the running segs?

Your thoughts?


This is EXACTLY what I did last fall when I was training for a late Sept. Oly tri and a mid November marathon (my first and only marathon so far). I started the marathon plan a little early in order to give myself some taper time for the oly, then picked back up the marathon plan about a week after the tri. It worked well for me. The increased run volume and structured speedwork helped improve my run pace for the oly quite a bit (though I'm still pretty slow on the run compared to most...).

Good luck!
2008-02-22 5:01 PM
in reply to: #1228202

Master
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Goodyear, AZ
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training

sjgauge - 2008-02-22 7:52 AM can the two co-exist, along with family, work and the ocassional beer?

 

I really hope so because I am training for the San Diego marathon in June, and I have 3 OLYs this spring.

Currently I am running x4, swim x2 and bike x2 per week. Depending how things go with marathon training, I might switch one of the runs for a bike some weeks. I'm making sure that I am getting my long run and tempo run done each week, as well as a long bike and long swim. I have to juggle everything else in.

I also have a family & enjoy beer!

 



2008-02-22 11:54 PM
in reply to: #1228202

Expert
986
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Michiana
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training

Totally doable, as a husband and father of two, this is what I did last year...

Beginning…Swim  (m)Bike (mi)Run (mi)Strength (min)Volume (hr:min)Longest Bike (mi)Longest Run (mi)Notes
Mon, Jan 81,6509302:495Traveled for work
Mon, Jan 153,246511604:3257Swam 3x
Mon, Jan 224,104115704:4563Swam 4x
Mon, Jan 293,6925101205:5656
Mon, Feb 54,0625161006:2859Swam & Ran 3x
Mon, Feb 122,42371204:154Chest cold
Mon, Feb 192,87313304:039Sick. Lots of snow shoveling
Mon, Feb 263,023317405:07312Feeling better
Mon, Mar 53,2771612605:26115
Mon, Mar 121,785920555:19911
Mon, Mar 192,0002216525:291213ND Holy Half
Mon, Mar 264,6922214306:092210Swim 1,200m cont.
Mon, Apr 23,60012254:059Recovery Week
Mon, Apr 94,328407155:3121420/3 Brick
Mon, Apr 163,8923316256:173371,600m continuous swim
Mon, Apr 234,43143105:54431043mi ride
Mon, Apr 304,1085116358:03511051mi ride
Mon, May 71,50027215:21271414mi long run, 27/3 brick
Mon, May 143,9505025358:3533142,000m continuous swim
Mon, May 213,1002512304:442510Recovery Week
Mon, May 281,6006119 6:343813Sunburst 1/2 Marathon  (6/2)
Mon, Jun 44,30071158:0042742/4.6 Brick
Mon, Jun 114,0004014 5:22256Johan's Olympic Tri (6/16)
Mon, Jun 183,65070116:5146745/4 Brick
Mon, Jun 254,30098199:5655943/4 and 55/7 Bricks
Mon, Jul 23,60070218:37701270mi ride
Mon, Jul 94,50086219:53591259/3 Brick
Mon, Jul 161,50067156:27389Recovery Week (Hilton Head)
Mon, Jul 234,60061137:104110Race Prep
Mon, Jul 303,9407616 7:485613Steelhead Half-Iron (8/4)
Mon, Aug 62,5003712405:41376Recovery Week
Mon, Aug 131,5692225406:15221616mi long run
Mon, Aug 203,8082515 4:43259Chicago Olympic (8/26)
Mon, Aug 271,685284:551616mi long run
Mon, Sep 323234:262313Cleveland Half Marathon
Mon, Sep 102,000325:261918mi long run
Mon, Sep 1712325:41121414mi long run
Mon, Sep 241,200365:412120mi long run
Mon, Oct 11,00014132:259Injured hip flexor, took 5 days off
Mon, Oct 82,400518304:3759Taper, recovering from hip flexor strain
Mon, Oct 15  29 4:17 26Columbus Marathon (10/21)

2008-02-23 11:06 AM
in reply to: #1228202

Master
2411
2000100100100100
Goodyear, AZ
Subject: RE: Tri training & marathon training

Thats great info mbmoran! And it looks like you had a great marathon at the end of it!

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