Transition from tri training to marathon training?

sarahz5

I know this is going to be an unpopular post in these parts but I'm prepared. I just finished a half Ironman this weekend and I am signed up for the Philly marathon in November. I have nine weeks of training left. I did a half marathon after a 56 mile bike ride on Sunday. Generally I have only been running about 12-15 miles a week since winter but I've been cross training like crazy.

Curious whether anyone else has ever jumped into a marathon plan in the middle following triathlon training, and whether you have any advice. In particular I am wondering whether it is better to wean more towards running over the next two weeks or just jump right in.

And if the peanut gallery wants to tell me I'm crazy that's fine too. I'm going to take it nice and easy and if the body starts complaining I will drop to the half or chuck the plans.

7lenny7

Disclaimer: I have not done what you are asking about and I've only run one marathon

I'd be concerned about the big jump in running miles you'd need to be able to run the marathon without injury. You probably have the fitness for it now but how would your bones and muscles respond the the increase of activity in what is comparatively a much more limited motion? My concern would be an overuse injury.

You may have 9 weeks to train but you'll want at least one one, preferably two, weeks of tapering so you really have just 7 or 8 weeks to build up your miles.

See if you can map out a reasonable training plan that builds up your mileage to at least 45 miles a week with an 18 mile long run. Using the 10% rule it looks like you could only get up to 32 miles in 8 weeks (if I'm doing my math right) but if you use 15% you could get to 45 miles with a single week to taper. That leaves no room for injury or cutback weeks.

I don't think you're crazy at all. I ran my first marathon just a year after I started running and some told me I was nuts but it went rather well. If you want to do it, go for it, but pay close attention to how your body responds to the buildup. Good luck!

The_Enginerd

7lenny7 wrote: »

I'd be concerned about the big jump in running miles you'd need to be able to run the marathon without injury. You probably have the fitness for it now but how would your bones and muscles respond the the increase of activity in what is comparatively a much more limited motion? My concern would be an overuse injury.

That would be my concern as well. Maintaining the approximate training times of the program while slowly transitioning from more biking/less running to more running/less biking and increasing running mileage using the 10% rule would be my strategy.

glevinso

I have done this a bunch of times and it is no big deal if you get a decent recovery and you have enough time for a few more weeks of training. With 9 weeks you certainly have time.

Just last year I did the Beach2Battleship full distance race on October 17th (where I ran 3:24 as part of a 9:57 total time), took about 10 days to recover, then jumped into a run focus and ran the Rehobeth Beach marathon on 12/5 in 3:04 for a BQ. 7 weeks between B2B and Rehobeth.

It went like this according to my Training Peaks records:

Week 1 after B2B was mostly just resting and light activities
Week 2 started off light, but by the end of the week I had a 5k race, and a 2 hour ride on the weekend.
Week 3 was pretty much back into it. Weekend workouts were a 2.5hr ride and a 14 mile run
Week 4 similar with an 18 mile run
Week 5 OK admittedly this is unusual but I ran the Philly Marathon, but not for time. First 22 miles were the actual workout with a cutdown from mid-endurance to marathon race pace. Then the last 4 miles were an easy jog to the finish.
Week 6 A few easy days post Philly Marathon, Thursday being thanksgiving I raced a turkey trot 5k (PRed with a 17:49), and followed it up with some marathon pace miles after the race. Long run that week was lighter at only 12 miles
Week 7 race week



I will say, if this is your first full marathon, I would be careful with this last build, but I am sure you are physically capable and adapted for it. My experience is probably a bit unusual but I have plenty of Ironman and stand-alone marathon experience to draw from.

glevinso

One more data point. Years ago when I did my first half Ironman (and was still a triathlon newbie), I ran the Baltimore marathon for a PR only 2 weeks later. I purposely structured my half Ironman training to include enough run miles to get me through that marathon.

sarahz5

Oh this is perfect. I want to try to do the LBI 18 miler in a few weeks so I was thinking of doing 10-12 this weekend, 15 next weekend, then 18 the following. I think the seems doable. I have some rides thrown in over the next month too but probably only one a week. You are the best resource!

5512bf

glevinso wrote: »

I have done this a bunch of times and it is no big deal if you get a decent recovery and you have enough time for a few more weeks of training. With 9 weeks you certainly have time.

Just last year I did the Beach2Battleship full distance race on October 17th (where I ran 3:24 as part of a 9:57 total time), took about 10 days to recover, then jumped into a run focus and ran the Rehobeth Beach marathon on 12/5 in 3:04 for a BQ. 7 weeks between B2B and Rehobeth.

It went like this according to my Training Peaks records:

Week 1 after B2B was mostly just resting and light activities
Week 2 started off light, but by the end of the week I had a 5k race, and a 2 hour ride on the weekend.
Week 3 was pretty much back into it. Weekend workouts were a 2.5hr ride and a 14 mile run
Week 4 similar with an 18 mile run
Week 5 OK admittedly this is unusual but I ran the Philly Marathon, but not for time. First 22 miles were the actual workout with a cutdown from mid-endurance to marathon race pace. Then the last 4 miles were an easy jog to the finish.
Week 6 A few easy days post Philly Marathon, Thursday being thanksgiving I raced a turkey trot 5k (PRed with a 17:49), and followed it up with some marathon pace miles after the race. Long run that week was lighter at only 12 miles
Week 7 race week



I will say, if this is your first full marathon, I would be careful with this last build, but I am sure you are physically capable and adapted for it. My experience is probably a bit unusual but I have plenty of Ironman and stand-alone marathon experience to draw from.

Apple and oranges, big difference running a marathon as part of an ironman vs doing a half. I'm certain you were doing more than 12-15 miles a week of running in your training cycle for a full ironman. Doing a marathon 9 weeks later would be a walk in the park vs what you did previously.

@sarahz5 have you ran a full before or will this be the first? As others have said, you most certainly have the fitness required, but can your frame handle the pounding and stay injury free building up milage. Even getting to 18 miles might not completely prepare you. I'd say it's risky, and could set you up for train wreck of a final 4-6 miles. That said I'm always one to try and prove someone wrong.

glevinso

True I was running 30-40 miles a week in prep for that Ironman, so I had plenty of run base. It was also my second Ironman of the year following Challenge Atlantic City in June.

Regardless, the aerobic volume needed to do a half ironman is on par with what you need for marathon training. The question is can your body handle the extra run load. Everyone is different, and the only way to find out is to try.

If it's a first marathon, this could be dicey, but if you have experience already it isn't as bad.

sarahz5

I did realize that neither example exactly fit my situation. Gah! I don't know where the rest of my post went. Anyway - it's my first full, not afraid to DNS if I need to, ramped up quickly last fall from very minimal summer running to 35-40 miles a week for half training and I felt fantastic. We will just see! Thanks for all the input it is appreciated!

BasicGreatGuy

In my opinion, it would be better to scrap the race, and spend some quality time training for another marathon. No need to put that kind of pressure on yourself mentally and physically (risking injury etc) just so you can say you made it through the race in one piece.

You are asking for trouble (injury wise) ramping up the mileage that quickly, even if you cross-train a lot. Do you want to risk being out 3 - 5 weeks or more nursing an injury? Granted, a person can fall victim to an injury at any time, even under the best preparation. At the same time, I don't think it is wise to put yourself at high risk when you don't need to.

kristinegift

sarahz5 wrote: »

Oh this is perfect. I want to try to do the LBI 18 miler in a few weeks so I was thinking of doing 10-12 this weekend, 15 next weekend, then 18 the following. I think the seems doable. I have some rides thrown in over the next month too but probably only one a week. You are the best resource!

No advice, but I am so jealous of everyone doing that LBI 18 miler. A couple of my running group friends are making a day of it, and I want to do it but that's the day I travel home from my Iowa trip. Boooo! Also: I'm doing Philly! Yay East Coast races!