Marathon Training AND Strength Training??

in4nomz

Hey guys, so I am running a marathon in October with my father (he's been cancer free one year and he's doing it as a "F**K YOU" to cancer!). I'm running with him as support, but I also don't want to still be running after the 6 hour cut off. That being said, my active goal is strength training and building muscle and I am lifting 5 days a week, but I NEED to train for this marathon as I've only completed one 5K before.

Does anyone have any tips or training schedules they could share so I could continue to do BOTH without being dead at the end of every workout? I do currently run, but not for distance. So I definitely need to focus on building the distance/speed ration.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

RGv2

I ran 2 fulls and was basically in the same boat as you. I did a lot of sport specific training and the distances I usually ran completitively was 5K-10K. WIth that said....

What is your base? How many miles do you log a week?

My standard week was 20miles, maybe every other week I'd throw in a 2hr training run and I ran a couple of 1/2 marathons the summer leading up to the full in October. Time didn't matter to me though, I was just out to look at scenery (4hr 20min.)

in4nomz

I ran 2 fulls and was basically in the same boat as you. I did a lot of sport specific training and the distances I usually ran completitively was 5K-10K. WIth that said....

What is your base? How many miles do you log a week?

My standard week was 20miles, maybe every other week I'd throw in a 2hr training run and I ran a couple of 1/2 marathons the summer leading up to the full in October. Time didn't matter to me though, I was just out to look at scenery (4hr 20min.)

Haha I feel wimpy saying this, but on average I run about 8-10 miles a week. I used to be way bigger on cardio, but now I usually just run to warm up before lifting and that's it. Randomly I will take a week off of lifting and do straight cardio, but that's only once every 8-10 weeks.

just_Jennie1

You can train for the race and strength train. When I did my first half marathon that is exactly what I did. My training program looked something like this:

Monday: Easy run/back/bi's/lower body
Tuesday: Abs/chest/shoulders/tris
Wed: Tempo run (every other week was speed work with the third week being an easy run)
Thurs: easy run/back/bi's/lower body
Friday: abs/chest/shoulders/tri's
Sat: Rest
Sunday long run

On the days I didn't do a run (tuesday/Friday) I did the elliptical for 20 minutes.

I would suggest you look for a good training program for your race. The one that I did was a 16 week program put together by a close friend of mine. I wasn't running crazy distances (I think the farthest I had run before training was maybe 6 miles) and by the time I was halfway through the training my stamina and speed had increased significantly. I had zero issues running the 13.1 miles come race day.

rybo

That's great for you and your Dad!

So there's no real way to sugar coat this but in order to keep the marathon from being an absolutely miserable experience when it's supposed to be a celebration, you should start building a running base now. Try to get up to 20-25 mpw and hold that until your training plan kicks in. Unless you have incredible amounts of time & energy, cutting your strength down to 2x a week is probably also going to be neccesary. At least during the main training part.

PrairieRunner2015

I just discussed this with personal trainers this past week. It's to your advantage that you are focused on lifting as it should help keep you from muscle imbalance related injuries.

The trainers put me on a 3 day lifting routine (If I had it with me, I'd post it.). My schedule is as follows

Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: Lower body routine and slow, easy run.
Wednesday: Light impact Cross training (Cardio, not running/jogging).
Thursday: Mid distance easy,Tempo, or Pace run with mixed upper and lower body strength training
Friday: Cardio
Saturday:Light impact cardio/rest day
Sunday: Upper Body routine and long slow run.

They said I could mix and match a little with the mixed and upper body and rest days, but the lower body and rest/easy days should remain the same (LR, rest, Lower Body, Rest/low impact/easy cardio).

They have me lifting less weight for higher reps to lessen the stress on my joints.

in4nomz

This is what I was afraid of, doing just upper body days and lower body. I'm a creature of habit and love doing separate muscle groups each day (chest/back, glutes/calves, shoulders, etc). BUT it sounds like that'll be my best bet if I was to keep lifting while training for the marathon and still be alive at the end of the workout. Looks like I will have to start researching upper/lower body full workouts and focus more on compound lifts.

Do anyone have any experience with the running apps? The makers of C25K have an app for marathon training...may have to look into that just to have some sort of set schedule.

Thank you all for the responses!

MissySpring

Congratulations for you Dad! Kudos to you for supporting him in his celebration.

I am training for a half marathon in June. I'm finishing up the c210k right now and then plan on doing Hal Higdon's half marathon training app. I've heard good things about it.

best of luck!

RachelRuns9

I'm on week 6 of Hal Higdon's novice 2 marathon schedule.

I strength train 2-3 times a week. Sunday, tuesday, thursday.

I generally do full body each time, but hit different muscle groups on each day.

Also I started with about 6-9 miles /week base. I had run a few 5ks and one 10 mile race, and I'm loving the program. It's hard, but you look like you're in much better shape than me, and I'm thriving in the program.

bpotts44

Look at Ben Greenfield's site and podcast as he just covered this. He trains for Ironman on a minimalist protocol. You would basically do 2-3 HIIT running sessions per week and a longer run maybe 1.5-2 hrs on the weekend at LT. Then prior to the marathon you would knock out 1 or 2 long distance runs in your aerobic zone. This can be done, but you will not run your optimal time.

DavidMartinez2

I'm on week 6 of Hal Higdon's novice 2 marathon schedule.

Higdon's novice plan is probably the best out there for a first time marathoner. I do not think he has a nifty phone app, just a calendar with distances. Don't be afraid to move things around or even skip the occassional run but you MUST do your long run each week. I *think* Nike+ just addded a coaching app for marathon training but I haven't used it so I can not comment on it's quality/usefullness.

Good Luck!

Capt_Apollo

if you go about half way down this link http://www.nyrr.org/train-with-us/training-programs/nyrr-marathon-training-program you'll find some free marathon training programs that are 16 weeks long.

i recommend that you try one just to get started, considering you have about 8 months to train, and the program is just half that. you have a really great fitness base, and this will probably be fun and challenging for you.

if i were you, i'd try the conservative training plan, just to get used to the volume of running, and also learn how you want to fit in your lifting. and then i'd do the moderate plan leading up to the race.

cwolfman13

Not really a runner here, but I enjoy getting out on my bike and doing a couple of endurance rides...I'm currently training for a 1/2 century and a metric century and I have to reduce my strength/weight training volume to 2x weekly as I up my mileage. I ride 3x weekly with one of those rides being my long ride that gets progressively longer every week and then one day of hard spinning at the gym so I just don't have the time or the stamina to hit my body with full body weight training 3x weekly and then get in those miles and hard spinning days four days per week...I'm also oldish, so that might play a role as well.

davemunger

I'm primarily a runner, but just wanted to chime in to say I lift 3 times a week, doing full body workouts (mostly circuit training). I have really had very little trouble integrating lifting with running (I run 50-70 miles per week). The only major adjustments I do are to reduce my leg workouts on weeks when I have races or particularly difficult long runs.

I think the weightlifting has made me a better runner, but I'm obviously not as hard-core about it as you are; just take care to increase your mileage gradually and make sure you are doing runner-specific strength training to reduce the likelihood of injury.

in4nomz

if you go about half way down this link http://www.nyrr.org/train-with-us/training-programs/nyrr-marathon-training-program you'll find some free marathon training programs that are 16 weeks long.

Thank you for this! I don't mind the list setup, I actually kind of prefer it now that I look at it. I just need something laid out of how much/long to run on what days, otherwise I feel like I'll just over-run if that makes any sense.

Capt_Apollo

if you go about half way down this link http://www.nyrr.org/train-with-us/training-programs/nyrr-marathon-training-program you'll find some free marathon training programs that are 16 weeks long.

Thank you for this! I don't mind the list setup, I actually kind of prefer it now that I look at it. I just need something laid out of how much/long to run on what days, otherwise I feel like I'll just over-run if that makes any sense.

makes perfect sense.

aussiesarah

I've run quite a few half marathons (I haven't been brave enough to tackle a full one yet) and I usually do 3 days running (1 tempo, 1 intervals, 1 long run) and 3 days weight training per week with 1 rest day (or swim), which seems to work for me.

As a few people have said your strength training will probably help your running as you will have better core strength and muscle condition than a lot of people training for their first marathon.

For some more running training plans have a look at the Runners World website as they have some really good ones on there which vary depending on what time you are trying to achieve: http://www.runnersworld.com/

Good luck!!