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2014-12-21 5:42 PM


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Subject: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training
I have a marathon scheduled for May 10 and a triathlon scheduled for June 28. I am developing a 16 week training plan for each and adjusting as necessary where they overlap.

Does anyone have experience training for a marathon and then halfway through training or so they start a triathlon program? What tips or pointers do you have for someone doing the same thing?



2014-12-21 6:08 PM
in reply to: The Bearded Triathle


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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training

It does depend on your goals. But generally, I'd first decide how much time I'd be dedicating to training, then start with the "most important" workouts, and work backwards. For a competitive finish, I'd try something like this:

I'd commit to 3 swim sessions per week and go for 1500+ yards per session, mostly 50 or 100 yard repeats.

For the bike, I'd want 3-4 sessions per week and I'd probably say the most important "workout" would be 60-75 min threshold sessions. I'd also probably do a 90 to 120 min sweetspot session, then a 45 min - 1 hour interval workout.

For running, I'd do a 2-3 hour long run, a 60 min or so LT workout, then and interval workout of 1 or 2 mile repeats. The rest of the week would be easy/recovery runs.

The run workouts will probably need the most recovery time, so I would build the week around that.
2014-12-22 11:58 AM
in reply to: ImSore

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training
I'm interested to see how other people answer this...

How long of a triathlon is it and what are your triathlon goals?

I did a triathlon last year about the same amount of time after a marathon-- but it was a sprint tri, and I had done almost no bike and swim training while marathon training. I only decided to do the triathon after finishing the marathon, and I had only modest goals-- to finish strong and try to beat my time from last year. Truthfully I would have found it too hard to do both training at the same time without the running suffering, and I'm not sure how people do this-- I'm even struggling now with figuring out how to do half-marathon training while increasing my training in swimming and cycling. Swimming seems to be easy to fit in and complements the running well, but cycling training seems to prevent me from doing the running I want to do.
2014-12-22 11:58 AM
in reply to: ImSore

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training
I'm interested to see how other people answer this...

How long of a triathlon is it and what are your triathlon goals?

I did a triathlon last year about the same amount of time after a marathon-- but it was a sprint tri, and I had done almost no bike and swim training while marathon training. I only decided to do the triathon after finishing the marathon, and I had only modest goals-- to finish strong and try to beat my time from last year. Truthfully I would have found it too hard to do both training at the same time without the running suffering, and I'm not sure how people do this-- I'm even struggling now with figuring out how to do half-marathon training while increasing my training in swimming and cycling. Swimming seems to be easy to fit in and complements the running well, but cycling training seems to prevent me from doing the running I want to do.
2014-12-22 5:35 PM
in reply to: The Bearded Triathle

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training

Originally posted by The Bearded Triathle I have a marathon scheduled for May 10 and a triathlon scheduled for June 28. I am developing a 16 week training plan for each and adjusting as necessary where they overlap. Does anyone have experience training for a marathon and then halfway through training or so they start a triathlon program? What tips or pointers do you have for someone doing the same thing?

As was mentioned, it really does depend on your goals. 

The marathon training + the actual marathon could provide a nice running base before your Oly.  The thing is, when things start tapering down for the marathon I would imagine your Oly plan would really start ramping up. The timing would be good, in that you will need less time for running, but you likely won't be able to make it to the start of the marathon well rested and ready to hammer out an amazing race.

I think if you can make the marathon more of a B or C type of race, going into it with appropriate expectations and run in a way that you can jump right into your bike and swim volume after the marathon, it could work. 

Those are just my initial thoughts. 

2014-12-23 12:02 AM
in reply to: Asalzwed

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training
Very curious as I plan on doing this late next year!


2014-12-23 6:32 AM
in reply to: The Bearded Triathle

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training
I've found that combining long distance training with short distance racing works, but you will lose speed. I did this a couple of years back, trained for a marathon and tried to have a good sprint duathlon season. Although I gained endurance, the speed just wasn't there. Last year, I didn't do a run over 15 miles and I had one of my better duathlon seasons.

If you have years of triathlons behind you already, this is much easier. Is there any way for you to find another triathlon later on in the season to be your A race? By all means, racing again on June 28 is more than enough time to recover and get some good training in, but maybe not enough to regain top end speed. If it was in late July, then you had plenty of time for proper recovery and time to get speed work in.

I would recommend that you concentrate on one thing and do that well and just enjoy the other.
2014-12-23 8:23 AM
in reply to: The Bearded Triathle

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training

Originally posted by The Bearded Triathle I have a marathon scheduled for May 10 and a triathlon scheduled for June 28. I am developing a 16 week training plan for each and adjusting as necessary where they overlap. Does anyone have experience training for a marathon and then halfway through training or so they start a triathlon program? What tips or pointers do you have for someone doing the same thing?

If it were a HIM or IM instead of an oly I would say you'd be in for some trouble.  Still not ideal but you can get away with bigger training mistakes and make it through the oly okay.

The issue is a matter of priority and recovery.  I would assume the marathon is higher up the priority scale than the oly.  In order to be somewhat prepared for the oly you will need to do some bike and swim training which obviously subtracts from the marathon training.  So you need to determine how you prioritize workouts.  Recover is a big issue as well.  Assuming you run the marathon to whatever your ability, the recovery will be a few weeks.  Odds are you won't be feeling all that great until the beginning of June or so.  That leaves you with only four weeks or so to the oly.  Any training done a couple of weeks after the marathon could arguably be more a negative than a positive as it could hurt recovery.

My brother did a marathon in early May this year and did a HIM in June.  I coached him and told him that was a real bad idea.  He did it anyway.  It was a bad idea.

2014-12-23 8:24 AM
in reply to: The Bearded Triathle

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training

Pick the one that is more important and train for it.

Throw in a couple of specific workouts for the other race.

"A Race" is Oly - Create training play for Oly but build your long runs to 18 miles.

"A Race" is Marathon - Create 3x week training plan for Marathon, but do a swim a week every other week and a bike a week.

 

2014-12-23 5:07 PM
in reply to: #5076162

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training
Depends how much time you have to train each week. Some posts seem to suggest you're already at your max training capacity. I'm running about 6-7 hours a week to build a strong base and add bike (and a bit of swim. ) On top of that to prep for IM

If I was training for a marathon I probably wouldn't be running that much more .. maybe a bit but not much.

I don't see an issue with combining both. I'd build around my key long run each week
2014-12-29 4:58 PM
in reply to: audiojan

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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training
Originally posted by audiojan

I've found that combining long distance training with short distance racing works, but you will lose speed. I did this a couple of years back, trained for a marathon and tried to have a good sprint duathlon season. Although I gained endurance, the speed just wasn't there. Last year, I didn't do a run over 15 miles and I had one of my better duathlon seasons.

If you have years of triathlons behind you already, this is much easier. Is there any way for you to find another triathlon later on in the season to be your A race? By all means, racing again on June 28 is more than enough time to recover and get some good training in, but maybe not enough to regain top end speed. If it was in late July, then you had plenty of time for proper recovery and time to get speed work in.

I would recommend that you concentrate on one thing and do that well and just enjoy the other.


If your training for long distances, could you not work in a short sprint session in each week to keep the speed? (I'm doing something similar, but combining a sprint with a bike century)


2014-12-31 11:45 AM
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Subject: RE: Overlapping Marathon Training and Olympic Distance Training
I know a guy who runs a marathon every year in the spring usually less than two months from his first HIM or IM (last year he ran a marathon 6 weeks before the St. George HIM). The marathon is always just training for him. He says that he does it to feel less sluggish when the Tri Season starts...gets him very focused on his workouts. It works really well for him. But, his body is tuned up for such a thing (years of consistent training).

Edited by d.wilk 2014-12-31 11:46 AM
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