Longest long run in IM prep

You think it was adrenaline of being so close to the finish?

You may think your ability to run a Marathon in an IM is how long your long runs have been in training, but it isn't. Consistent run in training and if you can run 4-5x a week. Race day what is key to have your best possible run with the fitness you have is pacing your swim and bike correctly and nailing your nutrition/hydration.

Most coaches max out long runs at 2.5 hours and some even 2 hours on newer or injury risk athletes. Risks of running longer are great plus learning to run while fatigued only reinforces bad form. When you run say 3.5 hours and that is 50% or more of your run for the week, your body can not absorb the run and make gains in fitness all it does is fatigue you.

I know it can be hard to accept but trust the 2.5 hours max. If you can try to build to run 4-5x a week.

Make sure you have a strong swim and bike.  That sets you up for being able to complete a 15 min per mile IM.  IM Loo in 2012 I had a decent swim of 1:16, an ok bike but suffered debilitating quad cramps at mile 95, to the point where I was praying to make it to T2, and that I think took me around 6:50.  Then I had plenty of time to walk about 22 miles of the run. I actually felt good enough to run 2 miles in, but ran into two friends that were so badly off, I didn't want to leave them, plus I figured if I pushed too hard the cramps would come back.  I finished in around 15 hours.  I made my friends march, as we did around a 14:30 walk.

The point is to tell you it certainly is doable!!  the run is my limiter, and I found that it is better to focus on the bike overall and nutrition.  Nutrition clearly is the thing that can make it all fall apart, and in my race, it almost did. 

This in bold.  I maxed out at 3 hours, which for me was around 17 miles. I really really felt it when I did get to "run" my IMs, since 20 miles + was new territory, but you get in the "aint no stopping me now!" mode.  If I went PAST this, it would take me way too long to recover from long runs, so I was better off keeping them at a 15-17 mile limit.  I had friends that did 22 miles and I know it would take me over a week to recover.

I've read many of your posts and remember some of your background, and I see on your profile that you've done a HIM. The IM is a lot different and as you know a lot of IM training and racing is mental.  You should do what you think is best for you. You don't want to be racing all day dreading the "undiscovered country" after 18 miles. So get over it, or just go run 20 miles. Or even better, train and run for an open marathon. Your schedule may have time for it if you're already doing long runs.

For IM training, I think it's a lot more about total running volume and less about the length of one long run. It's easier to run 26.2 if you've regularly done 16 - 18 mile runs.  It's a lot harder to run 26.2 if most of your runs are 10-12 miles, and one 15 mile run, and one 18 mile run.  Or worse, most of your runs are 12 mile runs, and you did one 20 mile run, and then had to take a week off to recover. Volume volume volume - KathyG is right about aiming for 4x, 3x minimum per week.  And you don't want that long run to be more than 50% of your weekly volume. I like long runs on Wednesdays and Sundays myself, with one or two shorter runs thrown in.

Personally, I've tried several different approaches (I've completed nine IMs and six marathons, etc).  I'm a BOP swimmer, MOP cyclist, and FOP runner.  I was a terrible runner in my first few triathlons, and so I took 2 years off from triathlon to learn how to run marathons. Now running is what I do best, and what I like best, so that colors my opinions toward a lot more run training that most people. My best IM time was when I did the Portland Marathon in October 2006 (3:53), then the Seattle Marathon in November (3:50), then switched back to IM training and race IMAZ in April 2007.  11:53 IM, and a 4:10 run.  

it's easy to recover from long runs if you're running long runs regularly and you build up slowly. Difficult recovery from long runs means you're not running enough. This is the same as cycling. Running shouldn't hammer the body if you have good form, good shoes, and as long as God gave you good knees. On treadmills at the gym, I hear people "bang bang bang" with each step, landing flat footed and hard, and then say their knees hurt.  Well, no sh*t Sherlock, anybody's knees would hurt running like that!  So make sure you have good form. 

I think that speaks more to your overall level of fitness as opposed to a 28 week strategy to prep for an IM.

As others have discussed, it's the overall volume of training and fitness that makes the difference.  If you're tearing your body down with  +2 hour runs in order to achieve some distance goal, then the fatigue and recovery times are going to adversely impact your ability to train effectively in the other two disciplines.

If you're that concerned about your running, then why not consider taking a year to focus on that specifically to build some level of confidence before pursuing a hard core IM program? 

Mark

My last two IMs I have done something like this for my long runs.
For me, I felt way more prepared than my first IM where I maxed out at 2.5 hours long run.

6 weeks out: 2 hours/10.1 miles
5 weeks out: 2.5 hours/14.2 miles
4 weeks out: 3 hours/15.1 miles
3 weeks out: 3 hours/16 miles
2 weeks out: 2 hours/10.1 miles

Sounds like a very sensible approach. 

Good luck with your training.

Mark 

What I learned in training for my first IM is that you should structure your training so that you can maximize your overall fitness.  Every workout counts.  Every week counts.

So many times people get lulled into thinking that the longest workouts are more important...or that the big weeks are more important.  IM training is more about consistency, avoiding sickness and injuries, and not burning out.

Hey OP,

I am in a similar boat with you. IMCDA in June will be my first IM, I took last year off tri so I am starting from scratch on the run and swim, luckily I did a fair amount of biking last year. I have talked to a couple IM vets and they both told me to focus on the swim and bike training and don't hammer the run too hard. It is the most likely to get you injured and as Fred D said, almost every AGer walks at some point in the IM.

Previously I was really planning on focusing the run and hammering it hard in training, these talks have caused me to back off on that strategy a bit. Also the fact that I started running in late October and managed to tear my calf in December from building too fast. Now my focus is to train the run so I can do my best at it, but to do so in a smart manner that minimizes my risk of injury as much as possible. 

I can see 2.5 hour max runs being a good thing. Long runs can be hard to recover from, not the greatest thing when you need to swim and bike train as well. Anyway, I plan to use the custom plan creator as well so I will be right there with you.

Different strokes for different folks - but I always like to get around 18-20 miles in at least once or twice before an IM.  Nothing more than that.  Something like a 3:00 run max - maybe 3:15.

NOT like an open marathon that I would tri to get 2-3, 20 mile runs in.

I will definitely be focusing on total volume, and time on the long runs.

Really looking forward to seeing Matt and Fred in IMmT, as well as other folks I've "met" along the way. I'll be riding the bike that Fred got into my hands. It's going to be a great race.

For those of us who plan on utilizing the run/walk for the IM. When we practice it, do we practice it only on long runs? Or even on the "mid" runs once they get up to a certain time/distance?  If the main goal is to stay injury free and make it to race day.