Marathon & cycling trainings combined?

[Nikko]

Hi there, advice needed.
I am training for my first marathon (september 2019) with tailored program, which includes 4 runs per week.
But being a passionate cyclist it's not easy to simultaneously keep biking and not emptying my energy tanks.

Soh, anyone has similar experience with combining marathon training and keeping up with the cycling routine (approx. 160km or 100miles/week)?
There are articles online from experts or very 'marketing oriented' posts, but I also want some real opinion from mortals.
I see myself as a quite fit guy, which means that working out 6 or even all 7 days a week is more than fine
Perhaps cutting down runs to 3 per week is an option..

Thanks, Nikko

[Zviedrs]

(07-11-2019, 08:48 AM)Nikko Wrote:  Hi there, advice needed.
I am training for my first marathon (september 2019) with tailored program, which includes 4 runs per week. But being a passionate cyclist it's not easy to simultaneously keep biking and not emptying my energy tanks.

Soh, anyone has similar experience with combining marathon training and keeping up with the cycling routine (approx. 160km or 100miles/week)? There are articles online from experts or very 'marketing oriented' posts, but I also want some real opinion from mortals. I see myself as a quite fit guy, which means that working out 6 or even all 7 days a week is more than fine Perhaps cutting down runs to 3 per week is an option..

Thanks, Nikko

Good luck with the preparation! Ran my marathon last October in Slovenia. There were 3-4 runs/week on my schedule (diverse types: jogging, long & under threshold, mid-length & fast etc.), and sometimes those comfortable & mid-length ones, such as 10-15km with calm pace, I substituted with a relaxed road ride. Leaving at least two days per week for recovery.

One hole in the plan was a very rough 100km+ climbing ride with 1500m+ of incline and not enough nutrition pre+during the ride. Did it less than four weeks before the marathon, and it might have taken a toll on my body. Have to keep it chill, especially when it's the first marathon and when you have entered the finish straight of your preparation process. The bottom line, go for it!

What's your goal?

[Nikko]

(07-21-2019, 06:37 PM)Zviedrs Wrote:  

(07-11-2019, 08:48 AM)Nikko Wrote:  Hi there, advice needed.
I am training for my first marathon (september 2019) with tailored program, which includes 4 runs per week. But being a passionate cyclist it's not easy to simultaneously keep biking and not emptying my energy tanks.

Soh, anyone has similar experience with combining marathon training and keeping up with the cycling routine (approx. 160km or 100miles/week)? There are articles online from experts or very 'marketing oriented' posts, but I also want some real opinion from mortals. I see myself as a quite fit guy, which means that working out 6 or even all 7 days a week is more than fine Perhaps cutting down runs to 3 per week is an option..

Thanks, Nikko

Good luck with the preparation! Ran my marathon last October in Slovenia. There were 3-4 runs/week on my schedule (diverse types: jogging, long & under threshold, mid-length & fast etc.), and sometimes those comfortable & mid-length ones, such as 10-15km with calm pace, I substituted with a relaxed road ride. Leaving at least two days per week for recovery.

One hole in the plan was a very rough 100km+ climbing ride with 1500m+ of incline and not enough nutrition pre+during the ride. Did it less than four weeks before the marathon, and it might have taken a toll on my body. Have to keep it chill, especially when it's the first marathon and when you have entered the finish straight of your preparation process. The bottom line, go for it!

What's your goal?

Thanks, man.
That's a lot of climbing meters, kudos! I will be very happy if I can squeeze it under 4h.

[Joe_W]

I think that's a good goal for the first one. I only did a couple of half distance triathlons, so no marathon for me. Training wise I would do some of the recovery runs as bike rides. My own focus was on getting my running base speed up, the endurance was no problem (except the first one not enough run km during winter...).

One problem is that the bike specific muscles slow down the run, so don't bike too much (advice from my coach, simplified). Don't do hard intervals on the bike now!

[Nikko]

(08-19-2019, 02:58 PM)Joe_W Wrote:  I think that's a good goal for the first one. I only did a couple of half distance triathlons, so no marathon for me. Training wise I would do some of the recovery runs as bike rides. My own focus was on getting my running base speed up, the endurance was no problem (except the first one not enough run km during winter...).

One problem is that the bike specific muscles slow down the run, so don't bike too much (advice from my coach, simplified). Don't do hard intervals on the bike now!

Thanks for the tips, appreciated. Bike rides as recovery runs is a good method.
I'm very curious about "bike specific muscles slow down the run". Could you please expand on it a little bit more?

[Joe_W]

Basically bike specific muscles don't help with the run, they are extra weight, and you get a muscular disbalance rather quickly (pushing down the pedals, but not so much lifting them, if that makes sense).for the rest I would need to ask my coach (and currently I have not too much time to go to our club's training session - little kids at home, new job...) A somewhat high cadence can help, as you generate the wattage by speed not by brute force. But when I look at long distance triathletes on the bike they don't spin that much (but then my coach was national champion on shorter distances, and state level - nowadays as age grouper - up to half distance, which is different to full Ironman distance in several ways apart from the distance)

Your big advantage is that you do already have good endurance, cardio wise. But it's hard to run with legs like Andre Greipel.

[Nikko]

(08-24-2019, 02:31 PM)Joe_W Wrote:  Basically bike specific muscles don't help with the run, they are extra weight, and you get a muscular disbalance rather quickly (pushing down the pedals, but not so much lifting them, if that makes sense).for the rest I would need to ask my coach (and currently I have not too much time to go to our club's training session - little kids at home, new job...) A somewhat high cadence can help, as you generate the wattage by speed not by brute force. But when I look at long distance triathletes on the bike they don't spin that much (but then my coach was national champion on shorter distances, and state level - nowadays as age grouper - up to half distance, which is different to full Ironman distance in several ways apart from the distance)

Your big advantage is that you do already have good endurance, cardio wise. But it's hard to run with legs like Andre Greipel.

Yeas, Greipel the Gorilla!
This is an interesting topic, I'll now investigate these 'bike specific muscles' more. Brute force is honestly what I often go for, so it's sth to think about. Old friend of mine was encouraging me to work more on the cadence and the lower chainring, still work in progress. Clip pedals should also be helpful (lifting up movement).

[Nikko]

I saw the finish line 4:05 with steady and chill pace, I'm happy and satisfied. It all worked out very well. Phone gave up somehow so no full Strava data :/

[Zviedrs]

(09-25-2019, 06:49 PM)Nikko Wrote:  I saw the finish line 4:05 with steady and chill pace, I'm happy and satisfied. It all worked out very well. Phone gave up somehow so no full Strava data :/

Congrats!
I see that we had very similar result