I was just reading that 26.2 before a IM isn’t recommended, but how bout the other way around? I’m doing Madison and registered for the Chicago marathon. I realize it may not be my best day, I’m a pretty slow mover anyway, but I’m pretty sure I won’t do any damage. Any feedback?
There was actually an article about that in Triathlon Magazine a few months ago. Thus, being that they took the time to write a few pages amid all the ads, I am deeming it totally and 100% impossible.
Realistically, I can check when i get back home next week and see if i still have the issue.
I ran NYC after Madison in 02 and 04. Ran hard in 02, PRed and felt like crap. Ran easier in 04, enjoyed the course more, and still felt like crap. I don’t think either one did any lasting damage.
I would imagine it’s do-able, but I would also imagine it will hurt like hell whether you go slow or fast! OUCH!
last year i ran Philadelphia Marathon two weeks after my first Ironman (IMFL) and ran a minute off my marathon PR (narrowly missed boston qualification too!).
anyway, my experience was very positive. I only did some casual spinning/swimming and ran only once between the two. I drank a LOT of beer too (completely shitfaced on two occasions due to IM lack of tolerance!).
On race day my goal was to run at a comfortable pace and see what happened. It turned out i was running a little slower (~7:20min/mile) than I normally race a marathon but ran even splits ± 5 seconds the entire marathon despite a relatively hill last 10k.
I think the success was down to a few things:
a) much better aerobic fitness after all the masses of biking
b) improved nutrition - electrolite pills and fewer gels & gatorade
c) increased leg strength
d) almost total rest from running for two weeks prior
a couple of caveats though, being my first IM i took the run very steadily and although i ran all but the aid stations i didn’t push at all, also it was IMFL which of course has no hills to do any damage.
just curious is your background running? I take a while to recover from running long distaces, although I have a friend that did IMAZ (qualified) and a week later was out running 21 miles, his background is a runner. It just seems to me that people with a running background recover much better than the norm. Does anyone else notice this?!?
in the sense that having done nothing for years i decided to run a marathon in 2000 for “the achievement” and then started doing triathlons in 2003, i guess running is my strength but by no means is it my background. i would say surfing & snowboarding are more my background 
i will say that my recoveries from marathon’s are usually pretty terrible (a week of painful hobbling) whereas after the IM i was only slightly stiff the next day…
hmmm…interesting well you’ve blown my theory! Running is my best event too, but my recovery is still slow. My first marathon was in 1994. By background I mean more like, high school and or college running! 
Second theory! You’re young!
i’m 32…is that young?
like i said though my IM run was nothing special…I wasn’t watching my splits and slowed down a LOT in the second half…first half was about 1:50 and second was about 2:35! (i didn’t think it was possible to take that long without walking…)
no, that’s old.
Go for it. I did IM WI in '03 and PR’d in a 1/2 marathon 2 weeks later, and ran a PR marathon at Milwaukee a week after that. Granted, I bonked severely in Madison and ended up doing quite a bit of walking, but still… Last year, I ran Chicago 3 weeks after IM WI - no PR, but it wasn’t a death march either. I figure it this way - you bust your ass all year to build up that IM fitness, why not use it to the fullest. Of course, this is all based on the assumption that you do the right things inbetween events and recover quickly.
I’ve done Chicago marathon twice, very slowly… not a real strong runner, but I thougth it may be nice to not really have to try and just enjoy it this year. I’m more than certain it’ll be a six pack and a vicodin night after that!
I did IM Canada one year and in early Oct (approx 5 weeks after IM Canada) I did Victoria Marathon to see if my recovery was good enough for a future IM Hawaii. I used a HR monitor and new exactly the HR to run my best race at. I thought I was fully recovered from IM Canada and set my sights on doing a 3:05 marathon (7 min/mi average). Well I was right on track until about mile 10 when I noticed I wan’t quite right. I slowed down just a touch to try and get myself back together, but it wasn’t there! I ended up doing a 3:19 instead and learned the eight or so weeks between IM Canada and Hawaii was not enough for me to recover and do my best in Hawaii. Recovery time is an individual thing and the younger you are, the faster your recovery. At that time I was in my early 50’s and my recovery time was a little extended. If you are young and you didn’t push too hard in your IM (especially the run), you could potentially do a good marathon. The run in IM races is what takes it out of you. The recovery from the swim and bike alone is very short, a matter of a week. If anything, give a shot, you will learn something about yourself.