I wanted to start a new thread in response to the guy who was asking about doing a 28 mile run in prep for an IM.
The accepted wisdom in triathlon training is 3 hours or about 20 miles. I started doing ultras in the last year and have done tons of runs between 18-25 miles. Also I’ve done training days and races in the 30-40-50-70 mile range. I also wouldn’t think twice about doing two 15-20 mile days in a row. The startegy on these runs is to go slow, walk the hills, and eat/drink a lot. Another key factors is running on trails, but I don’t think the runs need to be limited ONLY to trails.
I haven’t done an ironman since I started ultras, but I know I will crush my next ironman run. Running that kind of distance gives you a real confidence where 20 miles is a “shorter” run.
I tend to agree with you guys also, but how do you factor in the risk of injury from training for and racing ultras? A few months off of running to let an overuse injury heal does wonders to kill run fitness.
I guess its a risk you have to factor in - I factored in recovery time, but felt for me the risk of an injury was low enough to not need special consideration. I did, however, do my ultras in Jan06/Feb07 with IMs in Jul06/Aug07 so had plenty of time to recover.
I think training for and a couple of running ultras has helped me get from a 4:08 IM marathon down to a 3:43 - after an ultra an IM marathon seems easy !
I was talking to a buddy of mine that does ultras. He found the Marathon Maniacs web site and decided to join it. For min you have to do 3 marathons in 90 days, ultras also count for it. So he has chalenged me to do at least three in the 90 days.
So thats my winter goal.
I found training for a city street based marathon a lot tougher than my training for a 50k trail ultra. Most my long run training for my only IM was trail based too. I did hit the streets for shorter runs up to about 8 miles.
My 2-3 hour runs on the concrete left me dead and recover took 2-3 days of no exercise.
My 5-6 hour trail runs, I felt refreshed and was able to bike/swim the next day, run the day after that.
No overuse issues if you build up to the time/distance properly… 10% rule worked great for me. I love trail running!
I havent done an IM again since I started ultras, but I am planning to again if only to see how ‘easier’ and faster the run will be, as in the tris I have done I have felt just fantastic running off the bike since my mileage has upped a lot…as for injury, I have been lucky. But its strange, it seems the more I run, the easier I recover. DOing back to back long runs are the best. Takes some getting used to , and I wouldnt do them mroe than 2x a month. Its amazing what you can train your body to do if you want to. Also ALL my times from the 5miler to marathon have gone down a LOT. More is more as far as the running goes fo rme, for sure.