How physically demanding is Olympic Triathlon compared to Half Marathon and Marathon?

Pisco Sour

I haven't done a Marathon but have done the other two and based on my experienced my guess is that an Olympic Triathlon would be halfway between a Half and Full Marathon.

The Olympic Tri was the hardest thing I've ever done, though my muscles were in more pain after the Half and took longer to recover.

Whats are other peoples thoughts? What is more physically demanding?

Spins

I think half marathon and olympic dist tri are about the same. But really it depends on the particular race e.g. I found the Connemarathon half marathon harder than Tri-Athy but I found the half marathon in Phoenix Park a hell of a lot easier than Hell of the West in Kilkee. That's my tuppence worth anyhoo....

MrCreosote

In terms of how tired I feel the next day I find an olympic distance noticeably worse than a half marathon.

Never done a marathon either! I'll report back next week. I'm expecting it to be a big step up...

911sc

IMO, an Olympic (say 2h30min) is more physically demanding than a half marathon (say 1h45). At least, i feel much more tired afterwards..but it is easier to keep going as reaching T1 & T2 gives a moral boost
But as pointed out by Spins, it also depends on the race : Athy tri is much easier than Beast Of the East tri for instance.

tunney

They're all as hard as each other.
The pain of racing each distance is different but neither is any way less than the other.

A 65 min half would hurt.
A 1:55 Olympic would hurt (a proper one, not the short one)
A 2:30 marathon would hurt.

T runner

04072511 wrote: »

I haven't done a Marathon but have done the other two and based on my experienced my guess is that an Olympic Triathlon would be halfway between a Half and Full Marathon.

The Olympic Tri was the hardest thing I've ever done, though my muscles were in more pain after the Half and took longer to recover.

Whats are other peoples thoughts? What is more physically demanding?

I would say a marathon would be the toughest out of those 3 in that it would take the longest time to recover from and therefore take the most out of the body.

hunnymonster

It depends on your own unique physiology and the individual race terrain but for me the oly is just a tiny bit harder than a half marathon. I'm too bad a swimmer to push it in the swim and lazy a cyclist to push it on the cycle. For most people I would say it's more in the middle between a HM and M. (M. being marathon not M-dot!)

tunney

hunnymonster wrote: »

It depends on your own unique physiology and the individual race terrain but for me the oly is just a tiny bit harder than a half marathon. I'm too bad a swimmer to push it in the swim and lazy a cyclist to push it on the cycle. For most people I would say it's more in the middle between a HM and M. (M. being marathon not M-dot!)

Depends alot on intensity, smacking a HM versus woddling around a marathon? (Smacking and woddling relative to the person)

Pisco Sour

911sc wrote: »

IMO, an Olympic (say 2h30min) is more physically demanding than a half marathon (say 1h45). At least, i feel much more tired afterwards..but it is easier to keep going as reaching T1 & T2 gives a moral boost
But as pointed out by Spins, it also depends on the race : Athy tri is much easier than Beast Of the East tri for instance.

Couldnt help notice that you translate a 1h45 Half Marathon into a 2h30 Olympic. I'm a 1h49 Half Marathoner and yet struggled (though never stopped to walk) to the line in TriAthy in 3hr47 (3hr45 when you deduct the time lost due to incompetent race marshals not directing me where to go for my run).
To be fair I used a hybrid bike, but even with a racer that would only take about 20 minutes off my time, and my transitions were awful so perhaps 10 minutes could be gained there. But even still that would only be a 3hr15 Olympic for me.

I really dont think a 1h45 half marathon is of the same level as a 2hr30 Olympic.

Though I am a slow cyclist so perhaps that may explain things

tunguska

Definitely the marathon is harder, by a long way. I think the half marathon is harder aswell, although it all depends on what pace you go out at. But if youre giving it all in both Id still say the half marathon and full marathon are harder.

tunney

tunguska wrote: »

Definitely the marathon is harder, by a long way. I think the half marathon is harder aswell, although it all depends on what pace you go out at. But if youre giving it all in both Id still say the half marathon and full marathon are harder.

Are we equating cost of recovery with difficulty?

Racing Flat

tunney wrote: »

Are we equating cost of recovery with difficulty?

I don't know if he is. Can't comment on the tri having never done one, but I would say that a hard half marathon would be easier than an easy marathon, i.e. if I'd to chose between running a significant PB in a half marathon or running a marthon 30mins slower than capable, for money, I'd take the shot at the half marathon. Both races will wreck you, but the last few miles of a marthon can feel like you are ending inside. The half marathon will have your lungs bursting and your legs killing; in the marathon the lungs are okay, but your legs and your insides will be giving out...

shels4ever

Hardest race i've done in years was a 3000m race as the effort level was higher but recovered quickly after, did one sprint tri about 3 years ago and coulnd walk for days after but level of fittness back then was really really bad.

MrCreosote

tunney wrote: »

Are we equating cost of recovery with difficulty?

It's probably the only thing that can be easily compared between them.

n-dawg

For me the hardest race I've ever done was "Hell of the West" this year. I've done connemarathon too. It was hot, swim was long, I was trying to drop people on the bike, and the hill on the run came at exactly the wrong time. Add to this that I swallowed loads of salt water in the last 50m of the swim which caused me to get sick on myself in T1 and it was one tough day.

But compared to Athy Olympic distance a 1/2 marathon is much tougher. I would even rank the eireman 1/2 course as easier then a marathon!

Anyway to sum up:

Hilly, Hot or Windy Olympic = Marathon
Flat 1/2 Ironman = Marathon
Flat Olympic < 1/2 Marathon

Pisco Sour

n-dawg wrote: »

For me the hardest race I've ever done was "Hell of the West" this year. I've done connemarathon too. It was hot, swim was long, I was trying to drop people on the bike, and the hill on the run came at exactly the wrong time. Add to this that I swallowed loads of salt water in the last 50m of the swim which caused me to get sick on myself in T1 and it was one tough day.

But compared to Athy Olympic distance a 1/2 marathon is much tougher. I would even rank the eireman 1/2 course as easier then a marathon!

Anyway to sum up:

Hilly, Hot or Windy Olympic = Marathon
Flat 1/2 Ironman = Marathon
Flat Olympic < 1/2 Marathon

I found TriAthy a hell of a lot tougher than the Wexford Half Marathon (quite a hilly course).

Husavik

I did two Triathlons in Brittas Bay. A great track but has a 43km approx cycle and a 10.6km run. Also did a 24 mile run on undulating route.

The run is definitely more physically demanding but the completion of a Tri is more satisfying and represents more of an overall challenge - imo.

Strangely enough though, my waist size was slimmer (based on belt holes) just pre Triathlon than now pre DCM and Christ I've done my fair share of running for it.

ironmonkey

n-dawg wrote: »

For me the hardest race I've ever done was "Hell of the West" this year. I've done connemarathon too. It was hot, swim was long, I was trying to drop people on the bike, and the hill on the run came at exactly the wrong time. Add to this that I swallowed loads of salt water in the last 50m of the swim which caused me to get sick on myself in T1 and it was one tough day.

But compared to Athy Olympic distance a 1/2 marathon is much tougher. I would even rank the eireman 1/2 course as easier then a marathon!

Anyway to sum up:

Hilly, Hot or Windy Olympic = Marathon
Flat 1/2 Ironman = Marathon
Flat Olympic < 1/2 Marathon

I agree with previous comments that it depends on the individual and level of fitness and would add that oly distance tri and beyond requires the ability to cross train which requires more of a time committment than running alone.
Totally disagree with any 1/2 IM being equal to a marathon - IMO it is much tougher and requires competency at all three sports (and the necessary gear) to get around at all.

Husavik

Now that I've done the marathon (3.28) I think it is about a third harder than a Triathlon. Then there is the added strain in that all the effort is heaped onto fewer muscles.

But I can't understand the comments that the half is tougher. The Dublin triathlon is won with just under 2 hr times. The half mara - 67 mins. I've heard that running takes more out of you than cycling but the triathlon still has half running and swimming.

Just on the cycling though, did the Wicklow 200 in 9hrs 30 but took about 1 hr 30 in breaks. Truthfully I felt grand straight after and the next day.

tunney

Husavik wrote: »

Now that I've done the marathon (3.28) I think it is about a third harder than a Triathlon. Then there is the added strain in that all the effort is heaped onto fewer muscles.

But I can't understand the comments that the half is tougher. The Dublin triathlon is won with just under 2 hr times. The half mara - 67 mins. I've heard that running takes more out of you than cycling but the triathlon still has half running and swimming.

Just on the cycling though, did the Wicklow 200 in 9hrs 30 but took about 1 hr 30 in breaks. Truthfully I felt grand straight after and the next day.

Each to their own.
Some do sub three 42.5km runs in training as their long run and won't think twice about a marathon done at that pace, but they dread a sprint distance race because of the pain.

gaf1983

Where would people rank Gaelforce West in terms of toughness compared to a Half-Marathon, Marathon and Olympic Triathlon?