Training plan incorporating running and cycling!

rob w

Hi,

Not sure if this was better posted in the running or cycling forum, so decided id come to the duathlon forum instead.

I am looking for some sort of training plan or advice on incorporating running and cycling into eavh week. My goal is to run a marathon this year in October, but have also signed up to a couple of duathlons over the course of the summer. I have found some marathon specific training plans which pretty much only allow for running 5 ir 6 days a week and a rest day.

Id like to find something which allows for a bit of crosstraining to allow me get out on the bike each week. I understand that running a marathon takes alot of prep in the build up and maybe more running focused plans are the way to go and ill have to get back on the bike after the marathon, id just like to get out on it as much as I can during the summer!

Im open to any advice on this at all if anyone has done similar plans id love to hear about them.

Thanks

kingQuez

Hey Rob, a little bit more info about your current training and the events might help people give you an idea of the sort of training mix that could work for you:

• Which marathon did you sign up for
• When are the duathlons (and what distance)
• What training would you currently do in a normal week?
• How much time do you want to spend training each week?

It sounds like the marathon is your real goal for the year, and the duathlons are your "B" goals for the year? When you start getting closer to the marathon the long weekly runs start to get important... but until then you've loads of time to mix cycling and running to see you through the duathlons and get you a good fitness base to start bumping distance for the marathon.

rob w

kingQuez wrote: »

Hey Rob, a little bit more info about your current training and the events might help people give you an idea of the sort of training mix that could work for you:

• Which marathon did you sign up for
• When are the duathlons (and what distance)
• What training would you currently do in a normal week?
• How much time do you want to spend training each week?

It sounds like the marathon is your real goal for the year, and the duathlons are your "B" goals for the year? When you start getting closer to the marathon the long weekly runs start to get important... but until then you've loads of time to mix cycling and running to see you through the duathlons and get you a good fitness base to start bumping distance for the marathon.

OK thanks for the reply.

I have signed up for the Dublin Marathon, so thats the October bank holiday weekend.

The Duathlons I have entered are the phoenix park series, so are on in early May, June July and August. Four in total. Your probably familiar with them, but its a 2.7km run, 13km cycle, 2.7km run!

At the moment training just consists of running anywhere between 20-32km and cycling between 50 - 150km a week. Nothing too strenuous, usually 3 - 4 times a week, some weeks are all running or all cycling and some weeks are split between the two. Really just trying to keep a base fitness level up at the moment until Im finished with college and have a bit more free time.

I am willing to train as often as it takes each week to complete the goal of the marathon, thinking it will probably be a 16 - 20 week schedule beginning in June/July. The marathon is definitely my goal for this year like you said, and the duathlons are just for fun......it would be a shame to leave the bike sitting idle over the summer after riding it through that miserable winter.

I completed the half marathon last year, (my first), with a time of 1:53 and was delighted with that. Had been planning on the marathon last year but personal circumstances messed up my training schedule and that had to go out the window....so this year is the year!!:D I will probably take part in the Phoenix Park Series this year too as it seems like a great way to prep for the marathon.

Hope that bit of info explains my situation a bit more!

Thanks for the reply!

rob w

Have done a bit more research since I posted last, looking at one of Hal Higdon's plans.....seems like it may be suitable!

http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51151/Marathon-Marathon-3-Training-Program