The roots of marathons and triathlons couldn't be more different. The origins of the marathon date back about 2,500 years. In 490 B.C., a soldier named Pheidippides was charged with running about 25 miles from a battle scene at the town of Marathon to Athens to convey news. He ran the entire way, uttered "Victory," and died. In contrast, the triathlon was created in 1974 at Mission Bay in San Diego. A group of runners, swimmers and cyclists who trained there started racing informally and held the first triathlon event with 46 runners. In 1978, the first Ironman Triathlon was held in Hawaii. There were only 15 contestants and just 12 finished the grueling race. In 2010, more than 3,000 athletes competed in the Ironman.
Triathlon Requirements
There are four standard distances for triathlon races, albeit with many variations. A sprint triathlon requires you to swim 1/2 mile, bike 13 miles and run 3.2 miles. That might not sound like a sprint to most people, but the "regular" Olympic distance triathlon is considerably more grueling, with a .93-mile swim, 24.8-mile bike and 6.2-mile run. A half Ironman consists of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run. A full Ironman doubles those distances.
Training for Marathons
If you are accustomed to Ironman contests, a marathon should be a breeze, but if you compete in sprint or Olympic triathlons, you will need to train harder to run a marathon. You can find a complete 16-week training program for triathlon competitors preparing to run a marathon at the The Fun Times Guide. For example, on Week 1 you will run a total of 30 miles, with a longest run of 8 miles. The other 22 miles are divided up and run on other days of the week. You will also swim and bike on Week 1 to keep up your triathlon conditioning while preparing for the marathon. The long run of the week will increase to as many as 20 miles.
Benefits
There are a number of reasons you might want to run marathons in addition to triathlon events. It can be an excellent way to stay in top shape during the triathlon offseason in the winter and spring. It establishes a good running foundation that you'll need when the season starts. It will give you a change of pace from your normal routine. And if you plan on competing in Ironman events, it is a way to gauge your progress. If you can run 26.2 miles, you know you have the stamina to get through at least one leg of the Ironman. And if you can't, the odds of also completing a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride on the same day are not in your favor.
Considerations
There are a number of day-by-day training programs for triathlons and marathons. You might also be interested in competing in other varieties of endurance events. Duathlons, for example, usually combine runs and bike rides, including a duathlon in California which requires a 5-mile trail run, followed by a 20-mile road bike ride, followed by a 10-mile trail run and concluded with a 15-mile mountain bike ride.
Member Comments