Wednesday
Aug192009
How to Nail the Ironman Marathon
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 2:55PM
By Matt Fitzgerald
The marathon is where Ironman dreams die. It is very difficult to run a strong marathon after riding 112 hard miles, and in fact it is seldom done.
Consider the following example. At the 2008 Ironman Arizona, the fastest bike split was 4:26:12, and the 50th-fastest bike split was 4:55:24—29 minutes and 12 seconds, or 10.9 percent, slower. Compare this gap to the corresponding gap in the run. The fastest run split was 2:46:38, and the 50th-fastest run split was 3:20:22—33 minutes and 44 seconds, or a full 20 percent, slower.
As you can see, in the bike leg, the top 50 performers were bunched close together, whereas in the run they were spread out. This pattern is apparent in every Ironman, and it is most certainly not evidence that the depth of running talent is less than the depth of cycling talent in these events. Rather, the pattern is seen as a consequence of the fact that athletes begin the bike leg with fresh legs, and thus most of the strong riders are able to perform at a level that matches their ability. But in the run, which begins with fatigued legs, most athletes fail to perform at a level that matches their ability. They bonk and lose huge chunks of time compared to the few competitors who manage to hold it together through the marathon.
Following are some tips that will help you avoid the all-too-common scenario of running poorly in the Ironman marathon.
Get as strong as you can on the bike
The inaugural Ironman Wisconsin, held in 2002, featured a novelty. A couple of elite Kenyan runners did the race. I’m talking about sub-2:15 marathoners. The story was that some coach had recruited these guys as a sort of experiment. Anyway, not only did the poor guinea pigs get crushed on the swim and the bike, but they also ran terribly. This unique example demonstrates that the first key to running strong in an Ironman is not pure running ability but strength on the bike.
It makes sense, right? Your bike fitness has to be at such a level that you can ride hard for 112 miles and still have something left for the marathon. All of the running fitness in the world won’t help you otherwise. How do you get that strong on the bike? The short answer is by putting in a ton of volume. But most of us don’t have enough time to put in the optimal amount of bike miles. So then, what is the least you can do to build enough bike fitness so that 112 miles is no big deal?
Aim to complete four independent 100-mile rides, one pair of back-to-back four-hour rides, and one all-day ride (about eight hours as slow as you need to go to survive it). All of these rides should occur within the last 10 weeks before your taper, and obviously in the preceding weeks you should gradually build your long-ride distance toward the 100-mile level.
Read more tips for nailing the Ironman Marathon in the full article.
The marathon is where Ironman dreams die. It is very difficult to run a strong marathon after riding 112 hard miles, and in fact it is seldom done.Consider the following example. At the 2008 Ironman Arizona, the fastest bike split was 4:26:12, and the 50th-fastest bike split was 4:55:24—29 minutes and 12 seconds, or 10.9 percent, slower. Compare this gap to the corresponding gap in the run. The fastest run split was 2:46:38, and the 50th-fastest run split was 3:20:22—33 minutes and 44 seconds, or a full 20 percent, slower.
As you can see, in the bike leg, the top 50 performers were bunched close together, whereas in the run they were spread out. This pattern is apparent in every Ironman, and it is most certainly not evidence that the depth of running talent is less than the depth of cycling talent in these events. Rather, the pattern is seen as a consequence of the fact that athletes begin the bike leg with fresh legs, and thus most of the strong riders are able to perform at a level that matches their ability. But in the run, which begins with fatigued legs, most athletes fail to perform at a level that matches their ability. They bonk and lose huge chunks of time compared to the few competitors who manage to hold it together through the marathon.
Following are some tips that will help you avoid the all-too-common scenario of running poorly in the Ironman marathon.
Get as strong as you can on the bike
The inaugural Ironman Wisconsin, held in 2002, featured a novelty. A couple of elite Kenyan runners did the race. I’m talking about sub-2:15 marathoners. The story was that some coach had recruited these guys as a sort of experiment. Anyway, not only did the poor guinea pigs get crushed on the swim and the bike, but they also ran terribly. This unique example demonstrates that the first key to running strong in an Ironman is not pure running ability but strength on the bike.
It makes sense, right? Your bike fitness has to be at such a level that you can ride hard for 112 miles and still have something left for the marathon. All of the running fitness in the world won’t help you otherwise. How do you get that strong on the bike? The short answer is by putting in a ton of volume. But most of us don’t have enough time to put in the optimal amount of bike miles. So then, what is the least you can do to build enough bike fitness so that 112 miles is no big deal?
Aim to complete four independent 100-mile rides, one pair of back-to-back four-hour rides, and one all-day ride (about eight hours as slow as you need to go to survive it). All of these rides should occur within the last 10 weeks before your taper, and obviously in the preceding weeks you should gradually build your long-ride distance toward the 100-mile level.
Read more tips for nailing the Ironman Marathon in the full article.
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