A personal question.

Is the going long better for running shorter distances faster just because you are closer to target weight and fitter?

Fittest (and fastest) I have been is doing IM training. But then I have never averaged 12-hours training for 20-weeks before either.

Cycling is good for leg strength and this carries into running races.

My fastest 10k (OK only 48mins) I felt better at the finish than some previous PBs before I did IM. I could also have carried on albeit with a bit of slowing down whereas before I was done at the line. Didn't have the leg speed to go faster but did have the stamina endurance to use max leg speed for the whole race. So IM made me fitter, stronger, faster - well what a surprise of 20 weeks of solid training.

Shame I am not as well trained for IM this year.

M.eface

popsider wrote (see)

the dude abides wrote (see)

interesting thread. i was wondering......*why* are they so expensive?

I can understand that the logistics may be tricky, and road closures etc, but still. do they have a breakdown of costs?

I think quite often it's because they are run for profit - if you look at some charity running races which effectively are put on for profit (albeit charity) they are often quite expensive too.   There are some duathlons local to me that are quite expensive - more to enter than a running race and time trial combined.   Nothing wrong in it - it's a lot of work putting on events and like anything why shouldn't the organisers get paid for the work they do.     

cant argue with that. and i certainly don't object to anyone making a living/profit

i just ask as someone who has just completed a highland ultra with 5 drop bag stops, a t-shirt and bottle of fizzy goody bag all for £25. so at £375 for an iron man, it's a little difficult for me to justify. shame, as i'd like to do one.

kittenkat wrote (see)

 

It's interesting though about tri training, all my running PBs happened after I did my first IM and getting ready for the double so lots of tri training, although pure running gurus tell me that to run fast I need to just run. I don't know the answer...

I'm not convinced about that either.  All my PBs (well, the longer distance ones) came after I started paying attention to tri training rather than just do tris off running & not much else.  Cycling's great for endurance & aerobic fitness, less risk of injuries I'd get from lots of running, and frankly more enjoyable.  If you were at the really sharp end of women's running (sub 75 for a half, say) rather than merely being very good, or focussing on shorter distances then your gurus are probably right, but for you getting on your bike instead of another run may be better.