Fitting in the VLM and Fink for Outlaw

Interesting comments. General concensus seems to be a hard mara WILL affect an IM performance but that treating them as a long training run shouldnt be too bad. 

So, question... how much slower that your target stand alone mara would you need to go?  Drop 30/45 secs a mile off? So, for example, dropping from a target max race p[ace of 8mm to 8.45 mm sort of drop? Or drop right back to LSD conversational pace and chat your way round at 10mm?

I think the more important question Gladys is - how long between the marathon and IM??  that is more of a dictator of effort in my mind than anything else.

I gave VLM full bore and PB'd and was perfectly happy by quite a margin with my first IM 3 months later.   if there was a month between I'd need to revise and decide which was the key race - if it's the marathon, then give it full throttle and take it easier on the IM; other way around, and I'd probably do the marathon at projected IM pace

Cheers FB. For me it will be mid April to mid Sept (Henley) so longer than most.

Really interesting thread. I have a definite spot (charity) in 2013 VLM. It will be my first marathon and I started training 2 or 3 months ago with zero physical activity behind me and at LEAST 4 stone overweight. I then discovered the wonders of Ironman and I am goign to shoot for either IMW or Challenge Henley in 2013. 

There is around 5 months between them isn't there? My totally inexperienced view is that this should be plenty of time

Gladys M. wrote (see)

Cheers FB. For me it will be mid April to mid Sept (Henley) so longer than most.

 

5 months,  that's loads of time for most normal mortals.........the additional pressure that you'll have Gladys,  is building in the required time to refine your technique into something that could be recognised as a run

 you're just a sore loser!

As I think most others have said a big part of it down to the general fitness and training you have and if you sacrifice specific IM training in your marathon buildup.  This year has been a busy one for me....

In late January I did the Challenge Wanaka IM race.  Coming back from that big holiday over the other side of the world from mid-February to late April I didn't swim or bike (other than commuting) and concentrated fully on running with the aim of getting a Good For Age time at VLM.  Result was I got my GFA time.

Straight after the London Marathon I had to jump back on my bike and get ready for Outlaw.  Bike mileage increased rapidly and I had to get back to long 15+ mile runs within two or three weeks of the marathon.  Having a good base of fitness allowed my body to take the training load (although the load is no where near the amount of training that Melli etc. do).

For me the 10 weeks between VLM and Outlaw was fine.  It would have been even better had I cycled more in the lead up to VLM rather than cramming it all in starting from late April.

2013 I have similar and even more ambitious plans to test this further.  I'm planning on running London Marathon (as I now have a Good For Age place) and am then doing IM Lanzarote four weeks later.  Yes, four weeks later.  I'm hoping to get a fair bit quicker with my running so that I can have an 'easy' marathon at London and still put down a good time.  I will not be sacrificing swim/running during my marathon buildup as I'll be heading into IM taper a couple of weeks later.

If you're doing VLM and Outlaw/Henley then I think you'll be fine.  Just make sure you keep focussed and training on all sports (I like that Cougie said he does 50m rides every week anyway and just built up after VLM).

This is a good read and very relevant.

The physiological effects of an ironman on the body. Article by Matt Fitzgerald in Triathlete Europe.