Running is usually the gateway sport to participation in triathlons and trail and ultra races. That’s to be expected since running is the most popular of the individual endurance sports. FIRST has received countless requests for training advice from runners who wish to venture into new endurance competitions. Runners want to know if we have created a FIRST counterpart training program for multisport activities and longer-than-marathon running competitions.
We haven’t, primarily because we haven’t conducted research in these sports and wouldn’t have proof for what we would be recommending. However, because of the many requests, we are providing a chapter with advice for runners who wish to branch out to these other sports.
We have extensive triathlon experience but little and no experience with trail and ultra running. For advice on those two sports, we reached out to our good friend Hal Koerner, two-time winner of Western States 100 and a national champion at 50 miles. Hal owns and manages Rogue Valley Runners, an independent running store in Ashland, Oregon. Hal has run over 100 ultramarathons and finished in the top three in 75 percent of them. Hal is familiar with the FIRST training program and answered our questions about how to advise FIRST runners who want to race on trails and go beyond the 26.2-mile distance.
Preparing to run a 50K (31.06 miles) race does not require much alteration to the FIRST marathon training program. Adding a little extra distance (3 to 5 miles, 5 to 8 kilometers) to a few of the 20-mile (32K) training runs will prepare you for running an additional 5 miles beyond the traditional marathon distance.
Moving up in distance from a 50K to a 50-miler is significant. When we asked Hal if the FIRST program was appropriate for the 50-mile race, he said simply to add a fourth run per week. He advocates back-to-back weekend long runs. You may begin with adding a 10-mile run on Sunday after having completed the FIRST marathon key run #3 on Saturday. The combination of weekend runs would initially include a 15-mile run followed the next day with a 10-mile run. Through the 16-week training this progression would gradually increase from 15 + 10 to 15 + 15 to 20 + 10 to 20 + 15 to 20 + 20 to perhaps 25 + 20. Hal suggested that 30 miles was the maximum that he would recommend for a training run. Even for his 100-mile races, his longest training run is 30 miles. But he also enters 50-mile races to prepare for 100-mile races.
While the additional mileage of ultras is a challenge, the greater challenge is that almost all ultras are run on trails. Trail running requires strength. The running pace is much slower, making the overall time of running considerably greater. Trails typically require a lot of running up and down—long climbs and downhills. This type of running requires practice. You cannot rely on pace for determining intensity, because the terrain—depending on elevation change and the condition of the trail—influences how fast you can run. Maintaining an even effort and learning to rely on perceived exertion for measuring intensity are necessary. Hal warns against trying to go hard up hills, which can lead to exhaustion. He advises making up for the slow climbs on the flats and downhills.
Besides the scrapes and cuts from falling, rolling an ankle is the trail runner’s most common injury. Trail runners must strengthen their ankles. Ankle exercises are imperative. Use a wobble board, Bosu, etc., for developing balance and stability. Balancing on one leg will help with developing the stability needed for the uneven terrain and precarious footing. Additional exercises that are important for trail runners include quadriceps, core, and hip exercises (see Chapter 12).
Bicycling is great cross-training for trail running. The bike will increase your fitness, endurance, and leg strength.
How much training on trails is necessary in preparation for trail races? Hal said that when he lived in Colorado he was doing about 20 percent of his training on trails and the rest on roads. Moving to Oregon reversed that and he now does 90 percent of his training on trails. Hal says the more the better. That advice is consistent with the principle of specificity. He agreed that track repeats and long tempo runs are beneficial and can be done on the track and roads, while doing long runs on the trails. He says that’s a good combination for maintaining fitness and trail endurance. This combination is especially good because many runners want to continue doing road races as well as trail runs. Hal also likes to do fartleks—fast running segments for an unspecified time or distance—on the trails.
Hal highly recommends wearing trail shoes. He points out that they provide better traction, protection with toe bumpers, and stability for lateral movements. Also the shoe uppers are built to last longer against the beating they take on the trails.
The softer impact of trails is easier on the lower body, but the likelihood of falling is much greater than with road running. The injuries are more frequently acute, rather than chronic. Trail runners must stay focused and look about 5 feet ahead at all times. If you relax or divert your attention from the trail, you fall. Falling is a part of trail running.
At FIRST, we are discovering that runners today are seeking varied experiences. We are not opposed to participation in a wide variety of activities, but runners must know that they may not be able to obtain their optimal performances with activities that don’t necessarily complement each other.
Scott Murr has competed in more than a hundred triathlons and has coached many triathletes, including Furman University’s triathlon team. He has provided advice and recommendations for how to adapt the FIRST 3plus2 training program for triathlons. Below are Scott’s recommendations in his words:
I think the FIRST training approach can be effective for triathletes. I do not know of a triathlon or cycle training program that targets the key physiological variables by workout, although it certainly makes sense that triathletes should configure their training that way.
It has been my experience that runners who are considering a triathlon want to maintain their running while simply adding swimming and cycling. These runners do not want to sacrifice their run training as they train for a triathlon. Bill and I discovered in the mid-’80s that our running performance did not decline as we shifted our training toward less running and more triathlon-specific training, eventually leading to this book.
Because there are so many variables, we have not created modified training tables for triathletes; technique and 5Kill level are an issue with swimming, and measuring effort on the bike is problematic. Although, with the increased popularity of power meters, that could change soon.
While the swimming component of the triathlon is often the hardest, because it is the most technique-oriented activity of the three activities, it is also the shortest in both distance and time, and luckily comes first when you are freshest. Back in the ‘80s when I started in the sport, my swimming was weak and my strategy was “survive the swim, then race like hell.”
For runners interested in completing a sprint-distance triathlon, I would suggest that they swim twice a week. Most runners who want to do a triathlon typically have a good aerobic fitness base but may not be skilled swimmers. Consequently, I think runners who are training for a triathlon need to spend a third of their time in the water performing drills to help improve their stroke technique. There are numerous resources that offer good descriptions of the basic swim drills. Runners need to practice these drills. They will help your form improve quickly if done regularly.
From my 20-year experience in the sport, I feel that the ability to run after the bike leg is as much a function of cycling training as it is of run training. Therefore, I think a runner interested in completing a sprint-distance triathlon would need to complete three bike workouts a week.
For runners interested in doing triathlons, I would suggest that they buy a road bike, rather than a triathlon bike. A road bike not only works well with the 3plus2 cross-training but can easily be configured for a triathlon by the simple addition of aero-bars.
I tend to think runners and triathletes should train for their event based on their current run fitness, not their triathlon run time or pace. As a runner who transitioned to the triathlon, I have found that my triathlon run times are about 10 percent slower than my open road race times.
Typically, most triathlons take place from May through October. I tend to focus on my running October through February. I start getting more focused on my cycling and swimming in March.
Here is my basic training schedule from October through February as I prepare for a spring running race.
| MONDAY | 30-45 minutes easy swimming or easy cycling |
| TUESDAY | Run (track repeats), strength training, 30 minutes easy spinning |
| WEDNESDAY | 45-60 minutes bike (moderate-hard effort) |
| THURSDAY | Run (tempo effort), 30 minutes easy spinning, strength training |
| FRIDAY | Swim (long) |
| SATURDAY | Run (long) |
| SUNDAY | 60 minutes easy spinning |
This sequencing helps make the shift to a triathlon-training focus pretty manageable. I also realize that this schedule means exercising every day. While I do exercise most days, inevitably life interrupts and I miss a day. I feel that consistency in training is the key to completing a triathlon. Yet I also think that missing a workout every now and then is not going to sabotage my training. So I don’t plan a day off, but if I miss one, I’m okay with that.
Here is the basic training schedule I use as I change gears for triathlon preparation.
| MONDAY | Swim (short and fast repeats) |
| TUESDAY | Run (track repeats), strength training, bike (easy) |
| WEDNESDAY | Swim (mid-distance, tempo effort) or bike (moderate-hard effort) |
| THURSDAY | Run (tempo effort), bike (easy-moderate effort) |
| FRIDAY | Swim (long) or bike (easy), strength training |
| SATURDAY | Bike (long) |
| SUNDAY | Run (long) |
As FIRST suggests in the training plans for a running race, I may focus on one or two triathlons a year. So here is how I sequence my training during the 8 weeks leading up to a triathlon.
| MONDAY | Swim (short and fast repeats), strength training |
| TUESDAY | Bike (moderate-hard effort with repeats), easy transition run (~20 minutes) |
| WEDNESDAY | Swim (mid-distance, tempo effort), bike (easy but longer) |
| THURSDAY | Run (tempo effort), bike (~20 min. tempo effort) |
| FRIDAY | Swim (long), strength training (optional) |
| SATURDAY | Bike (long), easy transition run (~30 minutes) |
| SUNDAY | Run (long) |
Of course strength training is important. I do strength training year-round (except the 2 weeks leading up to a race). The exercises in this book are the ones that I include in my training program. I have done 12 Iron-man races (6 in Kona) and the above schedules are basically the ones I have followed.
An Ironman-distance triathlon is a real challenge but can be managed with a smart and consistent training program. Is this something I would recommend? Only if you are genuinely motivated to do it. An alternative to the full distance of the 140.6-mile Ironman is the popular 70.3-mile half-Ironman, which can be more readily accomplished.
Just as you can approximately predict someone’s marathon time from his or her 5K, 10K, or half-marathon times, you can make the same approximation for someone’s Ironman time from his or her half-Ironman times and Olympic-distance time.
To get an idea of your Ironman-distance triathlon time, take your half-Ironman time and multiply it by 2.2 to 2.4 to predict your Ironman time. Although a half-Ironman is the better predictor, you can also take your Olympic-distance time and multiply it by 4.7 to 5.0. This gives you a range where you might finish an Ironman with the appropriate training to go the distance.
I wanted to take the time to thank you for designing and publishing the most important book I’ve read in the past 10 years of racing. The FIRST training program changed the way I train for marathons and is now giving me a realistic opportunity to qualify for Boston.
I’m 41 years old and have been a competitive bike racer for 14 years and didn’t start running marathons until 3 years ago. I followed different plans for the four marathons I’ve run and had limited success.
Before the ING New York City Marathon on November 7 my PR was a 3:53 at the Marine Corps Marathon in DC. But thanks to the focus and the science behind your plan I was able to PR at one of the more difficult marathons for many reasons. The long runs at given time goals was the key for me. The ease with which I ran New York and my results were astounding to me. My time in New York was a 3:35, a PR by 17 minutes!! I already have my plan laid out for my next marathon where I hope to get closer to my BQ time
Keith Slyman
System Integration Specialist
United Business Systems
Fairfield, New Jersey
To whom it may concern,
In September 2009 I ran the Louisville City of Parks Marathon in 3:09:23, which qualified me for Boston. After qualifying I wanted to change my training approach. A friend of mine had your book sitting in the backseat of his car. While driving to our destination I skimmed through the book and was intrigued. Later that week I purchased your book and read it cover to cover.
Following your schedule for the 3:10 qualifying time, I not only felt better throughout my training but I ran a 3:03:23 in Boston!!! Your book is absolutely amazing. I have told all my friends about this training schedule and will continue to use it for all other future marathons. I was a bit of a skeptic at first because I felt I wasn’t running enough throughout the week. But I stuck with the schedule. On my off-days I rode a bike for 45 to 60 minutes.
I cannot thank you enough for this amazing tool. My new goal/challenge is to break the 3-hour mark. Though the hills at Boston are no laughing matter, I believe this is very obtainable.
Eric Harshman
Assistant Groundskeeper for the Louisville Bats,
Triple A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds
Louisville, Kentucky