Yes — it is possible. But combining a marathon with a full-distance triathlon requires careful planning, the right timing, and good recovery management.
When It Can Work
Allow 10–12 weeks between your marathon and your full-distance triathlon. This gives you time to recover, rebuild and shift focus back to triathlon training.
Treat the full-distance triathlon as your A race. The marathon should serve as a B race that supports, rather than replaces, your triathlon preparation.
How to Structure Your Training
Running: Build Sensibly
Increase long-run distance gradually but cap long runs at around 2 hours 45 minutes.
Do not increase weekly running volume by more than about 10 percent.
Include an easy mid-week aerobic run (Zone 2) to support endurance.
Balancing Triathlon Training
While marathon-focused, you may need to reduce some swim and bike volume to fit in the required running.
If time or fatigue is an issue, skip lower-priority sessions rather than pushing through and risking overtraining.
Risks and What to Watch For
Overtraining risk increases because you are combining high running volume with the added load of swim and bike training.
After the marathon, allow 1–2 full weeks of reduced training. Focus on easy swimming, cycling and running before returning to structured triathlon sessions.
Reintroduce swim and bike volume gradually; do not jump straight back to full training loads.
What a Marathon Adds (and What It Does Not)
Useful Benefits
It provides a strong test of endurance and pacing.
It can help build mental toughness and confidence leading into a long triathlon.
What It Does Not Replace
Marathon fitness is not the same as triathlon marathon fitness. Running after a long swim and bike is very different from running a standalone marathon.
You must still maintain regular swim and bike training to be fully prepared for a full-distance race.
Summary
Training for both a marathon and a full-distance triathlon in one season is achievable when you:
Leave enough time between the races
Keep the full-distance event as the main goal
Manage your total workload carefully
Prioritise recovery after the marathon
Rebuild swim and bike fitness progressively
Done well, this combination can build a strong endurance base and help you arrive at your main event with increased confidence and resilience.
Check out this video, where triathlete Ant Gritton explains how he included his Marathon training block while maintaining readiness for Full-Distance Triathlon training.
Copyright MyProCoach™ Ltd © May 2018. All rights reserved
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