Ironman how many miles

Those few miles will do you far more good than they would if incorporated into your training in any other way. Pure cyclists typically do two fast rides each week. And many triathletes try to do two fast rides and two fast runs each week. The problem is that fatigue from cycling transfers all too well to running, and vice versa, such that doing two hard rides and two hard runs weekly is almost tantamount to a pure runner doing four hard runs every week.

Fatigue will accumulate and performance in all of those hard workouts will be compromised. Even for those few athletes who hold it together, the Ironman marathon is run at a relatively low intensity—about 60 percent of VO2 max.

While faster runs could theoretically stimulate improvements in aerobic capacity and efficiency that would enhance performance in the low-intensity Ironman marathon, these theoretical benefits are outweighed by the fatigue cost that would come with trying to combine high-intensity run training with high-intensity bike work.

I believe that Ironman triathletes are better off committing to either one or the other, and specifically to high-intensity bike training. Doing two hard rides per week in addition to a long ride will make you that much stronger on the bike and that much more likely to have enough legs left at the start of the marathon to hold goal pace—which, again, is not a particularly fast pace for any triathlete—all the way to the finish.

And keep in mind that, just as fatigue crosses over between cycling and running, so does fitness, albeit to a lesser degree. So you can count on those hard rides to also elevate your running a bit. I am not suggesting that you avoid fast running altogether. But I am suggesting that you strictly limit it.

That should do it. Do a metric Ironman As I suggested above, doing frequent, short transition runs off the bike will prepare you to start your Ironman marathon strong, and when you start the marathon strong, you have a good chance of finishing it strong.

However, a one- or two-mile transition run does not fully prepare the body for the stress of running an entire marathon after a long, hard ride. Nothing does, actually, but a long bike-run brick workout will help. Four to five weeks before you race an Ironman, do what I call a metric Ironman. Age-groupers will cross the line in the hours that follow and as with the full distance there can be a cut-off time, often around 9hrs.

This distance has been instilled since the International Triathlon Union, now World Triathlon, started its first world championship in France in While on TV, you might see competitors in packs on the bike, standard distance racing is non-drafting for amateur athletes.

While professional men racing the draft-legal format might complete a course in 1hr 45min and the women in under 2hrs, a good level age-group triathlete can take around 2hr 30min. Comparing endurance events is hard, but an athlete who has completed a marathon, is likely to find the effort to complete a standard distance triathlon is slightly less — although there will be far more things to think about on the way!

This is the highest level of elite competition with the series typically running from the northern hemisphere spring to autumn and consisting of six-to-eight races culminating in a Grand Final. However, in recent years, more of the WTCS races have become sprint distance and World Triathlon is also starting to experiment with other formats.

Another popular format, the sprint distance is half that of the Olympic distance. Raced hard, it can be as tiring as a standard distance event. As with the longer distances, the swim on a sprint triathlon is typically in a lake, sea or river.

Competitive amateurs might also find that sprint races they enter are now draft-legal, so will need to be comfortable riding with other cyclists in close proximity. In terms of times, while elite triathletes often finish in under an hour, amateurs tend to be between one and two hours for a sprint triathlon. A super sprint triathlon is the entry-level distance for most triathletes and typically consists of a m swim, 10km bike and 2.

Because of the shorter distance, super sprints often use a swimming pool for the swim — 16 lengths of a 25m pool — before heading out on to the bike course. This makes it more accessible for beginners, with no need to have a wetsuit, and not having to worry about swimming in open water. If the thought of swimming, biking and running these distances is still a little daunting, then there are other options.

A duathlon, normally a bike-run, could be a first step into the sport, or even a relay where individuals select one leg of the race each as part of a three-person team.

Ironman Distances. How Long is an Ironman Triathlon Race? An all-day endeavor for most athletes, the total Ironman distances include: Swim 2. Racing Ironman Triathlon Distance In a sport where amateur athletes can race alongside professionals, Ironman triathlon provides the ultimate multisport experience with a passionate, supportive race community.

Triathlon Podcasts. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Outdoor Activities. Triathlon Facts. What Are the Various Triathlon Distances? The most common triathlon distance follows international Olympic guidelines: A swim of 0. An Ironman Triathlon, perhaps the event's most famous race, is a 2. Even "sprint," or mini-triathlons, are still arduous, requiring a half-mile 0.

The most common triathlon distance follows international Olympic guidelines. It includes a swim of 0. How long is a sprint triathlon? A "sprint," or mini-triathlon requires you to do a 0. What are the different triathlon distances? The different triathlon distances are: Common triathlon: A swim of 0.