Originally Posted by acateam
tlc20010-It seems to be an interesting question. I asked because I was hopeful that I might be able to therefore parallel the anticipated exhilaration that I was about to get after completing the m-thon before I was sidelined with the back surgery.
I guess it is best answered by a marathon runner/century,ultra cyclist. Did you run a full marathon ever? just curious. You surely didn't have to have run one to answer the question well. In fact I agree with the "grueling" part you mentioned. Even after my first half-thon I had to take a full week off and after I returned, I was running very slow and a lot less mileage for a three week buildup. I personally know marathoners that follow the race with two to four weeks completely off with mild crosstraining(bike).It is not the race that kills you, it is the intense weeks of preparation that does it.
does a century do that to the body? I guess not. Which leaves me with two schools of thought-The marathon requires perhaps more training,sacrifice,and therefore the exhilaration and satisfaction is commensurate,but which may also mean injury, recovery,and repair - and the other thought is that cycling is sensible,moderate or extreme if you choose, less wear and tear,which may mean longevity - but what about the "accomplishment factor"?
hey-This is an unswerable quetion perhaps-but its a fun one-it's pertinent to me in my psychological quandary right now, and plus-I'VE GOT NOTHING ELSE TO DO RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I AM FLAT ON MY BACK FOR AWHILE WITH A LAPTOP SITTING ON MY ABS THAT ARE SCREAMING FOR A HUGE CRUNCH WORKOUT! LOL!
DAN
Hi Dan....
First, I want to say that I really feel for you and your recovery. I had a knee replacement about a year and a half ago and I thought that I would never do anything again, no matter what the doctors said. I really hated the waiting to get started in rehab part. But when they finally let me go to PT, I decided that rehab was my full time job and really worked at it. I can tell that you will too. It will pay off in spades.
As to the marathon vs. century. Most serious, nah semi-serious, bike riders could do a century tomorrow if they had the time. Same is not true of runners. Getting ready for a marathon, as you well know, is a long process and has to be done carefully. A century is just a long bike ride. There are people on these forums who do a century a week--in some cases a century on Saturday and Sunday. When you are on a bike, you are not asking your legs to support your mass. You can stop pedaling almost any time and still keep moving.
Look, I'm 63 and have not run distance in nearly three decades. But I could get on my bike tomorrow (if the weather is decent and I had 7 or 8 hours) and ride a century. I've done it before, and I plan to make time to do it again before spring. With some regular training, I could probably cut an hour or so off that time. And there is nothing special or dedicated about me. Cycling is just easier and takes less work than running. So I am still wondering what the cycling equivalent of a marathon is. As for the accomplishment factor, I’m not sure.
I am sure that your computer appreciates being supported by your abs-that-want-to-work. For the time being, keep writing and we’ll keep answering.
Best,
Tim