bwh318

In one month of tracking my calories on LoseIt, I've already lost 18 pounds (227 to 209 so far), and that makes me want to kick the stakes up even higher.

On the first weekend in October, a local Lion's Club is holding a duathalon, and I'm thinking about entering. It's a 5k followed by 20mi on a bike followed by another 5k. Think I can do it? What type of training should I go, especially seeing as how I'm nowhere near in 5+30+5k shape.

TrojanHorse

Well, what shape *are* you in? Can you do the 20 miles on a bike?

As for the running part, I can't run 100 yards anymore due to accumulated lower extremity injuries, but this place seems to be popular for the I want to run crowd: https://www.c25k.com/

Bottom line - of course you can do it. Sign up and do it!

CraigB

In October? Absolutely. Just map out a training strategy and get to work on it. You've got acres of time if you get going.

jethro56 

For someone that just got a bike 3 weeks ago this is an aggressive goal. While it's doable, I think just riding consistently should be your goal for now. If you still want to do this in August then training for it then would still give you enough time.

chasm54

I suggest you visit the triathletes' forum. Lots of good training advice there.

Whether you can do it or not depends on you. But as Craig says, you have plenty of time to prepare. I trained for a Duathlon last year. In the end I didn't compete because I pulled a hamstring shortly beforehand, but I can tell you what I learned.

First, I learned to give myself time to prepare. I didn't really need to train for the cycling, I was easily fit enough for that, but I hadn't done any running for a long time, and I certainly hadn't done any running immediately after cycling. I didn't start doing brick sessions ( riding and running in the same training session) until much too close to the race, and that undoubtedly led to my injury as I tried to play catch- up.

So use the time you have. Start slow, running for just a few minutes at a time at first, riding on the next day, taking a couple of days off per week. Gradually increase the time spent in each session. Don't try to go fast at first, speed will come as you get fitter.

The surprise comes - came for me, anyway - when I started incorporating running and riding into a single session. Running then riding was no problem for me. But riding then running was amazingly difficult, my legs felt like jelly as I got off the bike and started to run. I asked an experienced triathlete about this and he said it is normal, there's no answer except practise. I had left too little time and as a result was transitioning from bike to run with tight hamstrings. Pop.

YMMV. I have no doubt that if you start training now you'll be fine, especially if you get some advice from people who know more about it than me.

vesteroid

I personally think running and biking go hand an hand.

Two totally different muscle groups but they compliment each other.

The aerobic benefits of riding go a long way to helping the endurance of running.

If you have no running experience then I think you need to get going. You have time, and can do it, but it's going to require pretty serious training between now and then to complete the race in comfort. I would estimate you running mileage needs to be in the 20 miles per week range a few weeks prior to the event and your cycling in the ...heck I don't know much about training for the cycling portion.

In five months I have gone from not being able to run to the nd of the driveway to running a half marathon. My training peaked at 25 miles per week. I have been riding occasionally and 20 miles is easy enough for me, although I do still consider it stressfull at a decent pace.

So right now do I think I could do that race...yes, it would hurt, but I could do it. I would have very slow run times and I suspect my bike mph would suffer too.