Hiking & Marathon Training

[Furry]

Later this year, I'll be training for my first marathon (in the Fall) while still trying to get to the mountains for a decent amount of hiking. I'd like to hear from anyone who has trained for a marathon on how it affected your hiking and vice versa. From what I have learned, a marathon training program follows a fairly rigid schedule as far as mileage to be completed on specific days and I wonder how hiking could (either negatively or positively) affect the training program. Specifically, have people used "long hikes" in-place of "long runs" of 18-20 miles? If so, how did the extra hills affect your overall training program (were your legs overly weary for subsequent runs)? Or, did you typically try to hike on weekends where only moderate-length runs (12-16 miles) were called for and do long runs the weekend before and the weekend after?

Any input would be appreciated!

 

[Artex]

I did my first marathon last October and have another one coming up next month along with an ultra in April. Hiking was definitely a HUGE help. I'd argue it's the best cross training one could possibly do for running.

I still think it's important to get in 20+ mile runs, but hikes of the same distance can still be used instead, especially earlier in the training program. At least that's what worked for me.

Just my two cents and I don't admit to being that experienced. Like I said, I've only run one.

Best of luck!

 

[beverly]

I've run one marathon, too

And I think that hiking is great conditioning, but there is no substitute for the long run. I believe that is the conventional wisdom. In the later stages of preparation, I wouldn't do the long hike - I'd do the long run. They aren't really interchangeable.

 

[Rik]

Like Artex I have only run one so take this with that in mind. I thought hiking was a plus. I was a hiker before I was a runner. I agree that you still need to get some long runs in but I never went over 20 miles in a training run and did fine meeting both of my goals 1. to finish 2. to finish in less than 4 hours. I didn't use a training formula but just tried to increase how much I was running. I used a lot of hiking and biking as cross training. I think hiking helped with the hilly parts of the marathon course. Interested to hear from more experienced runners. Great topic.

 

[kmac]

marathon training/hiking

I have run 3 marathons and if there's one thing that I learned (the hard way) long runs are the best way to train for a marathon. Cross training with long hikes are great too, but work different mucscles. I did both but mainly concentrated on a running schedule for the marathon.
Check out this web-site for training schedules.
Good Luck : ) kmac
http://www.nyrrc.org/nyrrc/mar01/copyright.html

 

[Papa Bear]

edit I had put 15 marathons in 4 years. Sorry it was 15 marathons in 15 years. Sorry, big difference.

I've run over 15 marathons in the last 15 years including 4 Bostons, and I'm training at this time for a spring marathon (Vancouver, B.C.). Here's my running page for what it's worth. At the same time I've done thousands of miles of hiking including the NE Hundred Highest Peaks and the NE Fifty Finest Peaks (see my signature).

I would definately say that hiking is great for conditioning and for developing leg strength, but because of the specificity of the activities, it is not advised to do a lot of hiking while you are in your marathon training phase. I find hiking, especially a lot of climbing, tends to develope a lot of slow twitch muscle mass (akin to doing a lot of weight lifting with the legs) which gets in the way, so to speak, when you start a lot of running. There is no question that miles, miles and more miles of running provides the necessasary framework for a good marathon. "Muscle bound" legs get in the way.

What I do is divide the year into two seasons. From about May to October I'm hiking and climbing with little or no running. The late fall and winter is my running training period and Spring is when I might do a marathon.

The transition from running back to hiking is easy and painless. But going the other way - from hiking to running - is much tougher. My legs are sore for a month.

If your hiking and running are both of a modest amount, you can certainly do both at the same time. But once you get into marathon training, stick to running.

Bottom line: do them both but not at the same time. I would call hiking not so much "cross training" for running, but "off season training".

 

[Furry]

Great feedback so far. Thanks. I should have been more clear in my original post - I am planning on doing the long runs as necessary. I wouldn't want to substitute "long hikes" for all of the "long runs." I was just wondering if one long hike could be used in place of one long run - sounds like the general opinion is "you probably shouldn't, at least not in the latter stages of the training program." Did anyone hike on the weekends between long runs where only a moderate-length run was called for in the training program (i.e., long run weekend, hike weekend, long run weekend)?

 

[snowshoe]

I think hiking is great way to change up from the normal runs. I have been a runner/hiker for well over 10 years and I also coached High School for a while. Your body needs a rest at least one day a week. Use that as your hiking day. Another option is you can incorperate runing and hiking. You can start out by doing a run and then after the run hit the trail as a warm down. I have done that throughout High School and college. The hiking was a great way for my body to get a cool down and also on my rest day the hiking gave my legs a break from the pounding. Also dont forget trail running is a great way to train as well. Hope this helps some.

 

[Artex]

Did anyone hike on the weekends between long runs where only a moderate-length run was called for in the training program (i.e., long run weekend, hike weekend, long run weekend)?

I have, when we did the Presi Traverse last September, which was sandwiched between weekends of LSD runs. That worked out pretty well for me. A key point is to really listen to your body as to how far you can push it. You don't want to risk overtraining and get injured. On the flipside, you also don't want to undertrain and not be prepared. It can be a fine line.

 

[kmac]

I too, have hiked in the midst of training with no ill effects. Like Artex said, you have to listen to your body.

 

[Jacob]

Last October/November I ran three marathons and an ultra while doing a good bit of hiking. I found them to be complimentary, and would often do a decent hike in between my long runs. I found that it helped with my leg strength, and just getting out on the trails to hike made it easier mentally to be out running on a set schedule.
One thing that surprised me was the difference in difficulty between a trail race and a road race. Two marathons were road, and the other two races trail. Simply put, the trail races tired me out significantly more than the road ones, and if I had to re-do my training, it would have been more trail-specific. Either way, as everyone said, the hiking will be good for you - just listen to your body. Which marathon are you doing?

 

[daxs]

I am also trying to train for a marathon and trying to combine hiking and long runs for me is turning out to be difficult. I am not close to the mountians so hiking means taking an entire weekend off from running becasue of commuting distance etc. Weekends are really the only time that I can work in a long run. My weekday runs tend to be 5 or 6 miles. I need a weekend to get a 10+ miler in. I find if I take more than a week off from a long run, even though I am hiking, I struggle in my long run. I am planning 2 half marathons this spring; a change from a half and a full. Now I am planning on waiting until the fall and will try the Marine Corps marathon.

 

[Furry]

Which marathon are you doing?

I'll be applying for NYC and if I get picked in the lottery, I'll do that one. If not, something else in the Oct-Nov timeframe.....possibly Portland, ME.

 

[blownaway]

I can say from experience that after carrying a 40lb pack for three days in Winter my legs feel as light as feathers during the following run.

This is more on the lines of "backpacking" rather than hiking.

Hey...using different muscles is a good thing IMO.

 

[Ronni]

The most beautiful marathon you can run is the Adirondack Marathon, out of Schroon Lake, in Sept. The scenery is spectacular and the energy from the crowd just great. If you get into ( and want to do NYC) do the ADK marathon as a half-marathon-it's good preparation. This marathon answers all questions- you still get to be in the Dacks- what more do you want?
I love both - hiking and running- they DO compliment each other- just enjoy yourself. I'll leave the pros and cons of each to the others and not reiterate what they have already said.

 

[Artex]

I'll be applying for NYC and if I get picked in the lottery, I'll do that one. If not, something else in the Oct-Nov timeframe.....possibly Portland, ME.

I've heard great things about the Portland marathon (officially the Sportshoe Marathon). Being a hiker, you might also want to consider the Mt. Desert Island Marathon in Acadia National Park in mid-October. That's the one I did and it was GREAT. Super hilly, but the scenery will help you take your mind off that.

 

[Rik]

The most beautiful marathon you can run is the Adirondack Marathon, out of Schroon Lake, in Sept. The scenery is spectacular and the energy from the crowd just great. If you get into ( and want to do NYC) do the ADK marathon as a half-marathon-it's good preparation. This marathon answers all questions- you still get to be in the Dacks- what more do you want?
I love both - hiking and running- they DO compliment each other- just enjoy yourself. I'll leave the pros and cons of each to the others and not reiterate what they have already said.

This is the one I did and agree with Ronni completely. It does have some hills but is a beautiful course.

 

[lamerunner]

Running will help your hiking more than hiking will help your running, in my experience, but I think the above posters are correct that a hike is very good cross trainning and can substitute for an ordinary run, but you should get the long runs in. Much depends on your goals in the marathon and your training program. Lots of folks do the really long runs every other week. Another possiblity if you have the stamina is to do a moderate run then a hike.

 

[amstony]

I used hiking as my "cross training" for my first marathon in late September 2005. The longest hike I did was a Tripyramids/E. Sleeper hike of roughly 16 miles. I did not use hiking as a substitute for the long runs. I found the elevation gain as more useful for building strength and breath control than hiking a long distance. You can't substitute hiking 20 miles as a substitute for a 20 mile run.

I changed off, hiking on the weekends (in my continuing quest to complete the New England 67 list), where I did not have a scheduled long run. However, I did do a 22 mile run on one day and the next day I did a hike of Mt Spaulding and Sugarloaf in Maine. I had no problem on that weekend doing both.

The key was planning your program in advance, deciding how to do it and then sticking to it. My longest run was a 24 miler, 3 weeks out from the marathon. The next weekend I hiked Mount Abraham in Maine, and then focused on the tapering down in mileage for the next 2 weekends, foregoing hiking to save strength and avoid injury.

For my fall marathon I'll probably follow a similiar program. This year I want to do a Kilkenney Ridge traverse, and maybe a Presi Traverse, but I'll need to squeeze them in earlier in the hiking season. Same with completing the 67 list.

The biggest problem- TIME. I love to do both hiking and running!!

 

[Snowflea]

You can always combine hiking & running, i.e. trailrunning.

As others have stated, it really depends what your goals are for the marathon. If you merely want to finish, I'd say hiking could replace some of your runs. If you are focused on running a specific time, you should probably focus more on your running miles.

I do use hiking to "train" for running events, but most of the races I do are very long trail races which usually incorporate some walking. (And actually, I don't like to use the word "train" because it's all just part of my lifestyle; I run & hike by feel--listening to my body--rather than by following a strict training schedule.)

Good luck!

Stinkyfeet, ~15 merry-thons and ~100 (??) ultras over the last 14 years