When most people decide they want to complete a marathon, the natural assumption is that their training needs to revolve almost entirely around running. The thinking is straightforward: if you want to become better at running 26.2 miles, you need to run as often and as far as possible.
There is certainly truth to that approach for someone whose primary objective is to maximize marathon performance. However, that was not my objective.
When I decided to train for and complete a marathon in Colorado last year, I wanted to accomplish something different. I wanted to prepare myself to complete the distance while maintaining the broad range of physical abilities I had developed through years of CrossFit.
As a result, I ran twice per week and completed CrossFit workouts five times per week.
This was not a training program I created on my own. I hired a marathon coach to help me develop an appropriate plan. I knew that preparing for a marathon involved more than simply deciding to run more miles. I needed to progressively prepare my joints, connective tissues, cardiovascular system, muscular endurance, and mindset for the demands of running 26.2 miles. Having an experienced coach helped me determine how to introduce the necessary running volume while still maintaining my existing training.
My weekly structure was relatively simple.
One training day consisted of a shorter run, generally between three and five miles, followed by a CrossFit workout. On those days, I scaled the CrossFit workout appropriately. The objective was not to complete every workout exactly as prescribed regardless of what else I was asking my body to do. The objective was to maintain an appropriate training stimulus while accounting for the additional stress created by running.
My second running day was the long run. Over the course of my training, those runs progressed from approximately seven miles to as much as 20 miles.
After the long run, I took a full day of rest.
The remaining training days consisted of normal CrossFit workouts. As necessary, I scaled those workouts based on how I was recovering and what the overall training demands looked like that week.
This approach required me to pay attention to another important component of training: nutrition.
My activity level was significantly higher than that of someone completing only a few workouts per week. I was running, lifting, performing gymnastics movements, and completing conditioning workouts. Therefore, my nutrition needed to support the amount of work I was doing. Adequate food intake, recovery, and rest were not optional additions to the program. They were part of the program.
The reason I chose this approach was simple: I did not want marathon training to require me to abandon the fitness I had spent years developing.
I did not want to lose muscle.
I did not want to lose strength.
I did not want to lose my gymnastics skills.
I did not want to sacrifice my anaerobic capacity.
I did not want to lose the broader physical capacity that CrossFit had developed.
Instead, I wanted to add marathon-level endurance to an already broad fitness base.
That distinction is important because there is a difference between specialization and general physical preparedness.
If your objective is to win a marathon, qualify for an elite-level event, or maximize your performance as a competitive distance runner, a highly specialized running program is appropriate. Your training will need to devote substantially more time and energy toward running because your objective requires specialization.
That is not what most people are trying to accomplish.
Most people are generalists.
They want to be strong and have cardiovascular endurance. They want to maintain muscle and move well. They want to participate in different activities and remain physically capable as their lives and interests change.
For that population, there is value in maintaining a varied training program.
CrossFit provides a methodology centered on developing broad and general physical preparedness. Rather than preparing someone for only one specific physical task, the goal is to develop multiple physical capacities, including cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy.
That broad foundation can be useful when an athlete decides to take on a new challenge.
A half-marathon does not necessarily mean you need to stop lifting. A marathon does not necessarily mean you need to stop doing CrossFit. Adding an endurance event to your goals may require adjustments to your training, but it does not automatically require abandoning the other physical qualities you have worked to develop.
I have also met numerous CrossFit athletes who have used CrossFit as their primary training methodology while incorporating running approximately twice per week in preparation for a half-marathon or marathon. Some have achieved personal records while maintaining CrossFit as the foundation of their training.
That does not mean two runs per week is universally sufficient for everyone.
It means that training volume needs to be appropriate for the individual, the goal, and the desired outcome.
My own experience reinforced that principle.
I intentionally ran twice per week because I needed to expose my body and mind to the specific demands of long-distance running. I needed to progressively increase my running volume and develop the endurance required to complete the marathon. At the same time, I wanted to continue developing and maintaining the other physical qualities that were important to me.
Most importantly, I did not approach the process casually. I hired a coach, followed a structured plan, adjusted my CrossFit training when necessary, prioritized recovery, and made sure my nutrition supported the workload.
The lesson I took from the experience is that more training is not automatically better training.
Training needs to have a purpose.
If you are considering a half-marathon, marathon, or another endurance event, you do not necessarily need to abandon the training that has helped you become fit in the first place. You may simply need to become more intentional about how you organize your training.
The goal should not always be to do more.
The goal should be to do what is necessary to accomplish the objective while maintaining as much of your overall fitness as possible.
If you are considering a running event and would like to discuss how you can prepare for it while continuing to develop your overall fitness, schedule a free consultation. We can sit down, discuss your goals, look at your current training, and have a conversation about how to approach the challenge intelligently.
