| Marathon versus Century |
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I have heard this argument many times between runners and bikers and now can officially chime in on my opinion after doing both.
A Marathon seemed much harder than a Century with comparable HR efforts on both. It may take less time to run - but the rigors of running just beat up on me a lot more than biking. My hat goes off to real runners that left me in the dust.
I am just glad to have the 26.2 off my bucket list so I can get back to riding!!
I also noticed that all my training for running a Marathon just killed my biking this year.
Any others want to chime in on a Century versus a Marathon?
Spongebob Runnerpants
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| | rschlump  |
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| St. Louis Cycling Club  |
| posted
10/11/2011
at 6:28:32 PM |
| post #11 viewed 261 times |
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I rode some bad roads here in Missouri this summer & sometimes one can also take a beating on a bike.
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| | boonerider |
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| posted
10/11/2011
at 6:29:30 PM |
| post #12 viewed 260 times |
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Seems like terrain would play a huge role in which one was tougher. There is a huge difference in riding a flat century and one in the mountains.
Course I would rather ride the Col Du Tourmalet repeatedly for 100 miles rather than run a marathon. If God wanted us to run he wouldn't have given us bikes.
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| | maillotpois |
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| Amici Veloci |
| posted
10/11/2011
at 6:33:51 PM |
| post #13 viewed 259 times |
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I find running a mile harder than riding a century. OK, I hate running 
-- posted by gw_12
Me too - yet another thing we agree on!! 
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| | Howard  |
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| Club Hypoxia |
| posted
10/11/2011
at 7:19:50 PM |
| post #14 viewed 249 times |
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1. It's all relative, and, 2. Everyone's different.
I have done 83 centuries in the past five years, three of them double-centuries or better. Most of them were 5-hour centuries... for example, one week ago I rode 102 miles in 5:14. YET, none of them were as difficult as a 3:59 marathon I did last year.
Okay, there was that 519-mile bike race Deadhead and I did three years ago in 31:57...
But that's just me.
Because during my marathon last year, I met a guy in the 65-69 y.o. age group who has run 262 marathons in his lifetime... at least FOUR in EVERY state in the country plus D.C.
I imagine this guy doesn't think marathons are as difficult as the rest of us do.
Here he is to the left in the photo (and in front of me!)
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post edited on 10/11/2011 at 7:23:08 PM
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| | windlover |
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| Cervélo Enthusiasts |
| posted
10/11/2011
at 7:23:26 PM |
| post #15 viewed 243 times |
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IMO (I have run a half marathon, never a marathon) and last year I cycled one Double Century and 6 Centuries (in an 8 month span)
200 mi on Bike about like running a Marathon (guess here, since never did a marathon)
Century on bike like a half marathon run
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| | Kin |
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| Biciclette Poli |
| posted
10/11/2011
at 7:24:07 PM |
| post #16 viewed 242 times |
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My experience was that the marathon was more difficult. Probably because it was after the 2.4 mile swim and the 112 mile bike ride, and I finished in the dark. 
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| | BlazingPedals |
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| Tri-County Bicycle Association |
| posted
10/12/2011
at 6:20:15 AM |
| post #17 viewed 214 times |
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I'd rather ride a century than to run a 10K (which would mostly be done at a walking pace.)
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| | rider6497 |
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| Mountain Lakes Cycling |
| posted
10/12/2011
at 6:40:41 AM |
| post #18 viewed 208 times |
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In my opinion running is much more punishing on the body than riding. I cannot compare the physical exertion but I know running beats my body (joints and muscles) up a lot more than cycling. I ride with several reformed marathoners whose bodies couldn't take the pounding anymore. I made the mistake of jogging last night to get ready for an Adventure Race with my son and I am sitting here with a strained/pulled calf muscle. I am sticking to biking. I like running but running hates me and my joints.
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| | RDW3261 |
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| posted
10/12/2011
at 10:21:48 AM |
| post #19 viewed 187 times |
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I also did a marathon in the last year and biking does not compare to running a marathon. Its not only the race but the training you have to do to prepare for the marathon.
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| | 67walkon |
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| posted
10/12/2011
at 2:47:42 PM |
| post #20 viewed 168 times |
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It is now an irrelevant question for me because I couldn't run a marathon if I wanted to. But I ran 2 of them about 25 years ago, with my best time being 3:27. The longest bike ride I've done was maybe 80 miles in one day, on a MS 150 ride. I've done week long rides like BRAG a number of times, where you ride 400 to maybe 450 miles in a week.
When you finish a marathon, unless you are elite, you aren't gonna feel much like running for a few days. It depletes your muscles and your are just plain sore. On a bike, you can keep going day after day.
Before I got my screws and plates in my pelvis, everytime I tried to run, my lower back would get so still that it took 3 or 4 days to get back to normal. that never happens on the bike.
Put me down for the marathon being harder than a century. Unless you crash, in which case the marathon crash is a lot easier than the bike crash.
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