The cycling equivalent of a marathon?

[Ming the Merciless]

You're getting there.

So, now we need to consider the cycling equivalent.

Or not. If you think it's a pointless discussion, which it is to a degree, then you aren't duty bound to participate.

You still haven’t got it.

You need something to measure to come up with equivalence. Let’s go with energy expenditure , how do they compare?

Marathon run at 8mph, so 3 hours 15 mins and 3,600 calories
Cycling 100 miles at 16 mph, so 6 hours 15 mins and 3,750 calories

Seem pretty equivalent to me.

 

[Dogtrousers]

You still haven’t got it.

You need something to measure to come up with equivalence. Let’s go with energy expenditure , how do they compare?

Marathon run at 8mph, so 3 hours 15 and 3,600 joules

Should you choose to take the route of establishing an objective, work based approach, yes, that would indeed be one, among many different and equally valid alternative ways of approaching the question.

It's up to you.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Should you choose to take the route of establishing an objective, work based approach, yes, that would indeed be one, among many different and equally valid alternative ways of approaching the question.

It's up to you.

There we go then a 100 mile ride is equivalent to a marathon. Now we can get back to Ride London.

 

[Dogtrousers]

To ride one fast (sub 4 hours) is a lot harder and I would say is comparable to a marathon.

Yikes. My first thought was "I couldn't do that".

But then I probably couldn't do a marathon again so maybe you have a point

 

[Milkfloat]

Let’s go with energy expenditure , how do they compare?

Marathon run at 8mph, so 3 hours 15 mins and 3,600 calories
Cycling 100 miles at 16 mph, so 6 hours 15 mins and 3,750 calories

Seem pretty equivalent to me.

I know I approach this at from a cycling dominated view, but my marathon was 44 seconds over 4 hours (yes I was very annoyed), but I found it much harder than a 5 hour Century. I don't even think I would have been capable of a 3 hour 15 marathon, even if I totally dedicated myself running. As it was, I did follow decent training plans for the marathon, it was not run an a whim and a few 10km races.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I'd say a 12hr time trial, if you take the preparation and endurance required.

 

[Racing roadkill]

It depends how hard you ride. Do a 100 mile hilly ride on a fixie ( an actual fixie with no freewheel ) then see if you think it’s not as tough as running a marathon.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I know I approach this at from a cycling dominated view, but my marathon was 44 seconds over 4 hours (yes I was very annoyed), but I found it much harder than a 5 hour Century. I don't even think I would have been capable of a 3 hour 15 marathon, even if I totally dedicated myself running. As it was, I did follow decent training plans for the marathon, it was not run an a whim and a few 10km races.

Just shows different sports different abilities. A four hour marathon is pretty slow for a marathon. It's very much in the fun run category. Where as a 20 mph 5 hour 100 miles, assuming it wasn't flat and you didn't draft at all, is at the quicker end for many riders. If the 100 mile cycle ride was flat then 20 mph would be fairly typical for a club rider.

 

[Ian H]

A100 mile time trial is different from just riding 100 miles, you shouldn't be freewheeling. Nowadays fast riders finish in well under 4hrs.

A marathon is a race, so you should compare it with cycle racing. But, as said, there's no exact equivalent. In terms of exertion/energy expenditure, you'd probably have to be on the bike for longer than you would running.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A marathon is a race at the sharp end but you can say it is. For many it's just about completion and you see many walking quite early on, certainly at the London Marathon.

 

[rivers]

My brother is a decently fast runner (sub 2:30 marathon). He trains pretty extensively for them throughout 8 months-year. He will hop on a bike a couple of times a year at his wife's request, and do a 100km ride without much of an issue. I can bash out a 100+ mile ride pretty much any time of the year. I can barely run down the street.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

My brother is a decently fast runner (sub 2:30 marathon). He trains pretty extensively for them throughout 8 months-year. He will hop on a bike a couple of times a year at his wife's request, and do a 100km ride without much of an issue. I can bash out a 100+ mile ride pretty much any time of the year. I can barely run down the street.

Does he bash out the 100 miles in less than 4 hours though?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Never run a marathon, so I think I need to have strong, entirely unjustified opinions on this one.

On the basis of training required, virgin marathoners seem to need 6 months or so to build up.

On that basis, I'd say a century on a bike is about the equivalent. Probably a hilly century, say the Marmotte, or Fred Whitton or something like that.

It's definitely NOT PBP. That's more like ultra running.

I do 5k parkrun every week. I'd say that's about the same as a 10 mile TT, definitely easier than a 25. I can be even more confident in my opinions on that, as I have extensive experience of cycling those TTs. Precisely one of each, to be exact.

 

[rivers]

Does he bash out the 100 miles in less than 4 hours though?

He won't ride 100 miles, his ass starts to complain apparently. We did 100km in about 4 hours when he came to visit a couple of years ago. I take great pleasure in gloating that I beat him up Cheddar.

 

[adehooper]

The Dartmoor Classic, Grande route. 😱 110 miles of hell, but IMHO equal to any Marathon, just an opinion of course having done both in my time.