Bucket list and salvaging muscle

[aclass]

Interested in the thoughts, experiences, successes of those who have trained for either half marathon or marathon while maintaining a weight training routine.
I want to check off a Bucket List item next year and try for a marathon but I'm not looking forward to sacrificing the muscle I've gained over the past 10 years. My genetics and body type have been very unforgiving in terms of muscle gains.
I understand that in reality some muscle will be lost, but I'm interested to hear of others who have done both and how much size and strength you lost while training for the run?

 

[Dutchman]

Interested in the thoughts, experiences, successes of those who have trained for either half marathon or marathon while maintaining a weight training routine.
I want to check off a Bucket List item next year and try for a marathon but I'm not looking forward to sacrificing the muscle I've gained over the past 10 years. My genetics and body type have been very unforgiving in terms of muscle gains.
I understand that in reality some muscle will be lost, but I'm interested to hear of others who have done both and how much size and strength you lost while training for the run?

Up until I turned 59, 10 years ago, I had managed decades of long distance running and lifting together. At 59, weighing 175 to 180 I still could run a half marathon in 8 mins per. The secret in my case was to switch to a split workout system. I spent 3 days per week in the gym and 4 days on the roads. Typically my workouts lasted about 1-11/2 hour during the weeks and 2 hours on Sunday mornings. For example Tuesdays I would do a 2 mile warmup and cooldown wrapped around half mile intervals. Wednesdays were a 10 K but only at near half marathon race pace. Fridays were 220s intervals again with a jog interval til the next sprint. Sundays were long easy runs at slower than race pace followed by about an hour in the pool. In the gym I also did a split workout with each day wrapped around the big 3 of Deads, Squats and BP. This routine worked great for me for 10 Ks up to 15 milers. If I needed more endurance I added morning bike work, mountain or flat, on lifting days to increase my aerobic capacity. I usually managed to stay within 5 lbs during training except for marathons where I would drop about 15 lbs. It came back fast thank God. FWIW. Good luck.

 

[aclass]

Thank you for the reply Dutchman. I can tell from reading your post that I dont have the luxury of adjusting my pace when it comes to the longer distances. I'm beginning to think that running isnt my forte.
And do I understand you correctly that you maintained a "leg day" even while running? I typically hit legs pretty hard and the soreness can get in the way at times. Debating just how much intensity to decrease or even stop training legs all-together.

 

[Dutchman]

Thank you for the reply Dutchman. I can tell from reading your post that I dont have the luxury of adjusting my pace when it comes to the longer distances. I'm beginning to think that running isnt my forte.
And do I understand you correctly that you maintained a "leg day" even while running? I typically hit legs pretty hard and the soreness can get in the way at times. Debating just how much intensity to decrease or even stop training legs all-together.

Yeah, I kept leg day, usually on Thursday. For me as long as I am consistent with my leg workouts I don't have much soreness the next day unless I am going hard with increased weight. Often I would switch to lower weight/higher reps and of course before a race on the weekend I would drop legs alltogether as I always cut back and rested on Saturday and/or Friday as needed. It seemed to me that the heavy and hard sprint work really helped my leg shape and size. I felt like some kind of sprinter.LOL