Ironman vs 100 mile ultramarathon

I completed the Ironman Texas in 2023 and the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler in 2022. While both races were challenging, there was one that stood out as more difficult. I break it down into several categories here.

Training Complexity

Ironman training was much more complex. It combines swimming, biking, and running. I needed to improve three different sports in a matter of months. There are so many variables that go into each that it sometimes felt overwhelming. This is one of the many reasons I hired a coach. The 100 mile training was more straight forward. I was just focused on running and running well.

Training Time

At the peak of Ironman training I was putting in around 17 hours of training time per week. Most days were composed of two workouts. I also had no rest days due to the short race deadline. The 100 mile training was nowhere close to this. I had at least one day off and the peak of training I was around 12 hours of running.

Demand on the Body

One thing I liked about Ironman training was the ability to spread the stress on the body. Swimming elongated the body and gave my legs a break. I was using more of my upper body for my swims. The bike was also low impact. Running was the toughest on the body, but little time was spent here compared to the other swimming and biking. In comparison, training for a 100 mile run was very demanding on the body. I used the same parts of the body over and over again on my runs. The wear and tear on the legs was more of an issue.

Race Day

The Ironman race was a little over 12 hours. It felt quick because it was broken down into three different stages. It helped keep the mind occupied. The skies were blue and the temperatures were not too hot. I also had the support from a lot of spectators throughout the course, especially the run.

The 100 mile run was just under 22 hours. This was long and grueling. It was cold in the morning (around 35ºF) and we also had to run a lot in the dark. It was the same 20 mile lap five times with minimal spectators along the course. The fatigue I felt on mile 13 of the Ironman marathon was similar to the fatigue i felt on mile 60 of the 100 miler. The 100 miler was much more of a mental game towards the end. That’s what really made it more difficult.

Post-race Recovery

As noted above, the Ironman recovery was quick without many issues. The 100 miler recovery was a little slower. The day after the race my feet were swollen and it was hard to walk. It took a couple of days for the swelling to go down and at least a week to get back to exercise. A lot more damage was done during the 100 miler.

Conclusion

Ironman had it’s challenges, especially in the training. However, I found the Rocky Raccoon 100 to be more difficult for the reasons stated above. Both courses were relatively flat so it would be interesting to compare a hilly Ironman with a hilly 100 ultra. Maybe one day I’ll find out.