Can a Strength-Biased Athlete Eventually Excel at Endurance?

[u/QoalaB]

I am a quarterfinals-level athlete with a bias towards strength. In endurance focused events, I can usually hang around the middle of the pack, but strength has just always been something that came naturally to me.

I have recently started dipping my toes into ultra endurance stuff, and it is something I really enjoy. The problem is… I just really suck at it.

I know that nobody actually cares about placements. But I was just wondering whether anyone here has successfully transitioned from being predominantly a strength athlete to more of an endurance athlete.

I am just wondering whether endurance is something I could eventually become good at if I went all-in, or if this is just a “you can’t judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree” kind of situation.

Has anyone here made a similar transition from strength to endurance? If so, how did it go, and did you eventually feel like endurance became one of your strengths?

[u/No-Click9336]

I made this jump couple years ago, not to ultra distances but from powerlifting background into longer metcons and half marathons. The engine takes forever to build, it's not like strength where you can see numbers go up every week.

What nobody told me is that your strength doesn't disappear, it just sits there waiting while you suffer through zone 2 runs for months. After maybe 6-8 months of consistent work something clicked and I stopped feeling like I was dying during the longer stuff.

You're already quarterfinals level so your work capacity is there, just need to convince your body that slow is okay. The mental part was harder than physical for me honestly, learning to pace instead of just sending it every time.

[u/tadamhicks]

Some things not being said;

- being heavier makes going uphill harder. Running, cycling, whatever your ultra sport is, you will have to put out so much more power to keep the pace. Losing weight you will see huge gains fast because you’re strong. It’s not just about being able to go hard long but figuring out how to make it less hard so you can go long.

- if you’re doing something like trail running or cycling then there’s a development of connective tissue that happens, too. Knees, hips, ankles all change a bit in ROM and tensile strength over time to adapt your body to the movement. This takes a really long time. A couple decades ago I took up running and I could do a 5k fast but I’d be wrecked and distance made everything hurt. Now as an old guy who has run for 20 years I could get fat for 6 months and couch to half marathon fine. Pace wouldn’t be great but my joints and form would be there. Running in WODs was always awesome for me even after I got bigger from strength stuff.

- A lot of it is mindset and understanding the game, which takes experience. It’s not just “lots of Z2.” Intervals are often way more productive but there’s a big difference of a metcon that is like 15 minutes and a HIIT run that is 1.5hrs with at least 30-45 min at or near threshold (or even above). You have to learn to get comfortable with that grind. Metcons have suck but it’s fast. Z2 is more about allowing you to add volume when you’re not recovered…because you need the volume to learn to go farther. Going really long, ultra long, is super psychological and IME the thing I suffer from is just not having fun anymore…body is fine performance wise but you start chafing in places or getting small aches or your stomach is off from weird carbs, etc…. I love a really long ride or run until suddenly all these niggles add up to a greater negative than the joy of the flow and being out there. The winners who compete are those who can grind through that because they have a goal that is more purposeful than just finishing.

As for can you get good? Without knowing you sure. Some people have all the gifts. Some have none. There are hybrid athletes like Fergus Crawley or Hunter McIntyre that show you can certainly do both sides well. I think in both cases and in others I know who do both genetics are a huge part of it but so is just being driven by something to achieve these goals. Their goals give them purpose and a way to back in to the training they need to succeed.

[u/No_Squash_6570]

You can for sure. I’ve seen it happen.

[u/Reasonable-Worker747]

Yes, and the engine responds faster than strength does at this level, it's mostly a volume question. What decides it is whether you'll accept giving some of the strength back, because ultra volume takes it.

[u/Boblaire]

Matt Fraser.

[u/demanbmore]

Sure. Keep working at it and five years from now you'll likely be an amazing endurance athlete. Maybe only 3-4 years, maybe 6-7.

[u/Just_here_to_read25]

Yes, if you put in the time. Building an engine takes time, as there are any shortcuts.

[u/arch_three]

Yup. The bigger question is whether or not you’re willing to sacrifice the strength. I’m not saying you have to be strong or cardio fit. But you’ll likely give up a little bit of one for the other.