Hey everyone,
I’m currently training for a marathon this fall. After that, I’d like to shift gears and focus on improving both my running and cycling performance. My goal is to take part in both running and cycling events going forward.
I’ve started testing out Athletica, but I’m not quite sure how to configure it properly. Ideally, I’d like the program to give me both running and cycling workouts. But when I set running as my primary sport, I only get run sessions — and the same goes for cycling when I set that as the main sport.
I tried selecting “Duathlon” to get mixed sessions, which kind of works, but then it assigns an A-race automatically. The problem is, I’m not training for an actual duathlon. I also can’t seem to categorize a running or cycling event as an A-race under that setup.
Has anyone run into this or found a good workaround? Any tips would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Andreas
Hi, Andreas:
Perhaps give this a shot, as it seems to have worked for me. I have a series of swimruns coming up over the next month, but presently am on a marathon plan (running only).
So, I put a modality restriction on Sundays (my preferred swim day) for the following:
This approach seems to result in a swim session each Sunday. I’d imagine, then, if you put a required modality (if generalized on a weekly basis) for a cycling session on one or multiple days, the platform might schedule it for you.
Alternatively, you can use the modality options in workout wizard to choose a cycling session if available (one always seems to be available for me).
Lastly, you may wish to add a multisport or cycling event after your marathon. I have an Oly in November (after my marathon in September) and I can see the plan shift back to multisport after the marathon.
Hope one of all of those options work for you!
edit…
for further reference, the other options on that page are set as such. All days, but Sunday look like Monday:
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SoCal, I came here to say…exactly what I ended up reading in your reply!
So I’ll just go with…what he said ^
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I’m in the same situation—I want to build endurance in both cycling and running, and I’m planning to take part in a mix of bike events and running races (like 5Ks and half marathons).
In Athletica, I set duathlon as my main sport and created a fictional A-priority duathlon event to structure the training. Then I added all my actual bike races and run events as B-priority races.
It’s not a perfect setup—Athletica now schedules a run off the bike every week, which isn’t always relevant for me. I usually just delete either the bike or the run on those days, depending on what I want to focus on.
That said, I’d really love to see a more flexible option in Athletica for combining running, cycling, and strength training without needing these kinds of workarounds.
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Hey all,
Great advice already here. I came to say that I’ve coached athletes with great results with the Duathlon plan for running, general fitness and even cross-country skiing and mountaineering. With a few workarounds like “fictional” races - I configured the plan based on the estimated duration of the actual race /event.
I’ lm currently working on the Cross-Country Ski Plans; which I’m personally super excited about, and I think they will offer much flexibility for people here for the northern winter.
MJ
MJ
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Hi everyone,
first of all, thanks a lot for the helpful advice recently! Based on your tips, I’ve now configured my 2025–2026 season in Athletica using Duathlon as the main sport – and I think the setup handles the balance between running and cycling quite well.
Here’s how I’ve structured it so far:
Aug 23, 2025 – B-Duathlon, middle distance (fictional)
→ This one serves as a B-race to keep the multisport load consistent and allow cycling intensity to gradually increase alongside marathon prep.
Oct 12, 2025 – B-Marathon (real race) – Essen, Germany
→ My real running B-race for the fall. Athletica handles the lead-up well while still incorporating manageable cycling volume.
Mar 29, 2026 – A-Duathlon, long distance (fictional)
→ Strategically placed to maintain structured multisport progression through winter and into the spring.
May 2026 (TBD) – Tour ohne Grenzen (real B-event)
→ A 333 km endurance cycling event. Setting this as a B-race seems to let the training plan ramp up endurance while keeping recovery manageable.
The fictional Duathlon in March works as a strong anchor point for spring training, keeping the load realistic while targeting endurance. And having the B-Duathlon in August helps build a logical bridge between summer training and fall marathon performance.
Let me know what you think – and happy training!
