Brick Workouts

As every triathlete knows, brick workouts are a great way to prepare you mind and your body for race conditions.  Most brick workouts focus on the bike/run transition.  Below are some workouts provided by Scott Iott (level 1 USAT coach):

Olympic Distance Bricks:
The pure speed of Olympic distance race requires brick training to have some added intensity.

Bike Focused:

Warm-up for 30 minutes then do 2-4x at 20-30 minutes at threshold HR or FTP.  5 minute recovery between each.  Then make a quick transition to a 20-minute run (10-20 second surges to race pace)

Run Focused:

Warm-up with 15-20 minutes of easy riding, then alternate between 15 minute periods of zone 2 and zone 3 riding for 90 minutes.  Then make a quick transition to a 30 minute run on a track.  After 5 minutes easy jog, do 3-5x 800 meters at 5k pace with 200 easy jog between.

Race Specific:

Do this session 1-2 weeks before race day.  Warm-up with 30 minute ride, then do 2x 30 minute at your goal intensity with 5 minutes of easy riding between sets.  Finish the ride with a 20-minute threshold effort.  Then make a fast transition to a 30 minute run.  Go faster each half mile until you're running at threshold pace for the last mile.

Long Course (Ironman) Bricks
Unlike Olympic distance racing where speed development is the main concern, long distance racing is more of an endurance event.

Half-Ironman Focus (4 hours):

After long easy warm up, ride 60 minutes at goal IM intensity, 60 minutes at HIM intensity and then 60 minutes at faster than HIM intensity.  Then transition to a 45 minute run with the goal of getting faster every mile.

Full Ironman Focus (6 hours):

Ride easy for 60 minutes then ride for 4-5 hours at goal IM intensity.  This should be high zone 2 or low zone 3.  Practice nutrition.  Then run 60 minutes as 5 minutes easy, 25 minutes goal IM pace, then 25 minutes 10-20 seconds faster than goal IM pace.

 

 

The 5 Phases of Swim Training

From an article written by Sara McLarty in Triathlete magazine October 2010.

“Swim practice should change multiple times during the year….How much time [spend in each phase] is a question that can only be answered on an individual basis….A year-round athlete will spend two to three months in a phases while a first-timer might spend a few days.  Sprint athletes emphasize the speed phase while iron-distance athletes spend more time on the endurance phase”

The Endurance Phase
This usually starts during the winter holidays, which for me is next week.  The focus is on building (or rebuilding) endurance.  Sample workout:

600y warm-up (200/200 kick/200 drill)
9 x 200y with 30s recovery (3 fins, 3 pull, 3 swim)
100y easy

The Strength Phase
Now the intervals (and pace clock) become more challenging.  Typically starts in late March, however I have a triathlon on March 3 so I’m starting earlier.  Article stresses pull-equipment to improve upper body strength.  Sample workout:

600y warm-up (2x200 swim/ 50 kick/ 50 drill)
6 x 50y free at 1:00 (descend 1-3, 4-6 seconds each interval)
15 x 100 free (5 at 2:00, 4 at 1:55, 3 at 1:50, 2 at 1:45 and 1 all out)
200y easy

The Speed Phase
With priority A race coming up, time to do a speed session once a week.  Sample workout:

500y choice warm-up
8x75 at 2:00 (25 kick / 25 drill / 25 build)
6x50 fast (100 easy swim after each 50)
500y easy pull

The Taper Phase
The length of taper depends on race distance, but is usually 2 weeks.  The idea is to reduce the amount of time spent in the pool in each session, not to reduce the total number of swim sessions.  Sample workouts:

400 warm-up (if in open water)
10x50 at 1:00 (25 head-up drill/25 swim)
6x100 pull with 20s rest
8x25 at 1:00 (1 easy, 1 fast)
100 easy

The Recovery Phase
After your race, this phase is to loosen up the muscles and allow the body to regenerate itself.  Sample workout:

10-minute easy swim
10x50 with 20s rest (25 kick / 25 swim)
10x100 with 20s rest (50 kick 2 50 swim)
10-minute easy pull

Running: Benchmark Workouts

This is from an article in Runners World magazine written by Ed Eyestone. 

Purpose of benchmark workouts are to measure your fitness and hone in your speed. The workouts are based on goal race distance:

Marathon

16 miles at race pace at the end of a ‘high-mileage’ week.  “Not tapering for this workout serves two purposes: It allows for a great week of training without sacrificing mileage and aerobic development, and it teaches you to hold race pace on tired legs.  Do this run at least three weeks out from planned race.  It should be the culmination of race-pace runs: begin at 8-miles and build 2 miles every two weeks.

Half-Marathon

10 to 15 x 1000 meters at race pace with 60 second recovery.  Perform it two weeks from planned race. I [author] would suggest doing no more than 12 repeats.

10-K

25 x 400 meters at race pace with 30 second recovery.  This is a big workout so break it up in your head as five sets of five.  This is a mentally draining workout so do it sparingly. 

5-K

3 to 4 x 1 mile at race pace with 3:30 to 4 minute recovery.  This can be done closer to race day (10 days).

Perfect Cheat-Sheet For Scheduling Workouts

Table 3.2 from Hunter Allen's Training and Racing with a Power Meter.  I've pasted a copy of the table from the book.  If you click on the  pic it will open in a new window. At that point you can maximize the picture.

Test Before You Train

In a few weeks, it will be time to start training for the 2013 season.  Starting a little early this year due to the Escape From Alcatraz triathlon March 3.  One of the first things I’ll need to do is test my fitness level.  Any cyclists will tell you that they dread this workout.  Regardless, it has to be done.  So how do we do it.  The structure is actually pretty simple:

Warm-up
10 minutes easy then 3x1 fast pedals (over 100rpm)
Finish with 4 minute easy.

The Test
20-minute time trial
Start off conservative then build to a comfortable,uncomfortable level.  I’ll admit, I have a hard time holding back and usually blow up at the 15 minute mark. 
Try to keep cadence at 85 to 95 rpm. 

Cool down
20 minute easy ride

Data to collect
AVG heart rate.  Multiply by .95 and this is your estimated LTHR
AVG power.  Multiply by .95 and this is your estimated TP.

Joe Friel recommends doing 30 minute time trial, however Hunter Allen recommends 20 minutes.  I guess you could do 25 minutes and call it good. 

Here are then zones (per Hunter Allen’s Training with Power book):

Heart Rate Zones and Power Zones:
Zone 1:  Active Recovery  <55% TP and <68% LTHR
Zone 2:  Endurance (long-distance slow pace)  56-75% TP and 69-83% LTHR
Zone 3:  Tempo (fartlek workouts or ‘spirited’ long-distance)  76-90% TP and 84-94% LTHR
Zone 4:  Lactate Threshold (just below or just above TT effort)  91-105% TP and 95-105% LTHR
Zone 5:  Vo2Max (high intensity 3-8 minute intervals)  103-120% and >106% LTHR
Zone 6:  Anaerobic Capacity (short 30 second to 3-minute intervals) 121-150% TP
Zone 7  Neuromuscular Power (maximum effort.  Very short interval)

Best Swimming Tests

With Escape For Alcatraz being my first triathlon of the season (March 3) and given the difficulty of the swim, I’ll really need to put in some pool time this off-season.  One of the first things I’ll need to do is perform a field test.  This will give me the benchmark which all my other swim exercises will be based on.  Gale Bernhardt gives nice an easy instructors on how to perform a field test (as quoted from the article):

Sprint test: Swim 3×100 fast. Recover for 20 seconds between each. Note your time for each 100, aiming for no more than 5 seconds’ difference between each one. Your T-pace per 100 is the average of all three times.

Olympic, half-Ironman, Ironman test: Swim 3×300 fast. Recover for 30 seconds between each. Note your time for each 300, aiming to have less than 15 seconds’ difference between each. Average the times to determine your average 300 pace. Your T-pace per 100 is that number divided by 3.

Once you have determined your T-pace, use it to design swim workouts. For example, let’s assume your T-pace is 1:45 (105 seconds) per 100. If you’re a sprint distance racer, swim a set of 5–8 repeats of 50 on a repeating send-off of 1:15. Your goal would be to swim each 50 faster than your T-pace (105 divided by 2, or 52.5 seconds). By swimming shorter segments faster than T-pace, you can work toward improving your speed over longer distances. Retest your T-pace every six to eight weeks so you can make adjustments to your workouts.

 

Setting Weekly Training Schedule

My training schedule is very weak.  Although my training hours is up significantly compared to last year, the actual structure is pathetic.  To solve this, I refreshed myself on Friel’s methods of putting together a weekly schedule.  If you are just starting out and don’t even have annual hours set, you may want to start here.

With your annual training plan already set up in ‘training periods’, now you have to set your daily schedule to match those periods.  Knowing that, we have to first set the weekly pattern and then the daily hours.

PATTERN

Friel’s training bibles do show examples on how to structure a week depending on what period you are in.  Below is for BASE, RR, BUILD 1 and BUILD 2.  At the end of this post there will be examples of PREP, BASE, BUILD, PEAK, RACE, so be sure to check those out. 

Note: The codes for each day can be found here, however those codes are based on Friel’s Mountain Biking Training Bible. If you want the codes for cycling or triathlons, you should buy the book. Regardless, it still gives you an idea on what type of workout Friel is recommending.  Another note, the light blue lines represent duration and the dark blue lines represent intensity. 

When it comes to duration and intensity, that varies for each athlete.  Also, the structure should be fluid, meaning when life get’s in the way of training, adjust your schedule.  These examples are great starting points but they don’t factor in everything.

DAILY HOURS

Your annual training plan will dictate your weekly hours per period (based on your annual hours).  Example: I’m currently in Build 2 period, which dictates 15 hours this week (based on a 550 annual hour goal).  Friel gives a good example on how to divide those 15 hours up:

With the suggested daily hours, first thing to do is set your anchor workouts.  These are the workouts that are already scheduled such as a Masters Class.  After that, your time flexible workouts, and then your break-through workouts (Which can include bricks, two-days, etc).  Be sure to include recovery time and if your planning a lot of running, be very cautious that you don’t cause an injury by running on fatigued legs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy.

Brutal 30-Minute Swim Workout

This workout is from Swim Workouts for Triathletes.   It is one of the hardest 30-minutes I've spent in the pool.  If I had a heart-rate monitor, I'm sure it would have exploded.  The workout calls for 1500 yards in 30-minutes.   That's almost race pace.

Warm-up: 300 any stroke, 4x50 (25 build, 25 easy) on 10 sec rest

• 4x50 build, 10 sec rest

• 1 min bonus rest

• 200 any stroke

• 4x50 (second two 50s faster), 10 sec rest

• 2 min bonus rest

• 3x100 T-Pace*, 20 sec rest

• 100 cool-down

• Total = 1500

 

What To Do When You Miss A Workout

This is from Triathlete Training Bible.

If you anything like me, you skip workouts. Sometimes it’s because of work, sometimes your too tired, and sometimes the thought of working out makes you want to curl into a ball and cry.  Today is a day I’m skipping my 10k run.  I have no reason, although some it has to do with me needing to get my lesson plans for tomorrow complete, but I feel like I’m using that more as an excuse than an actual reason. I do have a 2 hour trainer ride that I WILL do (I hope).  So here is what Friel has to say about missing workouts:

“It happens to everyone.  Your training is going well, you’ve been consistent, and you can tell that your fitness is progressing.  Then your job throws you a curve ball and you have to miss a day or more of training.  Or you catch a winter virus and don’t train for four days while your body fights it off.” – Joe Friel

So let’s look at some solutions:

Missing three or fewer days

In this situation, just continue with no adjustments.  The worst thing you can  do is try to squeeze in the missed days.  This will only result in more fatigue and less gains from the workouts.

Missing four to seven days

At this point you need to make some adjustments.  These adjustments could last up to two weeks.  You will need to be selective in what workouts you reschedule since you can’t reschedule all of them.  It’s best to focus on the workouts that deal with your limiters.  Make sure to honor your recovery days, thus don’t try to cram all the workouts in one week.

Missing one to two weeks

Step back one mesocycle and omit the entire training you had planned in the future.  Adjust training in the future by shortening the periods.  Example is making Build 2 last three weeks instead of four.

Missing more than two weeks

Your screwed.  Okay, Joe doesn’t say that, but missing this much does mean you have to return to your base period.  If you’re already in base, then you need to step back one mesocycle. Example would be if you’re in Base 3.  You would need to step back to Base 1.  You will also need to make major adjustments to your annual training plan.

Open-Water Warm-Up (Pre-Race)

From Triathlete July 2011 issue.

Here is a sample warm-up that you can use on race day.  Be sure to practice it prior to race day.

1.  Arm-Swings and Stretching

2.  5 minutes of easy swimming

3.  3-4 sets of 20 strokes or drills that work best in open water:

Close-fisted freestyle:  forces you to pull water with your forearms, not just your hands.  Since you can’t feel your forearms in a wetsuit, it’s a good reminder of proper swim mechanics.

Kicking on your side:  reminds you to rotate and glide along.  Wetsuits tend to make athletes feel restrictive resulting in shorter, less efficient strokes.

After the drills do some pick-ups to engage your muscles in a race-specific range of motion and to increase blood flow.

Elevating Your Swim Performance

From Triathlon July 2011 issue.

These exercises are to be done in open water, however doing them in a pool would be just as good workout.  One should get in five to 10 open water swims before each race, but if your like me, sometimes that is not always possible.  The majority of my open water swims are to work on my sitting, not to do high intensity workouts.  Nevertheless, here are the workouts:

Lactate Threshold Swim

This is a good interval for trying to chase down the faster feet in front of you.  Focus on keeping head low since swimmers have a tendency to hold their head too high during open water swims.

8-12 intervals of 2-3 minutes with 90 seconds recovery treading water.  Each interval should be slightly faster than your average race pace.

Aerobic Power Set

When in open water, try to reducing the number of times you need to site.

2-3 intervals of 10-15 minutes with 3 minute recovery either standing or treading water.

or

6-8 intervals of 5 minutes with 2 minutes recovery either standing or treading water.

Each interval should be controlled in comparison to your race pace (85-90 percent).  Be sure to spread your effort across all intervals so your last set is just as fast as your first (so much easier said than done).

Race Start Simulation

Perform your race day warm-up

Run into the water and swim for 100 meters and then continue 200-400 meters at race pace (if you can, make it an out and back).  Run hard out of the water and continue 20 meters up the beach to practice race exit.  Repeat this sequence 1-3 times.  End the session with 3-5 minutes easy swimming.  (take wetsuit off as quickly as you would in T1).

A Better Brick

Most triathlons are won on the run.  Which explains why I haven't won a triathlon.  So far this season, I've set personal best times in all four triathlons.  Cant say the same for my mountain bike racing, but that's another issue.  The main area of improvement for me was the transition from cycling to run.  There is nothing more strange and painful than riding a bike for 25 or 56 miles and then getting off and running 10k or a 25k.  To help my legs adjust to this transition, I found this workout at www.triathlete.com.  It's worked wonders for me.

30 minutes warm-up

10 minutes running
10 minutes of cycling
10 minutes of running

10 minutes of cycling
5 minutes of running

10 minutes of cycling
5 minutes of running

10 minutes of cycling
5 minutes of running

10 minutes of cycling
5 minutes of running

20 minute cool down on the bike (or just drink a beer  <--I added that part).

If you're not doing this at home or on a trainer, don't forget to lock up your bike when you leave for the run.  I usually lock my bike to my rims on my car.  Quick and easy.  Same thing with my mountain bike if I'm doing trail runs.

Today's Workout: Trainer Power 2

Trainer Power 2 by Allen Hunter.

10 minutes warm-up

5 minutes BIG ring 53:15 cadence in the 60-70 range--Just pushing the gear.

5 minutes 39:15 100 rpm

5 minutes 53:16 cadence higher now--80-85.

1 minute 39:15 100 rpm

5minutes 53:14 cadence in the 50-60 range AND doing a seated BURST every 30 seconds for 8 seconds.... and then push hard to whatever cadence you can get to in 8 seconds...Then recover to 50-60 rpm.

10 minutes small ring--spinning 90rpm with OUT of saddle bursts for 8 seconds every 1minute.... Just jump and spin faster !!!!

Finish with (1) 5 minute HAMMER in 53:16 with cadence in your “normal” gear choice.

Then cool-down 10 minutes.

Hunter Allen Winter Training

I’m using Hunter Allen’s winter training program.  You can find it Here.

It’s a 12 week program that hopefully increases my THP.  Training starts December 6.  (Can’t believe how fast the off-season goes).

How To Climb

Triathletemag.com August 2010. 

THE BIG PICTURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
Many cyclist go into a climb without a clear strategy.  Ascend in a way that suits your strengths.  Rhythm climbers maintain their own pace and gradually changing speeds.  These riders have a tendency to drift from the front. 

Jumpers enjoy varying the pace of a climb, alternating between in and out of the saddle.  They create gaps with attacks, recover a bit, then widen the gap.

Figure out what kind of climber you are and use that to your advantage.

ONE SLIGHTY CORNY BUT RIDICULOUSLY EFFECTIVE MENTAL TRICK

When you start to get fatigued, imagine a bungee cord pulling you up.  (I guess this is something that hard to imagine without being on the trail/road)

AND ONE JUST AS EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE TIP

To vary the exertion among muscle groups, occasionally slide slightly forward on your saddle as you climb and push directly down on the pedals, which uses your quads and hamstrings.

How To Time-Trial

Triathletemag.com August 2010 by Whit Yost and Staff

1.  RIDE AT YOUR THRESHOLD
Find the magic point where you can ride as hard as you can for as long as you can.

2.  GET AERO

Lot’s of speed is free: scoot your butt back on the saddle, ride in the drops (or aero bars).  On descents, tuck your elbows and knees toward your bike and lower your head as much as possible while maintaining control. 

3.  STAY SMOOTH

Stay as close to others as you can while maintaining a steady pace.  Big jumps that break pace can harm your overall average speed. 

Five Ways To Get Ahead

Taken from Triathlon Plus May 2009 Magazine

 

1. DON’T OVER FOCUS. It can sometimes be detrimental to over-focus on one specific race.  Putting you ‘eggs in one basket’ can result in you beating yourself up over one bad race.  Instead, if you have a bad race, look ahead to the next one and focus on ways to improve.

 

1. STAY POSITIVE. Never give up until the race is over.  This applied to me during Millennium Triathlon this past weekend.  The first mile of the run was just brutal.  I was also getting passed by just about the entire field.  Despite how much I’ve trained for the bike-run transition, I just felt miserable.  Instead, I did everything possible to stay positive, and in the end I had a great run.

 

1. PREPARE LIKE A SOLDIER. It’s essential to be organized to have a good race.   Knowing your pre-race routine, and practicing it, will allow you to relax more the day before the race.

 

1. LEARN TO CHILL OUT. A little bit of nervousness is good, too much is destructive.  One reason athletes get nervous is that they worry to much about what other people think.

 

1. PUSH YOUR LIMITS. Don’t expect to improve if you don’t give 100% during your training.  This is very hard for me because I have nobody to train with.  My structured workouts, coupled with a powertap and Garmin virtual training partner, keep me pushing and pushing.

 

Training for off-road runs

As written in Triathlete magazine in August 2010, by Melanie McQuaid (3x winner of Xterra World Championship)

Xterra’s are significantly harder than road triathlons (Olympic and Sprint).  The mountain biking and trail running will test your limits like they’ve never been tested before.  Below are some training tactics I read about in the latest Triathlete magazine.

1. Hill Repeats. These train not only your uphill strength but your downhill speed.  Short hill intervals followed by easy downhill running will help mimic most trail conditions.  Sample workout includes 6 x 30 seconds and gradually start to increase the length (up to two minutes) as your fitness improves.



2. Long, Hilly Runs.  Running on flat roads will not prepare one for Xterra style running.  You need to run hills, the bigger the better.  Try to avoid technical terrain so you don’t get an ankle injury.



3. Trail Races.  Any type of races pushes your limits more than you can even in your best training workouts.  Adding trail races will push your trail running limits and improve your abilities.

The idea of running up hill is not new, I just don’t like it. I usually run up and down the local ski hill.  It’s a killer workout.

Myths About Stretching

Source: Uncovering the Myths About Stretching by Jeffrey Sankoff, MD (Triathlete magazine July 2010)

 

Can’t find the article on-line and I’m sure not typing the whole thing, but will take some excerpts that I found interesting.

 

First, what are the myths.  I’ve always been told that stretching helps reduce soreness, injury and range of motion.  That makes sense to me, but Dr.Sankoff points out that there has been very little scientifically investigation into these claims. 

 

“While it is true that stretching does improve both range of motion and flexibility, this had not been shown to translate to any other objective markers of performance.  Specifically, large trials have shown that stretching either regularly or before strenuous activity does not prevent DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).  In fact, studies have shown that stretching may be detrimental to performance”

 

Detrimental?  How is that possible?

 

“A great deal of evidence now exists demonstrating that stretching reduces both muscle strength and ability to perform anaerobically…these findings have been constant across numerous types of stretching programs and exercises.”

 

Now I have heard that stretching BEFORE exercise is not good, but I always thought that stretching after is very important.  Dr.Sankoff says stretching doesn’t need to be removed from your exercise plan, but should be done with the understanding of the benefits or lack of.

 

So if stretching helps with flexibility and range of motion, then the focus should be on how flexibility and range of motion help with athletic performance.  At least that’s the next obvious question to me.  Guess I need to research that. 

Testing Your Swim Fitness

Testing Your Swim Fitness.

I don't think I've ever actually 'tested' my swimming fitness.  I know I've improved significantly but never really tested.  I just figured the actual race would be the test.  If I climb out of the water alive, I passed the test.  I will definitely give these tests a try and see if I can start building a benchmark for my swimming fitness.