Bike-Run Workouts
09 May 2021
16:59
The following basic run workouts are categorized according to the five abilities: AE, MF, SS, ME and AnE.
Combined bike-run workouts are commonly called bricks. By combining portions of the workouts that follow, you can create new workouts, including multi-ability workouts (either multi-ability within each sport or a different focus between bike and run), to match your specific needs. Merging multiple abilities into one workout is most commonly done in the build period.
The order of the sports within a brick is usually bike-run, but duathletes often do run-bike-run, you can also do bricks with several alternating stages of the two sports. Swim-bike bricks are rare, but there is merit in rehearsing the first transition.
When you transition from the bike to the run, it's recommended that you follow the same procedure you intend to use in your targeted race. Lay out your transition area to be as similar as possible to the way it will be on race day.
It's often best to keep the run portions short because running on legs that are tired from a long bike ride increases your risk for an injury. Even for long course races, a 15-minutes run following a long bike ride is beneficial for learning to cope with the strange sensation of running on bike-weary legs.
When the bike portion of a brick calls for ME or AnE, the workout should be preceded by a warm-up. MF workouts are best not done as bricks. You should use these two ability categories only in the main set. The more intense the main set is of the workout, the longer your warm-up should be.
Complete a long ride on a rolling course while staying primarily in heart rate zone 2. Then transition to a run on a mostly flat course, also in heart rate zone 2. The total time for this brick may vary from 90minutes to 5 hours depending on the distance of the race you are preparing for and your periodization. You can emphasize the run portion one week and the bike the next week.
Following a warm-up, ride on a rolling course with more than half of the time in power zones 2 and 3 (preferred) or heart rate zones 2 and 3, accumulating as much zone 3 time as possible. Then transition to a run also primarily in pace (preferred) or heart rate zones 2 and 3. You can vary emphasizing the bike and run portion by alternately doing a long bike ride followed by a short run and then reversing the durations the following week. This is an especially good workout when you are preparing for a long-course race.
At the pool or other swimming venue, set up your bike on a trainer. Swim several race-pace sets and then transition to the bike for 5 minutes ate race intensity. The transition involves putting on cycling shoes and helmet and removing wetsuit if you are doing a race with a wet suit swim. Repeat this 3 to 5 times. Emphasis should be placed on making T1 as efficient and quick as possible.
At the running track or other handy venue, set up your bike on a trainer. After a warm-up, ride 5 minutes at race pace and then transition by changing into run shoes and putting on a cap, sun or any other materials you will us during the rune in your race. Following the transition, run for 3 to 5 minutes at race pace. Repeat this 3 to 5 times. Emphasis should be placed on making T2 as efficient and quick as possible.
Depending on the length of your next race, bike for 60 to 90 minutes including a 10- (sprint), 20- (Olympic), 30- (half-Ironman) or 40- (Ironman) km effort at race-like intensity on a course similar to your next A (or B) priority race. Ride the measured portion at an intensity similar to or slightly greater than that planned for your next important race. Then transition to a 10- (sprint), 20- (Olympic), 30- (half-Ironman) or 40- (Ironman) minutes run at your goal-race pace.
In preparation for a hilly race, design a brick course that closely simulates the race course. This can be a hilly bike and flat run or a flat bike and hilly run, or both the bike and run my be hilly. The emphasis of the workout is on the hilly portions, where you should rehearse proper pacing on the climbs. The bike and run courses should be considerably shorter than those in the race, at about one-half of the race distance or less. On the flat portions, ride and run steadily at an intensity similar to what you will do in the race. On the uphill portions, increase the power, run speed, or heart rate by no more than two zones. This intensity variation is recommended for the race so that the workout can be a rehearsal.
This workout is recommended for short-course triathletes only. Ride 45 to 90 minutes on a flat to rolling course. After warming-up on the bike, do 3 to 5 work intervals, each with a duration of 2 to 4 minutes. The interval intensity should be above your functional threshold power (FTPo) (~high zone 4 to zone 5). Recover after each work interval for a time equal to half of the preceding work-interval time. Accumulate up to about 15 minutes of total work interval time on the bike. Transition to a run with a duration about half the duration of the preceding bike portion. During the run and immediately following the transition, include 10 to 20 minutes of steady running in pace zone 4 (preferred) or heart rate zone 4.
Take your indoor bike trainer on a running track. Run 10 to 20 minutes in pace (preferred) or heart rate zone 1 to 3 for warm-up. Then, on the bike trainer, ride for 5 to 10 minutes while achieving power (preferred) or heart rate zone 4 in the last minute or so. Transition to running shoes and complete 2 to 4 work intervals that last 2 to 4 minutes, with intensity rising into pace (preferred) zone 5b on each. Recovery intervals are half the duration of the previous work interval and are done in zone 1. Return to the bike and again ride for 5 minutes, building to zone 4. Repeat this alternating bike-run pattern 1 to 3 more times before cooling down for 10 minutes or so on the bike. Aim for a total of about 20 minutes or 3 miles of work intervals for running.
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