Triathlon Training Tips
There are a few ways in which you can maximize your triathlon training without having to spend hours and hours each week churning through endless junk miles.
A few quality training sessions can go a long way and these are the sessions that we are going to take a closer look at.
The Brick Session
This is one of the most important training sessions that a triathlete can do but is also one of the most neglected.
A brick session involved you running after an intense cycling session so that this replicates the start of your run on actual race day. The reason why this type of training is so important is that if done correctly, your body will become much more efficient at dealing with the lactic acid that has built up in your quads over the course of your cycle and will make you a much more efficient runner in the first stages of your race day run.
The ultimate aim is for you to carry out enough brick sessions so that you can run from the bike without that heavy leg feeling. This will cut your race time drastically and will also make you less likely to pick up an injury.
The best way to Brick train is to find a section of track (preferably grass) of about 3km in distance. When coming to the end of your intense cycle, start to use smaller gears than you usually would and increase your cadence to give your legs a slight rest.
Then once you have lept from the bike, make sure you are concentrating on keeping god running form as you start off on your fast 3km loop. Don’t worry too much if you cannot maintain your speed as this will come in time. Concentrate instead on your form and if necessary use a GPS sports watch such as the Motorola motoactv o f the Garmin forerunner to keep track of your heart rate and pace.
The Interval Session
This again focuses on your running but will allow you to cruise through the run section of your race at a speed faster than you would normally.
Interval training teaches you how to run at a higher intensity and so if you are a plodder triathlete then this session if important for you.
Start off on your normal long running route but then every 2 minutes or so, sprint for 30 seconds before returning to your normal pace. This is an intense session and it is important that you don’t slow down below your normal running speed as this teaches you body how to deal with intense periods of running at speed. Again make sure that you keep track of your pace and heart rate using a gps watch such as the Motorola Motoactv or the Garmin forerunner 610.
For more coaching and triathlon tips as well as some in-depth GPS watch reviews on Motorola, Garmin, Suunto and nike running watches see the running blog over at runtheline here. Otherwise if you would like to structure your training around these kind of sessions then visit triathletesworld.co.uk for their adavcned and bespoke training plans.
This triathlon training blog post was contributed by a London based triathlete.
