IN THIS EDITION…

  • Getting your training zones right
  • 11 tips for faster triathlon running
  • Using active recovery to boost gains
  • 10 swim drills for better freestyle
  • Supercharged 4-stack brick workout

4-STACK BRICK

The bike-run brick workout has been a training staple since the advent of our sport.  It’s a proven routine for improving our overall triathlon performance.

Coach Mike Ricci reconstructs the classic brick session into a precise and challenging workout that provides a valuable race simulation for your next 70.3 IRONMAN.

It has four – not two – components.  After a race-paced swim, run 4 miles, then jump onto your smart trainer for a 2-hour indoor cycling session that includes carefully prescribed intervals.  End the session with a final 4-mile run, this one at higher intensity than the first.

This well-designed 4-stack brick will tell you many things.  Is your fitness on par with your expectations?  Do you have a good handle on your pacing?  Have you nailed your nutrition?

Read more about how to execute this powerful workout then integrate it into your own plan.

DRILL IT HARD

It’s always a good time to experiment with new swim drills.  They focus your attention on key deficiencies of your freestyle and help improve your stroke mechanics.

In this article coach John Wood presents 10 proven swim drills that enhance speed and efficiency.

We particularly like his style of explaining why each drill is valuable before describing how to perform them.

TIGHTEN YOUR ZONES

If you want to get the most from your workouts, then commit to zone training.

Zone training allows you to perform each session at an ideal intensity, providing varied training stimuli to enhance the multiple energy systems required for effective racing.  You’ll improve your aerobic base, anaerobic threshold, and V02 max. You’ll also avoid junk miles, overtraining and injury as you progressively get faster.

Your personal training zones are generally extrapolated from your lactate threshold. Originally based on heart rate, your LT can also be determined from power, pace and even perceived exertion (RPE).

Learn how to calculate your training zones for swimming, cycling and running.  You have numerous options, and this article does a good job in describing many of them.  If you’re serious about getting faster, then zone training is your solution.

SECOND CHANCES DO EXIST

If you missed the first registration window, now’s your second chance to join the hottest triathlon team going.

Spaero Triathlon combines the latest in textile technology with classy, flattering styles that will elevate your performance and give you a competitive edge.

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Team members get over $400 worth of custom gear, access to world class coaching resources, discounts from leading brands and much more!

Don’t sleep on this… Registration closes on Friday, May 27 at midnight.  Join today… it’s a steal no matter how you cut it!

ACTIVE RECOVERY

When your training day calls for intervals, how much attention do you give to your recovery between reps?

Research suggests that an active recovery (i.e., jogging) between efforts results in more productive intervals as compared to passive recovery (i.e., stopping completely between repeats).

Additionally, active recovery has a greater impact on aerobic capacity, promotes key anabolic processes in muscle development and helps increase lactate threshold.

Active recovery is best suited for longer aerobic intervals that are common in cycling and running.  For the higher intensity intervals typical in swimming, passive recovery is a better choice. 

Learn more about how you can use active recovery strategies to amplify your training adaptations.

FAST TRACK YOUR RUNNING

As all of us know, running off the bike is hard.

Triathlon running requires strength, technical skills and endurance in a combination that’s different from just plain running.  By understanding what sets triathlon running apart, you’ll finally be able to make the changes necessary to improve your own performance.

The coaching experts at Scientific Triathlon have compiled a list of 11 Tips to Improve Your Triathlon Running.

According to coach Mikael Eriksson, most problems that triathletes experience with their running can be attributed to one or more of these issues.  Review all of these tips and think about which apply to you.

QUICK HIITS:

  • Bike Count
    We were pleased to see Triathlete Magazine and cycling industry experts continue their tradition of tabulating the bikes and components used by competitors in the IRONMAN World Championships.  It’s always instructive to learn what the best triathletes ride.
  • Blu Rolls On
    Ultra-endurance athlete, author and podcast host Rich Roll has over 1.5 million listeners every week.  So it was a big deal when newly-crowned IRONMAN World Champion Kristian Blummenfelt and his coach Olav Aleksander Bu came on the show to provide their first-person account of how the race was won.  You’ll enjoy this very revealing interview… unless you’re one of Blummenfelt’s competitors who will race him in Kona.
  • Breaking Glass
    History was made at the IRONMAN Triathlon World Championships in St. George, UT.  Finally, finally, finally a female announcer — Joanne Murphy — shared the duties with Voice of IRONMAN Mike Reilly calling finishers across the line.  It was the first time in 45 years that a woman announcer was on the mic at this championship event.  Congratulations!