YOUR LONGEST RUN

A classic question when preparing for a marathon is How long should my longest run be?

For coach Laura Norris determining the ideal distance for your long run starts with your projected race time.  A 3:40 marathoner can get by with a 22-mi training session, but a 5-hour athlete might need a slower 4-hour run.  It all comes down to expected time-on-your-feet.

Norris then considers your experience, race goals and durability.  Learn more about her process and personalize your optimal pre-marathon long run.

DON’T DROP IT

We all know arm position is critical for maintaining a high elbow when swimming freestyle.  If our lead arm drops, then it’s nearly impossible to execute a proper catch.

In this video Brenton Ford from Effortless Swimming diagnoses 5 reasons why your arm drops and then presents a variety of solutions to overcome each deficiency.

He addresses issues like poor head position, over-rotation, improper hand entry and more.  This is truly a master class in how to correctly set up the front of your stroke

POLAR OPPOSITES

You’re probably doing too many medium-distance runs at a pace just below LT.  This might seem efficient but – if you rely too heavily on moderately paced workouts – it’s unlikely that you’ll experience a breakthrough performance.

These sessions don’t challenge you enough to produce vital physiological adaptations that improve speed, but they do require significant recovery.

Instead, be more intentional about your workout pacing.  Coach Sandro Sket advises 20% of your run sessions to be performed at or above LT, and 80% within your aerobic zones.  Hmmm… 80/20 polarized training… we’ve heard that before.

Here are more details about how to implement this plan in your own training, and why it’s so effective.

PICK UP YOUR TEMPO

A major problem for many triathletes is overthinking their freestyle stroke.  By trying to focus on too many cues for improving technique, their stroke rate drops and they develop deadspots that kill their speed.

One way to avoid this is to increase your stroke rate by training with the FINIS Tempo Trainer Pro.  With this unobtrusive underwater metronome, you can aim to raise your turnover to 35 strokes per minute (or higher). Doing so will smooth out your power curve and increase your efficiency.

Additionally a higher turnover is better in the open water where other swimmers, waves and chop frequently disrupt your forward momentum.

Best of all, TriathlonWire readers get a 20% discount by using the coupon code TRIWIRE at checkout. Get on it!

YUCK! THE PRAYING MANTIS

Coach Brett Sutton does not like the praying mantis aero position.  Not at all.

Although it’s become popular among Pro Tour cyclists, Sutton contends that adopting this TT setup is a costly mistake for triathletes.

Sutton prefers a flatter, wider aero bar position that provides better leverage to drive power into the pedals.  Such a position also removes pressure from the lower back, reducing the likelihood of tight shoulders and a sore back during the run.

RUN FIRST, THEN RIDE

Are you typically performing your long rides on Saturday followed by long runs on Sunday?  If so, Joe Friel wants you to break this popular pattern.  Here’s why:

Running injuries are one of the most common causes of missed training.  The risk of running injuries increases as chronic fatigue accumulates.

According to Friel, it’s important to differentiate between acute fatigue and chronic fatigue.  Chronic fatigue is that heaviness you feel the day after a tough workout, and performing a challenging run in this state creates a higher likelihood of injury.

Learn more about why Friel advises that you change your bike-run weekend pattern.

QUICK HIITS:

  • A Bridge Too Far
    At last weekend’s IRONMAN 70.3 North Carolina a triathlete plunged 50 feet off the side of a bridge during the bike leg. He was not charged with cutting the course, but was encouraged to level up his bike handling skills.  Fortunately the athlete was not seriously hurt.
  • A Stronger Foundation
    Alleviate your back, hip, and knee pain once and for all with the program presented in Foundation, by movement experts Eric Goodman & Peter Park.  If you strengthen your posterior chain and correct your poor movement patterns, then you can maximize power, flexibility, and endurance.  This book shows you how.
  • Metabolism 101
    Have you ever thought about how the gel you consume is converted into energy required to power your triathlon performances?  If so, then check out this impressive 2-minute explanation that will make you glad that other people have to worry about this sort of thing!