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BRICK v DOUBLE DISTANCE

andyb99andyb99 Posts: 229
how effective are brick sessions??? i i do a bike then run i cover about 15k (my race is 10) and maybe 3.5 - 4k run....if i do single discipline training i cover 20k bike then upto 5 miles run (if i'm feeling healthy)



so i've just over 3 weeks to my first race and i was thinking...should i do 3 brick sessions as above (i do at least 2 swims as well) or would my time be better spent doing greater distance but only single disciplines. I do brick sessions now from time to time but the jelly legs never goes away...so i dont think it ever will.....so i'm used to that feeling ok.



which do you think will benefit me the most??



ps....just bought coneheads book.....his self promotions obviously works....lol

Comments

  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    There are some who would reckon on putting in as many brick sessions as you can, i.e. everytime you go for a cycle immediately go for a run.



    However there is a thread on here somewhere which cites an article saying this is detrimental to your training.



    *does a quick search....* Got it.



    Give the thread below a read. There's a few different opinions and a link to the article (courtesy of TommiTri)



    Personally, I don't do them very often. More as a reminder of what my legs are going to feel like rather than getting used to it. So which is best... brick training regularly? Or brick training rarely...? There's only one way to find out...... FIIIIGHT!!! (please tell me other people watch TV Burp)



    [color=#666600]http://forum.220magazine.com/tm.asp?m=27073&mpage=1&key=&#27073[/color]
  • andyb99andyb99 Posts: 229
    Outstanding.....thanks FlavaDave.
  • PC_67PC_67 Posts: 196
    I don't do them very often, but I do do them.



    In terms of getting used to the "feeling" of running after the bike, my experience tells me that it'll always feel weird but after 5-7 minutes of running you get into a rhythm and you forget that you were on a bike just a little while back.



    My own personal non-scientific approach is that being comfortable running longer than the prescribed distance is good enough physically and psychologically.



    If you're new to the sport it's worthwhile doing bricks just to get confident that changing from one discipline to another doesn't pose too many difficulties and hence will alleviate any anxiety.
  • danny_sdanny_s Posts: 235
    I never feel good the first kilometer of a brick. That doesn't change if I do them every ride or once every other week. The second kilometer of running feels better if I've done bricks occasionally. Doing them every time you ride though... no benefit whatsoever for me. As long as you can get off your bike and run at 80-90% of your target pace within a few minutes, that is good enough for me.
  • Cheryl6162Cheryl6162 Posts: 356
    There's only one way to find out...... FIIIIGHT!!!
    ORIGINAL: Flavadave





    Legend!!
  • husslerhussler Posts: 237
    All my days where I have a run and a bike session I always turn it into a brick. The more you get used to running off the bike the better in my opinion, especially as I mainly do Middle/Long distance, as If I try to ease myself into the run ill not run as fast overall as im capable of.... therefore I need to be pretty much there or there abouts at a pace im going to hold for the whole run.



    I do a specific brick session once a week too as follows:



    30 mins Level 3 Bike (just below race pace)

    20 mins Level 4 Run (race pace)

    20 mins Level 4 Bike (race pace)

    30 mins Level 3 Run (just below race pace)

    30 mins Level 2/3 Bike

    20 mins Level 2/3 Run



    This is a very hard session but gets the bike to run muscular transfer working :)
  • BmanBman Posts: 442
    Elites do brick sessions every week as part of training, mixing it up between the three disciplines. If it works for them...but I think for us plebs its more of being able to fit one in where you can. Practicing them will definitely help neuromuscular adaptation though.
  • FlavadaveFlavadave Posts: 749
    In response to Maltesers Brick sessions question... No search facility but trawled through the older posts.
  • maltesermalteser Posts: 25
    thanks flavadave ... much appreciated!
  • stratoTomstratoTom Posts: 36
    I do about 1 brick a week, but it's fairly intense for me. I bike/run with two guys who are seasoned runners so naturally their route takes us off the bike and more or less straight up a hill (nicknamed 'suicide hill'...). So my jelly legs never really go away!! But on the plus side it has really boosted my confidence in running off the bike I suggest trying out a few different strategies as with all training.
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