My first brick

shaunharris

Well that came as a surprise!

Last night I went out with a mate on the bikes at a fairly steady pace for 35mins, slow enough to keep a conversation going, then we dumped the bikes in the garage and tried to run.

Within about five seconds we were both laughing out loud at how ridiculous poor our running styles had become! It eased up within about five minutes (and probably wasn't helped by doing a long run and running a 3.5M race on the previous days), but does anyone have any advice on how to make it easier?

Other than just plain doing more brick sessions. I scheduled some more in to the training programme as soon as I got back!

Morg007

yeah, jusy do more. It does get that little easier.. honest! I did a couple of simple 1 hr 30 bikes into 30min runs. But a week last Friday I did one I read about in 220. 20 mins run, 30 mins bike, 15 mins run, 30 mins bike and then a 10 mins run. Pretty intense and made harder as it was a very hot day... but with Blenheim this weekend looking like a scorcher I'm glad I did it to get a feel of racing in hot temps!

shaunharris

Impressive session; 30mins bike then 30mins run felt hard enough for me!

Doing my first ever sprint tri on Sunday using an MTB but I'll be getting the road bike in July and targetting another sprint in September. That brick session gives me something else to aim for on the way!

TRIumphant

Every time you've been out on the bike, just get off and have a quick run. Doesn't have to be much, just 15 minutes or so, just to get the legs used to it.

Trisurfer

Get some speed brick sessions in!!

Set up Turbo 5mins fast spinning,

set a loop between 1Km and 1Mile long and run at race pace. (sorry for mixing units there!)

Repeat till you drop!!

Use sparingly cause its potent!!

shaunharris

Ooh, that sounds painful. And very tempting to try!

shaunharris

One last thing I wanted to check before I try it again tonight (30mins bike, 30mins run); I'd heard that it helps to drop down a few gears and spin your legs when coming up to T2 in order to wake up the other muscles.

If this is indeed the case, how soon before should I be trying - a couple of hundred yards or a couple of minutes?

didds

HERESY ALERT.

By all means try a few bricks. But if you find they don't "feel" any different than "normal" then don't feel duty bound to HAVE to do them.

I started tri at the end of 2008, and last weekend did my first 70.3, in my sixth triathlon. I doubt I've done more than six bricks in my life.

Got off the bike on Sunday (90 km) into the run. I felt as if i was shuffling along (as is my want) and the splits show i was doing less than 6 minute Kms... for some context my straight 10K PB is 59:54 !

So... bricks may work for you... but don;t do them because received wisdom says you HAVE to.

didds

Atomic

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Try setting up a loop that takes about 10mins to cycle and another for a 5min run. Do this 6 times trying to keep at 15mins all the way through.

Hurts like hell towards the end but the next brick session you do after this should feel so much easier.

shadowone1

just be conscious that a brick isn't merely getting off the bike and going for a run. It should have purpose to what you are doing. Also bear in mind that you swim then bike then run as well.

doing a nice 3-4hrs bike at whatever intesity/ hr level and then going for a run will serve more purpose than just hopping on the bike and then going for a gentle jog. The purpose of the brick is to get used to the feeling you get in a tri when you get off the bike and realise your legs don't work. You need to work at it.

Too many people just think yeah i've done a brick when they haven't when really what you have done is a bike session then a run session.

shaunharris

Well that was better last night, I did half an hour on the bike at race pace then got out within a minute for a 25min run midway between 10k/half-marathon pace.

Feeling more confident about my first sprint tri on Sunday now; if I can remember not to go too hard on the bike then I should be able to pick people off throughout the run (I'm still only using my MTB until I can afford a road bike next month).

didds

you'll be fine shaun! just remember to smile when you cross that finish line

didds

jamewah

The thing i found that really helped me was a nice hard hilly session on the bike followed imediately by a brick run (hills if you can incorporate them) to give the legs a tired feeling before you hit the run and then on the run.
Only do this session about once a week but now I can run a 10k of an OD race quicker than I used to run a 10k race outright.
To be honest I've not done a straight 10k race since taking up Tri a few years back so might need to enter one to see how my run has progressed

Good luck on Sunday - Give it loads

shaunharris

Cheers for all the advice guys - just got back home after doing the QE11 Sprint Tri at Ashington.

Swim went well, apart from when I got smacked in the head twice by someone veering wildly across the line I was taking, knocking my goggles off my eyes!

Bike leg was four laps of being overtaken (I was only on my MTB, getting a road bike next month) apart from right near the end when I finally passed someone. Fairly certain the bike leg was about a mile and a half longer than previously advertised too!

T2 was quick and I went straight out on the run, overtaking loads of people. I just ignored the bambi-legs and concentrated on form and it felt fine. Definitely need to do some more of these suggested sessions to keep used to it. Did 21:30 for the the 5k which is about 2:30 slower than my regular 5k PB but I'm not used to doing them after over an hour's other exercise!

Basically, I'm hooked now. Next one's in September and I plan on breaking 1:30 for it. You're not getting rid of me!

didds

EXCELLENT!

didds