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Long run/ride duration/value while approaching peak (short course)
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I'm self coached and have had decent success through my third season (oly splits: 25/sub-60/40). I'm planning to peak for AG nationals in early August. I've been averaging 40mpw (3x4mi, 2x8mi[one tempo], and 1x12mi) and 6 hours bike (2 interval sessions, 1 easy session, and 1 long ride which is ~70 miles).

My question is, being 5 weeks out from the race, do my long ride and long run still serve their purposes? Or should I swap each of those out for another 8-10mi tempo run and another interval session on the bike? Or maybe add a track session in in lieu of the long run for the next few weeks.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
Last edited by: cloy26: Jun 30, 15 7:29
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Re: Long run/ride duration/value while approaching peak (short course) [cloy26] [ In reply to ]
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Re: Long run/ride duration/value while approaching peak (short course) [cloy26] [ In reply to ]
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This is a simplistic answer, but since you have bumped your post and no one else has posted I will remind you to always remember that triathlon is an aerobic sport, so keep focusing on what you have learned makes you most aerobicly fit. For you, has that been longer tempo runs or long runs that are a bit slower? What do you recover best from. Same thingon the bike...keep enhancing your aerobic ability, I'm not saying to avoid intervals, but you can still build your aerobic ability, especially since you are not training big hours overall. You should have enough training experiance to know how your body responds and recovers best. A two hour race is very specifically aerobic.
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Re: Long run/ride duration/value while approaching peak (short course) [cloy26] [ In reply to ]
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What is your weakest sport and are testing to see if what you are doing is helping you to improve? I think the long ride is overkill this close and the run too, unless the run is taking you less than 90 minutes.

Mike Ricci
2017 USAT World Team Coach
USAT National Coach of the Year
Coaching Triathletes since 1992.
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Re: Long run/ride duration/value while approaching peak (short course) [Mike Ricci] [ In reply to ]
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I've stayed at the same FTP since January, but I look at the bike as my strength. My weakest is by far my swim, but my run would be my second weakness. I've improved my run since last year -- I did the same sprint last year and improved my 5k split from a 6:33 pace to a 6:10 pace and my bike split by 2:00+. What I'm doing has worked, but my question is whether I'm really gaining from the longer Z2 efforts at this point. I know it takes a little longer to really reap the benefits of those efforts versus the short, high intensity efforts.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
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Re: Long run/ride duration/value while approaching peak (short course) [cloy26] [ In reply to ]
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The general rule when it comes to tapering is to decrease volume, but maintain frequency and intensity. The last two to one weeks before a race you're not going to gain any fitness, depending on your level. Focus on gaining freshness, but maintain fitness by doing shorter workouts with some effort in race pace or above.
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Re: Long run/ride duration/value while approaching peak (short course) [cloy26] [ In reply to ]
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bump, that's my A race too for this season... until a half iron in october. Plus mike ricci posted and I read all his articles on trainingpeaks and other sites and appreciate it a lot lol.
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Re: Long run/ride duration/value while approaching peak (short course) [cloy26] [ In reply to ]
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cloy26 wrote:
I've stayed at the same FTP since January, but I look at the bike as my strength. My weakest is by far my swim, but my run would be my second weakness. I've improved my run since last year -- I did the same sprint last year and improved my 5k split from a 6:33 pace to a 6:10 pace and my bike split by 2:00+. What I'm doing has worked, but my question is whether I'm really gaining from the longer Z2 efforts at this point. I know it takes a little longer to really reap the benefits of those efforts versus the short, high intensity efforts.

I think you're on the right track - no need to do longer workouts at this point. By cutting back on the longer workouts, you may be fresher for the quality workouts and may recover a tad quicker. In the end, you'll drop some of the fatigue you are carrying from the longer workouts and get to race day feeling a little fresher.

Mike Ricci
2017 USAT World Team Coach
USAT National Coach of the Year
Coaching Triathletes since 1992.
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