My primary focus is long course tri. I want to focus on improving bike strength for next season. Right now workout structure is swim 3x, bike 3x(1x tempo, 1 semi-long up to 3 hrs, 1 long av. 4-5 hrs), run 4-5x per week. I would like to add in another bike workout in hopes of improving bike times. Can I get some thoughts on this? Would another bike w/o make a big difference for a completely average AGer? Show me how you would structure the week with the addition of another bike w/o. Thanks
I do T, TH, SA, SU…
Tues: 1.25 to 2.0 hrs of structured intervals, :15 minute easy transition run off the bike
Thurs: 1.25 to 2.0 hrs of structure intervals, :15 minute easy transition run off the bike
Sat: 3.0-5.0 hrs long ride with structured intervals, :15-:30 minute easy transition run off the bike
Sun: 3.0 hr hard tempo ride with :45 to 1hr structured interval run off the bike.
Note: I vary the types and durations of intervals within the week and over the course of many weeks, with the intent of progressive overload and moving toward specificity as the race draws near. I also might throw the odd recovery ride in with my wife or friends in the neighborhood.
That’s an awful lot of workouts. Are you sure you want to juggle all that? Keep an eye on burnout. If you primary focus in improving bike strength, I’d drop most of the running and use some of my swim sessions for recovery.
I work a night job that allows me to do indoor bike workouts, but doesn’t give me the free time to do any other kind of workout, so when I was training for IM last summer I would do as follows:
Monday: Medium-long (1 to 2 hrs of varying intensity)
Tuesday: Threshold (20-50 min big gear, high z3, w/warm up and cool down)
Thursday: Recovery (45 min-1.5 hr of varying intensity)
Saturday: Outdoor Long bike (up to 6 hrs) w/ 15 min easy run off bike.
Hope that gives you a better picture.
by the way, your measure of performance (how well did I train) “number of bike workouts per week” is not the metric you want to use to be basing training decisions on.
What you should be concerned about is “amount of quality time spent training”, specifically time spent addressing your limiters and ESPECIALLY time spent doing quality intervals at threshold or FTP.
The measure of effectiveness (how well did my training work, how well did I absorb my training) to judge your training decisions on is “amount of improvement in FTP each month” and/or “running well within predicted pace ranges (based on running potential) off the bike (+:10 min half IM, +:20 min IM) after pacing bike at proper level (85% of FTP half IM, 75% of FTP for IM)”.
Basically, go bike your ass off with better cyclists, come home from long hard rides every day with your tongue hanging out of your head from fatigue, and then go run off the bike.
I have a hard time just managing 3; for the most part I need 4 runs a week to keep a balanced base, and 3 swims to keep form up. Doesn’t leave much for cycling.
3 days do 2x20 minutes at FTP, or slightly below, with about 3 minutes rest. Once you are able to complete that amount of training load, add a longer ride of 2.5-3 hours where you ride at a tempo effort the whole time.
When is long run scheduled?
Friday morning
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why not run every day? three quality runs on M, W, F and very easy transition runs off the bike T, TH, SA, SU
You should either remove your 5th run or your 3rd swim and add another 2 hour ride.
5 runs a week is not the typical balanced triathlon routine. It’s what I would recommend for someone with a lagging run.
My thoughts are to practice riding fast/hard.
3 days of 2X20’s will do just that. Outside is just fine but indoors I like to break it up into 8, 10 and 15 minute intervals.
jaretj