I’ve been tweaking my training schedule for the next few months, and I’m debating the significance of brick workouts. I’m training for Wildflower Long Course in May and am in the midst of the base training period. I have scheduled long rides ranging from 2 to 4 hours that will include lots of climbing (3k to 4k ft) in preparation for the hilly Wildflower course, and I was thinking about adding on a run workout within 10 minutes of completing those long rides. I was thinking of adding 30 minutes, and then slowly adding more volume up to about 75 minutes. My research regarding this on the web has been mixed; there are plenty of people who advocate and also don’t advocate these bike-run brick workouts, so I just wanted to get your opinion on this subject.
I think bricks are overrated and, in general, are just another opportunity to run slowly on tired legs vs faster on slightly fresher legs. That said, our team does bricks but more for time efficiency reasons than magical fitness adaptations that (don’t) happen from running off the bike. IE, bike, hit the run and you’re done, with one less costume change, the run is done, etc.
However, if this is your first time doing Wildflower you really, really need to wrap your head around the first 6 miles of the run. You will be running, up, down, up, left, right, on trails, pavement, etc for the first 6 miles. You don’t have an opportunity to actually “run,” with your normal stride, on flat ground where you can settle in until you drop down a steep hill and make a right to run across the meadow. Also, the first mile has some very very short but very steep little pops that can really work your calves off the bike. So when you do run bricks, would be groovy if you could hit a wicked steep hill right off the bike and focus on landing with a flat foot, saving your calves.
Have fun at the race, it’s my favorite. Like spring break for grownups. I was married in the campground in '06, with catered BBQ and 160 pints of Ben and Jerry’s for my friends 
you need to do them enough to know how to pace yourself, to know what/if anything makes you tend to cramp when you start the run, etc.
I’ve been tweaking my training schedule for the next few months, and I’m debating the significance of brick workouts. I’m training for Wildflower Long Course in May and am in the midst of the base training period. I have scheduled long rides ranging from 2 to 4 hours that will include lots of climbing (3k to 4k ft) in preparation for the hilly Wildflower course, and I was thinking about adding on a run workout within 10 minutes of completing those long rides. I was thinking of adding 30 minutes, and then slowly adding more volume up to about 75 minutes. My research regarding this on the web has been mixed; there are plenty of people who advocate and also don’t advocate these bike-run brick workouts, so I just wanted to get your opinion on this subject.
Thanks for the great info Rich…one last question…do you have an approximation of how many feet of total climbing you do on the bike leg? I tried emailing and asking the race organizers but was directed to the elevation map–no help, really.
I tend to think they’re of little value for anything > oly.
I think bricks are pretty much required for good triathletes. That doesn’t always mean that you do two quality workouts. But you should probably do at least a 20 minute run after a bike just to train your muscles to operate like that. Alternatively, do a short bike before a long run.
My feeling is that they’re of little value over 10 minutes or so. I do believe it is a good idea to get the body used to the transition, but in races I’ve noticed that time frame generally lasts from 0 to about 10 min. I have been able to train my body to begin the run with almost none of the “tree trunk legs” syndrome through frequent, very short runs after the bike. To me that alone is worth doing short briks. Good way to practice T2 while you’re at it.
I think bricks are pretty much required for good triathletes. That doesn’t always mean that you do two quality workouts. But you should probably do at least a 20 minute run after a bike just to train your muscles to operate like that. Alternatively, do a short bike before a long run.
I agree 100% with this*. Running off the bike is free miles, and doubles as flexibility work. I really do not understand the ST backlash against bricks in the context of multisport. Every bike is followed by at least a short run for me.
*Or 110% Canadian
I agree, I actually do 1 brick a week with my club and see how bike pacing affects my run.
Paces I’ve tried:
As hard as a FTP test.
Hard 10 min intervals.
Paceline as hard as I can ride 3 min lead 5 min in line.
90 to 95% of FTP TT
80 to 90% of FTP (for HIM pacing)
I seem to run the same after any hard intensity effort and much more comfortable for the HIM effort
I also do it for fun too. Does it give me any better/more fitness than seperating them? I really don’t know. I enjoy doing them though.
jaretj
*Or 110% Canadian
Lol!
Bricks as a workout? Overrated.
Bricks as a means to practice transition, get familiar with the feeling of running after a bike, and a way to get in a run while already warmed up? Yeah, they can be of benefit.
Rich,
I agree with you to a point that bricks are overated. I do not think you need to run after everytime you ride but some race simulations or tempo type bricks do give confidence for race day. I think just getting off the bike and run slow just gets the 2 workouts, which some times is needed for time mamnagement. For the longer races it helps serve practice for your nutrition balance and helping you focus on fuel/hydration replenishment.
I have used faster bricks with good result but used it as fast workouts. I do not race a whole lot(5-6 races per year) so it serves as tuneup type workouts for me as I build to a peak race.
I have not done much with broken bricks which are popular because it seems to change the stress needed for actual races.
Bricks as a workout? Overrated.
Bricks as a means to practice transition, get familiar with the feeling of running after a bike, and a way to get in a run while already warmed up? Yeah, they can be of benefit.
Agree with Barry. No need to make it a major effort, or long.
Brick runs were my bread and butter last summer while training for IMC. Your long bike ride is where you get your nutrition/pacing down and figure out your routine for the bike. For me, the brick run (45 min) off of the long bike is where I learned if I hit my nutrition/pacing correctly or not. Screwing up your nutrition/pace on the bike will more often than not (for me at least) show up on the run and not at the beginning of the run.
I feel great getting off the bike and running those first couple of miles ( I actually think I run better off the bike, good thing I’m a triathlete). Like clock work though at about mile 3 I would hit a wall and completely lose energy. It took me quit a few brick runs to figure out the correct formula of nutrition on the bike and run and also how to pace myself off the bike (my tendancy is to take off way too fast). If I had completely skipped the brick run or just done a quick 10 minute brick, I would have hit that wall on race day and would of had to quickly figure out what to do. Since I had done bricks all summer I knew exactly when to take in my last gel on the bike, what pace to head out of T2, when to take my first gel on the run and I also knew pretty much what to expect during the first 10K on the run b/c my bricks were all around 45 min. So for me, they were more than worth it.
I think its up to the individual to decide if bricks help or not, personally I don’t look to them for any great gain in fitness, but an excellent time to run through my race day plan in near race day conditions.
My feeling is that they’re of little value over 10 minutes or so. I do believe it is a good idea to get the body used to the transition, but in races I’ve noticed that time frame generally lasts from 0 to about 10 min. I have been able to train my body to begin the run with almost none of the “tree trunk legs” syndrome through frequent, very short runs after the bike. To me that alone is worth doing short briks. Good way to practice T2 while you’re at it.
Yup, that’s what I do too…or did when I had any tris planned.
My thought exactly. When I decide I no longer hate my bike again, my
plan is to do at least a 15 minute run after every bike. Not because it’s
a brick but it’s a way to get some free run frequency when warmed up and
I already have the time blocked out. Would longer be better? Probably, but
it turns into a big chunk of time during the work day for me.
-Jot
I did a lot of bricks in training for my first few tri’s. Eventually I stopped doing them as I really wasn’t noticing any difference. I got used to running off the bike and it wasn’t really something I had to ‘re-learn’ or keep fresh. Did zero bricks leading up to my first big race of 2009 and ran a PB half marathon off the bike.
Like most questions the answer to your question “depends” on a lot of factors. What is your training and racing background? Assuming you do not have a long history of racing (less than 4 years) I strongly encourage running off the bike, especially early in your triathlon career. As you progress you can incorporate less. The purpose of the brick is muscle adaptation and as someone mentioned earlier identifying proper pacing and nutrition on the bike which works best for you. I would start with shorter bricks 10-15 minutes and for a half, no more than 30 minutes. As I review my racing results, the years in which I incorporated bricks in my training showed a significant difference (positive) in my run times than in years where I didn’t.
bricks arent as worthless as some people think they are. they just arent as good as separating the work out.
but there are just some days where its impossible to get 2 workouts in without pushing them back to back. running takes priority over either biking or swimming so i never do a true “brick”
N=1
I do bricks 5-6 days a week. It is a hell of a lot more efficient from a timing perspective. In the end, as triathletes- you always run off of the bike. If you want to run fast off of the bike, learn how to run fast off of the bike.