I usually split it into 3 or 4 one hour rides. Training for HIM, then an IM.
I’ll be able to put in more time starting in spring, but that doesn’t help for the upcoming April HIM. For reference, I run 10-12 hours a week averaging 75mpw, and swim 3-4 one hour sessions a week.
Run less, bike more.
I’m not running at the exclusion of biking. If I could, I would bike as much as I run. I have a weird schedule though and am out of town enough where biking more isn’t feasible.
I do about 3.5 hour per week with a maximum…MAXIMUM of 4 hours a week on the bike, Im not training for IM or HIM, I have access to a closet 40k loop, i soft pedal to the loop, then hammer as hard as I can for the loop 3 times per week for a total of about 83 miles a week. I dont do long rides or recovery rides, just FTP type efforts on the loop.
I do just fine breaking the hour for 40k, I have a feeling too that if i were to go for a 3-4 hour long ride, there would be no problems. For me, its not a time issue, I have all the time in the world, I just have no desire to do more than about 8-9 hours of training per week.
For HIM do one 1hr. ride HARD (TT or intervals) or as a brick with a 5+mi. run, and one 3hr. ride with some hard sections. You’ll need the 3hr. ride so you are doing something that requires nutrition (like the race will).
It’s gonna be hard to do a reasonable IM on that little bike time.
I have done many IMs on ~ 4.5 hrs/wk biking with good splits. I do one 70 mile time trial flat out on Saturday mornings and a 1 hour ride on Sundays very fast with some full on accelerations.
I do about 3.5 hour per week with a maximum…MAXIMUM of 4 hours a week on the bike, Im not training for IM or HIM, I have access to a closet 40k loop, i soft pedal to the loop, then hammer as hard as I can for the loop 3 times per week for a total of about 83 miles a week. I dont do long rides or recovery rides, just FTP type efforts on the loop.
I do just fine breaking the hour for 40k, I have a feeling too that if i were to go for a 3-4 hour long ride, there would be no problems. For me, its not a time issue, I have all the time in the world, I just have no desire to do more than about 8-9 hours of training per week.
How long have you been racing tri? Also, how long has the OP been racing tri? The dogma is that once you build a ‘base’, you can rely on that for years.
Intervals, and lots of them. every ride. warm up bang them out and your done.
If I had to take a stab at it:
1 hr with about 30-40 mins FTP,1 hr with 20-25 minutes VO2 max or a tough higher and 2 hours @ Sweet Spot (88-92% FTP). That assumes that much of that 12 hours of running is at lower end aerobic pace to leave you relatively fresh for riding.
I do about 3.5 hour per week with a maximum…MAXIMUM of 4 hours a week on the bike, Im not training for IM or HIM, I have access to a closet 40k loop, i soft pedal to the loop, then hammer as hard as I can for the loop 3 times per week for a total of about 83 miles a week. I dont do long rides or recovery rides, just FTP type efforts on the loop.
If I only had 4 hrs per week that is exactly what I would do also.
If I only had that much time to ride, I’d dedicate at least an hour a week (for the “off” season, anyway) doing cadence and form drills. Unless you’re a super-experienced cyclist you can probably gain as much by becoming more efficient as you through fitness.
3 Workouts:
1st workout strength on the hills, 1 hr (warm up for 10 minutes, ride up some hill for a couple of times with a big gear, roll home)
2nd workout timetrial in the flats, 1 hr (warm up 10 minutes, 2*20 min hard with a 5 min recovery, 5 cool down)
3rd workout Race 2hr
Racing is key … Any race is good, cyclocross, time trials, road, cyclocross …
At least 3 hours of that should be at FTP. The rest is warmups. Never cooldown on the bike. Remember that only riding at FTP counts.
I do about 3.5 hour per week with a maximum…MAXIMUM of 4 hours a week on the bike, Im not training for IM or HIM, I have access to a closet 40k loop, i soft pedal to the loop, then hammer as hard as I can for the loop 3 times per week for a total of about 83 miles a week. I dont do long rides or recovery rides, just FTP type efforts on the loop.
If I only had 4 hrs per week that is exactly what I would do also.
I tried this kind of all-hard training, and I was toast after 3 weeks, with the running and swimming on top (also done hard, granted.)
If biking was the ONLY thing I were doing, it might be doable, but with SBR, if you’re actually going your near-max for those 3-4 rides, you’ll be toasted. It sounds good in theory, but in practice, you’ve gotta be in near-race shape to pull that off, and I doubt you’ll last for more than 4-5 weeks if you’re still swimming and running seriously as well.
I do about 3.5 hour per week with a maximum…MAXIMUM of 4 hours a week on the bike, Im not training for IM or HIM, I have access to a closet 40k loop, i soft pedal to the loop, then hammer as hard as I can for the loop 3 times per week for a total of about 83 miles a week. I dont do long rides or recovery rides, just FTP type efforts on the loop.
If I only had 4 hrs per week that is exactly what I would do also.
I tried this kind of all-hard training, and I was toast after 3 weeks, with the running and swimming on top (also done hard, granted.)
If biking was the ONLY thing I were doing, it might be doable, but with SBR, if you’re actually going your near-max for those 3-4 rides, you’ll be toasted. It sounds good in theory, but in practice, you’ve gotta be in near-race shape to pull that off, and I doubt you’ll last for more than 4-5 weeks if you’re still swimming and running seriously as well.
Ive been doing it for 39 weeks, no problemo, I think that the shorter workouts afford me more time to recover. Also, I dont swim, Im not training right now, just working out, enjoying being fit enough to do other things I like (getting back into mountaineering) so im happy with sub hour 40k TTs and sub 40 min 10k’s.
I really train about 8 hours a week and about three weeks from now, the bike will get scrapped because of job stuff, so ill either add 3 hours of running or 3 hours of gym time. we’ll see.
I do some runs on tired legs, but the cycling nevers suffers from fatigue, I have more than enough recovery time between rides so theres absolutely no issue there. The rest is just 40-50mpw running. I jump in some 5ks and do some hard workouts, but since I really dont have a race coming up, I just train, yeah, some days are sluggish, but 100% of the time, whenever I have a hard day, the following day kicks ass so I dont sweat it, Like I said, not racing right now, just enjoying working out without pressure.
FWIW, I started doing this after resisting Flecks advice for a long time, I was piling on high milage stuff, not having fun, getting burned out, injured and pulling off shit 12 hour IMs. Now im actually training half as much and seeing better results and enjoying myself. At the moment, I have it all.
And as for “race shape”, yeah, I suppose. I ran 40:13 off a 59:51 bike the other day with a sort of shitty transition. If I can swim like a 25, then Ill be kicking some ass, again, not even thinking of racing though.
x3 but replace one of the ftp rides with a VO2 workout. Frankly, that would be better than a lot of bike programs and would create a lot of fitness. Since the OP runs 75 mpw, he’d be doing great off that program.
I’m not running at the exclusion of biking. If I could, I would bike as much as I run. I have a weird schedule though and am out of town enough where biking more isn’t feasible.
When you are “out of town” are you staying at hotels with a gym? I travel a lot too and, while not perfect, I can frequently find a way to put in a few hours on a stationary bike. Better than nothing. This week I actually stayed at a hotel with several good quality spin bikes - sweatfest!
not trying to be a wise ass but if you are looking to optimize your IM experience you need to put in some 4-5 hour bike rides (preferably right after an hr swim);
on a different day, try a 4 hr bike ride then an 1.5 to 2 hr run;
what you want to do is “model” the conditions that you are going to be racing in manageable chunks.
an hour on the bike is simply too short.