First year doing sprint duathlons. Was hoping to gather some recommendations of race pace for the bike you would use for a 5/20/2.5. My initial thought would be to pace the bike at ftp or slightly above. However, I’ve also read that going into zone 5 would be the way to go. For reference, I use coggan to set up my zones. Based on this, zone 5 starts about 10 above ftp. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
The best way to start dialing in duathlon pacing is do a few, and make a note of the power your did and how the 2nd run went.
You can do some practice runs in training. In my experience I have never been able to ride at FTP in a duathlon, even short ones. You could be different, if you are a really good runner perhaps. But pretty much no chance of holding FTP with a 5 mile (or 5k) run then 20 mile bike.
If those are 20 bike kilometers, then sure, FTP probably about right.
First year doing sprint duathlons. Was hoping to gather some recommendations of race pace for the bike you would use for a 5/20/2.5. My initial thought would be to pace the bike at ftp or slightly above. However, I’ve also read that going into zone 5 would be the way to go. For reference, I use coggan to set up my zones. Based on this, zone 5 starts about 10 above ftp. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Would also depend on that first run. I always try to run the 2nd faster so the first run ends up feeling like a good tempo paced warm up even though I’m going faster typically.
I start at 85-90% and try to ramp up the effort as the bike goes along.
If the 5/20/2.5 is in miles then that’s more than an hour effort (for normal humans) so FTP might be a stretch
Good luck riding at more than about 95% for the whole 20 miles after running 5 miles near threshold beforehand. Because they both use the legs, by the time you reach mile 20, you will have been using your legs for about 50 minutes already… then you need to jump off and hopefully run close to 10k pace. IF you try and save 1 minute on the bike going at 100%< you might run 90-120 seconds slower as you legs will be roasted.
Swimming impacts your overall cardio and energy systems, but have no real fatigue on your legs.
Good luck riding at more than about 95% for the whole 20 miles after running 5 miles near threshold beforehand. Because they both use the legs, by the time you reach mile 20, you will have been using your legs for about 50 minutes already… then you need to jump off and hopefully run close to 10k pace. IF you try and save 1 minute on the bike going at 100%< you might run 90-120 seconds slower as you legs will be roasted.
Swimming impacts your overall cardio and energy systems, but have no real fatigue on your legs.
It’s probably in Kilometers since he said sprint, but I think it would be difficult to ride 95% for that too.
jaretj
Good point. I guess miles would be intermediate.
Well then, let that puppy rip. Just don’t go too hard out of T1. I think your breathing rate will be a self limiter anyway, so there’s not as much pacing since you won;t have fresh legs getting on the bike. You might set a power limit, but otherwise I think its’ a case of riding by feel. More often than not, you’ll fall short of your target on the bike in sprint races. It sounds great ot say…sure I’ll ride at 105% for the whole thing . Now go try and do that for 25-30 minutes. Go run a 5k race, then jump on your trainer and try to do a power 20’ test.
I believe km?
If so nose bleed hard (though it depends on effort for first 5km), it’s only 2.5km after. Look at your power files after 
If you have 2 pairs of shoes set one up perfectly for your T2….that will save you a few seconds fumbling with your original shoes, re-tieing etc.
Maurice
I’m no pro, but having two pairs of shoes in transition sounds unnecessarily complicated. Why would you need to re-tie shoes? Even without lock-laces this shouldn’t be necessary; no?
I’m no pro, but having two pairs of shoes in transition sounds unnecessarily complicated. Why would you need to re-tie shoes? Even without lock-laces this shouldn’t be necessary; no?
No not necessary, or I guess it depends on if 5-15 seconds is necessary to you, me or the OP.
Just a small trick that I have found useful, start with one pair of shoes and have another with a bit of baby powder and vaseline in the right places, perfectly lined up and open enough to put on quickly in T2.
My experience with duathlons is that after the first run the shoes get kicked off quickly and are never “just perfect” for the second run requiring a few seconds adjustment to get right, having a second set is faster for me. Your experience/mileage may vary.
Maurice
Yeah, I guess any tip should be read with an implied “ymmv.” I’ve done a handful of Du’s and never seen this (even among some very fast people), but hey if it works for you! 
My comment / question would be around your implication that you aren’t in Z5 at FTP. When I do my FTP testing, I start at 90% of max HR. I ride a CP30, so, 30 minute FTP. After 15 minutes my HR will be above 90%. I generally hit my max HR during my FTP tests.
Yes every ones different, I did this at nationals in 2003.
Came into T2 with a pack of 5 or 6 guys, left about 10 seconds ahead of them…then got ran down by 3 (Adam Campbell, Sam Babe and some other guy maybe Trev Williams) and ended up 4th, I can’t remember where 5th was or if it mattered at the time.
Maurice
I am certainly no expert and not all that fast but will share my Olympic distance du experiences. 5k - 40k - 10k. I am not good enough to be competing for wins but would think in a sprint you have to stay with the fast runners in the opening run or your chances are really slim.
First 5k run, I try to run at at slightly better than open 10k pace. For me that is in the 7:30 range per mile.
Bike. I am trying to ride at 85% of FTP using power to pace. Steady effort, burn no matches if possible. Last mile, try to get heart rate down a bit. Bike is my weakness so I try to save a little
Last 10k. Open 10k + 15 sec per mile. Start fast and hold on.
I have to think in a sprint, assuming a good run fitness, it’s on the edge of all out from the start. Open 5 k run pace plus a little, 90% FTP on the bike and 5k run pace for as long as possible.
I do a 2x20 minute test for ftp, and then based on that result plug it into training peaks using coggan(6) as the default for zone settings. What it generates is that zone 4 ranges at bit below and above that number. For instance my last tested ftp was 270 and zone 4 ranges from 246 to 285 watts. For others who have commented thanks, the distance is in km. I’m thinking that if I try to keep the bike in zone mid zone 4 that would be a good place to start.
I do a 2x20 minute test for ftp, and then based on that result plug it into training peaks using coggan(6) as the default for zone settings. What it generates is that zone 4 ranges at bit below and above that number. For instance my last tested ftp was 270 and zone 4 ranges from 246 to 285 watts. For others who have commented thanks, the distance is in km. I’m thinking that if I try to keep the bike in zone mid zone 4 that would be a good place to start.
Oops, sorry, I was thinking HR Zone :). Forget my message, Not Applicable.
Run open 10k pace, no kick. Ride hard at your highest comfortable cadence, then try not to die too badly. If you don’t finish a sprint du totally wrecked you did it wrong.
Use your power meter as a tool to keep your power below 110% in the beginning. It is likely that you will be amped up as fk, in T1 with other guys and then hammer away at 4-500 watts. Dont do this. ‘Pacing’ to power in such a short event is to overcomplicate things a little bit; you will ride as hard as possible. Check the meter to see that you are doing surges and not letting power drop on downhills.
So what does the collective slow twitch wisdom say about pacing for a standard distance tri (10km, 40km, 5km), both for bike and run.
Run open 10k pace, no kick. Ride hard at your highest comfortable cadence, then try not to die too badly. If you don’t finish a sprint du totally wrecked you did it wrong.
I quote totally martin
I have done more than 30 of these races both on draft and no-draft (in Italy these races are always draft).
in draft mode of course is totally a different race than no-draft and I don’t know which rules apply in USA, but for no-draft Martin is right
in draft mode the tactis is only one: run fastest you can always, while riding stay in a good pack never down 4-6 position for avoiding accident and be ready with “runaway” athlete that creates gaps. Change in T2 in front and run the final as you are escaping from a Tiger.