Race Week Workouts and Taper: Sprint Distance

Any suggestions for race week workouts for a sprint distance duathlon on a Sunday. My training is generally very structured and good, but I sometimes struggle the week before a race with the balance between doing too much and feeling like I am doing nothing at all. Plus, it’s not like IM training where you can cut the time way down and still get a decent workout.

The race is on a Sunday and I am coming in with a very good base of fitness and speed, so basically I just want to avoid messing anything up. I typically take Fridays off before a race and do something short but quick on Saturday. However, Friday I will be working in the morning and then driving 6+ hours. I am worried about waking up Saturday and feeling like sh!t. Should I do a light run Friday morning, would that help? I remember watching What It Takes and seeing Peter Reid talking about a long drive into the night wiping him out. Thanks.

Current training schedule looks something like this:

M-Recovery Run, Swim
T-Gym, Threshold Ride (2x20)
W-Interval Run (1200s or something similar), Recovery Ride
T-Gym, Interval Ride
F-Threshold Run (2x12-15 or 1x20-30)
S-Long Ride
S-Long Run

I would take Friday off, who cares how you feel on Saturday if the race is Sunday. The 6 hour drive will be enough of a workout. If you are fit and ready as you say a run Friday morning will have little benifit. Take the extra rest. You should still be sharp and ready to go Sunday. Good luck and have fun.

I usually structure the week before a Sunday Sprint like so, seems to work for me:

Mon - 45min run (with strides), 1500-1700yds in the pool doing sets of fast 50s
Tue - 60min ride with a couple short race pace efforts
Wed - 60min run with a couple short race pace efforts, 1200-1500yds doing set of fast/steady 100s
Thur - 60 min ride with a couple short race pace efforts
Fri - Off
Sat - 45min/15min brick with a couple pick ups
Sun - Race
.

Give this a shot:
M - Recovery Run, Swim
T - aerobic Ride / No hard efforts -
W- Intervals Run (4x400 @ race effort), Recovery Ride
T - Ride Intervals (3 x 5min)
F- OFF - TRavel
S - Very EZ 15min run - :45 Bike w/ 6-8 x 1min @ Race effort - :15 transition run (5min build to race effort - 10 easy)
S - Race

Take FRI off from training … shower & stretch after you get to your destination

Best of luck …

Thanks, but what about Wednesday?

Adjusted in my above post …

Trifast,

Sounds about right to me. Personally, I do my last ‘fast’ running (4-6x400 or maybe a mini-ladder, with 1-2 800s close to race pace) on Tues.

  • Cycling I do some intervals in the context of an aerobic ride Wed.

Thu. I do R&B but all short and easy.

I like your F- off and the mini-du on Sat.