Swim Run Bricks are a great tool to combine swimming and running within a single workout. They are great for both triathletes and aquathlon athletes.
Each week I will post Monday’s Brick session that you can do to enhance your triathlon performance. For a full understanding of my Level’s intensity system, please read my previous articles about intensity for swimming and running.
The inspiration for this workout comes from Triathlon Training with Power by Dr Christopher Myers and Hunter Allen.
Myers & Allen’s Swim Run Brick #1
- Swim
- 300 WU (100 F/S, 100 K, 100 Pull);
- 4x 50 Padd;
- 10x 100 Level III 10RI;
- 200 Pull;
- 500 Build;
- 3x 200 (odds Level II, evens Level III) 15RI;
- 100 CD;
- Run
- 10min WU Level II;
- 4x 5min Level III+, 10min Level II RI;
- 10min CD Level I;
- 10min Stretching
This is a brick session that is effectively two seperate workouts done sequentially, starting with the swim.
For the Warm Up (WU) start with a 300m swim. This 300m is made up of 100m freestyle, then 100m kick without fins and then 100m using a pull buoy. During the warm-up feel free to stop and stretch as needed. It doesn’t need to be a continuous swim.
Next up is a set of four, 50m swims using hand paddles. Take a short rest between each rep.
Within the Main Set there are four sets:
First up is a set of ten 100m reps swum at Level III, take a ten second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep.
Next up is an easy 200m.
Following that there is a 500m rep where you constantly build the pace. Swimming each length faster than the previous. Start easy and finish fast.
The final set is three, 200m reps. The first and the last rep (odd numbered reps) are swum at Level II, with the middle (or even numbered) rep at Level III.
Finish with a 100m Cool Down (CD). Unlike the previous sets which have to be freestyle, the Cool Down (CD) can be any stroke you wish to swim. You can also stop and rest after any length. I encourage you to stop and stretch during the cool-down.
Get out of the pool and straight into your run.
Start with a ten minute Warm Up (WU) at Level II.
The Main Set involves four, five-minute reps at the top end of Level III (Level III+), run for ten minutes after each rep at Level II for your Rest Interval (RI).
Complete the workout with a further ten minutes running at Level I for your Cool Down (CD).
Finish with 10 minutes of stretching to assist with the recovery.
Read more about the benefits of brick sessions here:
I am the Head Coach and Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes in achieving their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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Download the Garmin (.FIT) & Zwift (.ZWO) files for this workout for FREE
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Prior to using this plan, you should be able to:
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