Brick sessions develop your ability to complete multiple disciplines in a single event. Transitioning from one discipline to another requires a number of different things to occur in the body but a key transition is in the blood flow from the cycling muscles to the running muscles. For a swim to bike transition, you also go from a horizontal position to a vertical position with a corresponding increase in blood pressure to ensure the blood can easily get to the brain. This workout is a great race simulation that is perfectly aligned for Ironman 70.3 and Ironman athletes preparing for a key race.
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 cycling and running.
The inspiration for this workout comes from an article by Mike Ricci of D3 Multiport on TrainingPeaks. You can read the article here.
Mike Ricci’s Ultimate Full-Distance Triathlon Brick Workout
- Swim
- 600m WU Level II;
- 6x 50m Pick Ups, 10RI;
- 1,900m Level IV;
- 200m Level II;
- Run
- 2 miles Level II-;
- 2 miles Level II+;
- Bike
- 15min Level II+;
- 15min Level III-;
- 10min Level II+;
- 10min Level III-;
- 10min Level III+;
- 12min Level III-;
- 8min Level III+;
- 10min Level IV-;
- 3min Level II+;
- 12min Level III-;
- 10min Level III+;
- 5min Level IV-;
- Run
- 1 mile Level III-;
- 2 miles Level IV;
- 1 mile Level V;
- 10min CD Level II
- 10min Stretching
This workout involves three transitions and four components. It starts with a swim, then a run, then bike before finishing with another run.
The swim can be done as either a pool based session or an open-water session (although the distances may not be precise). Start with a 200m Warm Up (WU).
Then move into a set of six, 50-metre Pick Ups, with a ten second Rest Interval (RI). A Pick Up, is when you increase your pace throughout the rep, starting off at a slow pace and build into a moderate pace, then a fast pace, then a faster pace, finishing with the last few strokes at your fastest pace.
Next up is a 1,900m race pace effort, give it a solid effort holding the effort you intend to race at for the full race distance.
Prior to completing the swim, finish with a relaxed 200m swim.
Next up is a four mile run. Start off with two miles at the bottom end of Level II, then a further two miles at the top end of Level II.
Onto the bike which will be two hours long, structured around four, 30-minute blocks.
The first block is made up of two, fifteen-minute efforts. The first is at the top end of Level II, before building into the bottom end of Level II for the second fifteen-minute effort.
The second block is made up of three, ten-minute efforts. Start this block back at the top end of Level II, before building to the bottom end of Level III, then eventually the top end of Level III to complete the 30 minutes.
The third block is also split into three efforts, starting with twelve minutes at the bottom end of Level III. The next eight minutes are at the top end of Level III, then finish with ten minutes at the bottom end of Level IV.
The final block is split into four, starting with three minutes at the top end of Level II. Next up is twelve minutes at the bottom end of Level III, before ten minutes at the top end of Level III. Finish with five minutes at the bottom end of Level IV.
Transition onto the run. The first mile is done at the top end of Level III, then increase slightly into Level IV for two miles. Lift the intensity to Level V for a mile, before Cooling Down (CD) at Level II for ten minutes.
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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