First training brick

In three weeks, I'll be doing my first triathlon, a Try-a-tri (beginner's short distance) race. I've
been training well at all three disciplines... separately.

Today I did my first real training brick, and what I thought was going to be pretty easy was....
NOT. I went to the local track, which happened to be paved with asphalt. I felt this would give me a
convenient place to cycle, drop the bike and keep an eye on it, and then run.

I did my 30 laps on the bike, dropped the bike, changed from helmet to cap, then started on the run.
man, what a strange feeling. i mean, i DID go into a lower gear near the end of the bike to help the
legs loosen up a bit, but that did not prepare me for the leaden feeling in my legs.

the legs felt like they were separate from me, and i couldn't really get them to do what i wanted
them to.... though after a few laps, i started to feel a bit more composed, and got into a bit of a
rhythm. but since the run portion of my race will only be 2K - and that's what i ran today
- by the time i was feeling capable on the run... it was over.

any advice on conquering this? just practise the brick more often? i believe i might gear down on
the bike a bit sooner... that should help the legs loosen up more.

anyway, an interesting experience, and i'll make adjustments here and there until things feel
better. all in all, not bad, but quite the disconcerting feeling.... felt like the last portion of a
marathon (and i know what THAT feels like).

thanks,

Cam

 

Cam, just keep practicing...do some short bricks to "educate" both your mind and body on the
difference of running off the bike and merely running.

Most people have no concept of what that feeling is like until it is experienced firsthand...

In time, you'll learn how long it takes your body to adjust from "bike legs" to "running legs"--for
me, it's less than a 1/2 mile, but when I first started doing tris way back when, it seemed like it
took well over a mile before my legs loosened up enough to run relatively normally.

Keep it going!

Mike C

>From: Cam Wilson [email protected]

>In three weeks, I'll be doing my first triathlon, a Try-a-tri (beginner's short distance) race.
>I've been training well at all three disciplines... separately.
>
>Today I did my first real training brick, and what I thought was going to be pretty easy was....
>NOT. I went to the local track, which happened to be paved with asphalt. I felt this would give me
>a convenient place to cycle, drop the bike and keep an eye on it, and then run.
>
>I did my 30 laps on the bike, dropped the bike, changed from helmet to cap, then started on the
>run. man, what a strange feeling. i mean, i DID go into a lower gear near the end of the bike to
>help the legs loosen up a bit, but that did not prepare me for the leaden feeling in my legs.
>
>the legs felt like they were separate from me, and i couldn't really get them to do what i wanted
>them to.... though after a few laps, i started to feel a bit more composed, and got into a bit of a
>rhythm. but since the run portion of my race will only be 2K - and that's what i ran today
>- by the time i was feeling capable on the run... it was over.
>
>any advice on conquering this? just practise the brick more often? i believe i might gear down on
>the bike a bit sooner... that should help the legs loosen up more.
>
>anyway, an interesting experience, and i'll make adjustments here and there until things feel
>better. all in all, not bad, but quite the disconcerting feeling.... felt like the last portion of
>a marathon (and i know what THAT feels like).
>
>thanks,
>
>Cam
>
>
>

 

Cam, First, Good luck in the upcoming race! Running after biking will always feel a little wierd, so
you just have to get used to the feeling. here's what's worked for me over the past 22 yrs of tris:
I do a brick almost every ride! No, I don't risk injury b/c really I am just practicing the
transition and getting used to running after biking. Unless I am really getting ready for a big race
the "brick" is simply a very short run. Usually just out to the mailbox and back. What this does is
just get the body ready to switch gears. This doesn't have to be long, just enough to get your body
used to changing from bike to run. Good luck,

Good Luck! David Never give up, Be satisfied w/ your best, Do unto others.....

 

Advice? Ask the good Father to bless you. I think he does private blessings in his chapel. The
annoiting part is kind of sticky, but Roger tells me it works in races.

Cam Wilson <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> In three weeks, I'll be doing my first triathlon, a Try-a-tri (beginner's short distance) race.
> I've been training well at all three disciplines... separately.
>
> Today I did my first real training brick, and what I thought was going to be pretty easy was....
> NOT. I went to the local track, which happened to be paved with asphalt. I felt this would give me
> a convenient place to cycle, drop the bike and keep an eye on it, and then run.
>
> I did my 30 laps on the bike, dropped the bike, changed from helmet to cap, then started on the
> run. man, what a strange feeling. i mean, i DID go into a lower gear near the end of the bike to
> help the legs loosen up a bit, but that did not prepare me for the leaden feeling in my legs.
>
> the legs felt like they were separate from me, and i couldn't really get them to do what i wanted
> them to.... though after a few laps, i started to feel a bit more composed, and got into a bit of
> a rhythm. but since the run portion of my race will only be 2K - and that's what i ran today
> - by the time i was feeling capable on the run... it was over.
>
> any advice on conquering this? just practise the brick more often? i believe i might gear down on
> the bike a bit sooner... that should help the legs loosen up more.
>
> anyway, an interesting experience, and i'll make adjustments here and there until things feel
> better. all in all, not bad, but quite the disconcerting feeling.... felt like the last portion of
> a marathon (and i know what THAT feels like).
>
> thanks,
>
> Cam

 

Funny you mention this - it's one of the reasons why, even though I'm a regular at all three sports,
I rarely do a triathlon. When I've got my choice, I prefer them in exactly the opposite order - a
run first, a bike ride to refresh the legs with a good spin, and a swim to cap it all off. If anyone
out there organizes triathlons and would like to give reversing the order a try, I'll sign right up!

-S-

Cam Wilson wrote:
>
> In three weeks, I'll be doing my first triathlon, a Try-a-tri (beginner's short distance) race.
> I've been training well at all three disciplines... separately.
>
> Today I did my first real training brick, and what I thought was going to be pretty easy was....
> NOT. I went to the local track, which happened to be paved with asphalt. I felt this would give me
> a convenient place to cycle, drop the bike and keep an eye on it, and then run.
>
> I did my 30 laps on the bike, dropped the bike, changed from helmet to cap, then started on the
> run. man, what a strange feeling. i mean, i DID go into a lower gear near the end of the bike to
> help the legs loosen up a bit, but that did not prepare me for the leaden feeling in my legs.
>
> the legs felt like they were separate from me, and i couldn't really get them to do what i wanted
> them to.... though after a few laps, i started to feel a bit more composed, and got into a bit of
> a rhythm. but since the run portion of my race will only be 2K - and that's what i ran today
> - by the time i was feeling capable on the run... it was over.
>
> any advice on conquering this? just practise the brick more often? i believe i might gear down on
> the bike a bit sooner... that should help the legs loosen up more.
>
> anyway, an interesting experience, and i'll make adjustments here and there until things feel
> better. all in all, not bad, but quite the disconcerting feeling.... felt like the last portion of
> a marathon (and i know what THAT feels like).
>
> thanks,
>
> Cam

 

There is a race in Michigan a friend of mine did that reverses the order like this.

Chris

Steve Freides wrote:

> Funny you mention this - it's one of the reasons why, even though I'm a regular at all three
> sports, I rarely do a triathlon. When I've got my choice, I prefer them in exactly the opposite
> order - a run first, a bike ride to refresh the legs with a good spin, and a swim to cap it all
> off. If anyone out there organizes triathlons and would like to give reversing the order a try,
> I'll sign right up!
>
> -S-

 

If you have a link to it or other contact information, please post it. It would be nice to try and
organize something similar here in the metro NYC area.

-S-

chris freeman wrote:
>
> There is a race in Michigan a friend of mine did that reverses the order like this.
>
> Chris
>
> Steve Freides wrote:
>
> > Funny you mention this - it's one of the reasons why, even though I'm a regular at all three
> > sports, I rarely do a triathlon. When I've got my choice, I prefer them in exactly the opposite
> > order - a run first, a bike ride to refresh the legs with a good spin, and a swim to cap it all
> > off. If anyone out there organizes triathlons and would like to give reversing the order a try,
> > I'll sign right up!
> >
> > -S-

 

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (David) wrote:

> Cam, First, Good luck in the upcoming race! Running after biking will always feel a little wierd,
> so you just have to get used to the feeling. here's what's worked for me over the past 22 yrs of
> tris: I do a brick almost every ride! No, I don't risk injury b/c really I am just practicing the
> transition and getting used to running after biking. Unless I am really getting ready for a big
> race the "brick" is simply a very short run. Usually just out to the mailbox and back. What this
> does is just get the body ready to switch gears. This doesn't have to be long, just enough to get
> your body used to changing from bike to run. Good luck,
>
> Good Luck! David Never give up, Be satisfied w/ your best, Do unto others.....

Thanks for the idea, David. Yes, I was thinking that simply practising the brick would train the
mind and muscles to at least handle the odd feeling and perhaps the physical part of it would become
easier. I'll try what you suggest, just doing a short run after biking. Can't hurt, I guess.

thanks,

Cam

 

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Mike Conway) wrote:

> Cam, just keep practicing...do some short bricks to "educate" both your mind and body on the
> difference of running off the bike and merely running.

Yessir! Quite the difference. I'm used to just cruising along in total control when I run, but that
brick sure changed my view of a 10 minute run!

> Most people have no concept of what that feeling is like until it is experienced firsthand...
>
> In time, you'll learn how long it takes your body to adjust from "bike legs" to "running
> legs"--for me, it's less than a 1/2 mile, but when I first started doing tris way back when, it
> seemed like it took well over a mile before my legs loosened up enough to run relatively normally.
>
> Keep it going!
>
> Mike C

good stuff.... I'll just do the brick as often as possible, maybe knocking the cycling intensity
down a notch near the end of the bike leg.

Cool stuff, nonetheless. Love all the learning involved. Really.

Thanks,

Cam

 

On Mon, 05 May 2003 11:45:29 -0400, Steve Freides <[email protected]> wrote:

>If you have a link to it or other contact information, please post it. It would be nice to try and
>organize something similar here in the metro NYC area.
>
>-S-
>

California backward tri ....

http://www.csulb.edu/org/triathlon/results2003.html

 

Oh yeah, and I've already got my little "reward"/incentive for doing my first tri in a few weeks...
back around Christmas I bought myself one of those car licence plate "frames" that says "Swim Bike
Run" on it. It's just hanging on my wall by my desk right now, acting as a reminder to stick with
the training and go for the goal... but as soon as I've completed that first tri, I'll install the
plate frame on the car. And proudly announce my having joined the ranks of the tri folk.

Just one of the ways I motivate myself.

Camn

 

It was called the Rudyard Summerfest Tri. Haven't a website for it this year. Have seen it listed on
some race calendars though.

Chris

Steve Freides wrote:

> If you have a link to it or other contact information, please post it. It would be nice to try and
> organize something similar here in the metro NYC area.
>
> -S-
>
> chris freeman wrote:
> >
> > There is a race in Michigan a friend of mine did that reverses the order like this.
> >
> > Chris

 

Subsonic wrote:
>
> On Mon, 05 May 2003 11:45:29 -0400, Steve Freides <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >If you have a link to it or other contact information, please post it. It would be nice to try
> >and organize something similar here in the metro NYC area.
> >
> >-S-
> >
>
> California backward tri ....
>
> http://www.csulb.edu/org/triathlon/results2003.html

Thanks - but there is no contact information on the web site (at least none that shows up in my
browser). Do you have any contact info? What I'd like to do is contact the person who organizes the
thing and get some first-hand info, e.g., what sort of things to warn participants about that are
different than a normal tri, etc. No sense reinventing the wheel.

TIA.

-S-

 

>Thanks - but there is no contact information on the web site (at least none that shows up in my
>browser). Do you have any contact info? What I'd like to do is contact the person who organizes the
>thing and get some first-hand info, e.g., what sort of things to warn participants about that are
>different than a normal tri, etc. No sense reinventing the wheel.
>
>TIA.
>
>-S-

Try this, it's all I could find.

[email protected]