Tri/Biathlon gurus...questions

[angrydave]

Due to my service in the Army, I have to run. I dont hate running, I used to like it much more than I do now, but in any case, these days I see it as taking something away from my bike. I am in the midst of an 8 week running program to get ready for a 2 mile run test in amazingly enough, 8 weeks. Now I am worried about muscle atrophy in my legs, etc etc. I have always relied on genentics for my run training, as I never trained seriously but was alwayus able to put up respectable times. Im not 20 any more, and that just doesnt cut it these days.

What do you multisport guys do for workouts? Do you bike and run in the same day? Do you alternate?? I have Friels Triathlon book, but I have barely scratched the surface of his tome. Sometimes you just need to know what time it is, rather than how to build a clock huh?

I need some pointers here, and this is always the best place to find them...

 

[nos306stang]

What type of times do you need for 2 miles? where are you at now? i do ride and run sometimes in the same day. The key for you would be to do your hard workout first. for run training make sure you do these workouts, a long run at an easy pace, tempo workout a little slower than race pace. Those are the key workouts the rest can be easy recovery runs. If you have a long way to to get to your target pace do one day where you do some 400 meter repeats at race pace.

 

[Smartt/RST]

Due to my service in the Army, I have to run. I dont hate running, I used to like it much more than I do now, but in any case, these days I see it as taking something away from my bike. I am in the midst of an 8 week running program to get ready for a 2 mile run test in amazingly enough, 8 weeks. Now I am worried about muscle atrophy in my legs, etc etc. I have always relied on genentics for my run training, as I never trained seriously but was alwayus able to put up respectable times. Im not 20 any more, and that just doesnt cut it these days.

What do you multisport guys do for workouts? Do you bike and run in the same day? Do you alternate?? I have Friels Triathlon book, but I have barely scratched the surface of his tome. Sometimes you just need to know what time it is, rather than how to build a clock huh?

I need some pointers here, and this is always the best place to find them...

There are many options here and it really depends on your individual strengths/weaknesses and the goal of your event vs your overall training. However, with only 8 weeks to go, I recommend focusing on your run training. This would mean performing your running speed work on fresh legs (I'm assuming you are not training for a multisport event, but just trying to incorporate specific run training into your overall training which includes cycling). By contrast, a tri/biathlete must perform many brick workouts, and thus runs on fatigued legs on a regular basis, and I see no reason for you to do this (again, assuming I've understood your situation). The specific kinds of workouts to do depends on the distance you are competing for: 2 miles is very short, so VO2max will be your critical physiologic component to train; with your running history, aerobic endurance would be a waste of time and only further take from your cycling fitness.

 

[angrydave]

There are many options here and it really depends on your individual strengths/weaknesses and the goal of your event vs your overall training. However, with only 8 weeks to go, I recommend focusing on your run training. This would mean performing your running speed work on fresh legs (I'm assuming you are not training for a multisport event, but just trying to incorporate specific run training into your overall training which includes cycling). By contrast, a tri/biathlete must perform many brick workouts, and thus runs on fatigued legs on a regular basis, and I see no reason for you to do this (again, assuming I've understood your situation). The specific kinds of workouts to do depends on the distance you are competing for: 2 miles is very short, so VO2max will be your critical physiologic component to train; with your running history, aerobic endurance would be a waste of time and only further take from your cycling fitness.

You pretty much grasped it. I wouldnt do much running at all were it not for the Army, though I do trail run on occassion just to shake things up some. So basically my thoughts were that I have a rock solid cardio base from the bike, I just need to train with some run specificity. Its odd, I get tired much faster than I feel I should, but I guess its conditioning. I really only need to shave a minute or so of my two mile times, which right now are around 16:00 minutes. I dont feel particularly winded at the end of that, but my legs are done. My calves (the fronts?!?) are pumped, my quads are tired, and I generally feel beat up. I feel like Im club footing for the last mile or so.
I suppose then speed work would benefit me greatly, VO2 max etc.

8 weeks should buy me a minute, and if I get more, than all the better. The weather is sooo nice, its so hard to walk past the bike and go for a run...