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Three Great Brick Workouts
by Kim Loeffler
Brick workouts, are one of the most valuable workouts in your Ironman training program. Brick sessions have numerous physical and psychological benefits, such as muscle memory, endurance, and mental fortitude. Below are 3 types of Brick sessions that have become integral components of my annual training plan.
High Intensity Brick: The high intensity brick is a great all around workout. It is best done during your short course season, or while preparing for a half Ironman. This type of brick includes a 2-3 hour bike with hill repeats, muscle endurance, and/or time trials, at or slightly faster than race pace, followed by a 30-45 minute transition run. An example of a high intensity brick would be a 2 hour bike workout w/ 3x20 minutes slightly faster than half Ironman race pace followed by a quick transition into a 40 minute run as 30 min. at 10-15 seconds per mile faster than half Ironman race pace, 10 minutes easy cool down.
Ironman Base Brick: The Ironman Base Brick is fundamental workout for anyone training for an Ironman. After a ride of 5-6 hours, transition quickly to a 20-30 minute run. This brick is designed to get your legs familiar with the feeling of running with cycling fatigue. It facilitates muscle memory and will help you find your running legs more quickly.
Ironman Build Brick: This session typically follows the Ironman Base Brick and is performed about 6-8 weeks before your key Ironman race. It is similar to the base brick, with the inclusion of hill repeats, muscle endurance, and/or time trials at projected Ironman race pace. This is a very specific race preparation workout and should be treated as a “practice race”. You should eat your pre-race dinner the night before, eat your planned pre-race breakfast, wear your race suit, and most importantly practice your race day nutrition plan. The 20-30 minute transition run should be performed at goal Ironman race pace. During the run, it is very important to wait 5-10 minutes before eating or drinking. Just like in a race, wait for your stomach to settle and running legs to come around. After a mile, access how you feel. Do you feel dizzy, lightheaded, extremely heavy or fatigued? If you do, chances are you didn’t eat enough on the bike and you should re-evaluate your race day nutrition plan. On the contrary, if your stomach is bloated and cramped, it’s likely you ate too much. Calculate your bike calories and make the necessary adjustments.
Including bricks into your annual training plan is critical for success in triathlon. Eventually, running off the bike will become second nature and you will be on your way to a stellar race performance. Best of Luck!
Kim Loeffler is a Professional Triathlete, 2004 Ironman National Champion and member of the 2005 Master Amino Acid Pattern (MAP) and Timex Triathlon Team. She has been a MAP user since 2004. Additional sponsors include 180s and PowerBar.
Other Articles : Ironman Nutrition
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