Triathletes - Help me run faster

Training
21

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

I am self coached.
It is a lot of fun.

The hardest thing is to be objective about what to do. Injury is the big risk for that reason.

The best thing is that I do not have a plan, just a program. I divide the time in 3 to 4 weeks blocks and have an idea about what to do work in each one.

How I distribute it within the block is driven by my own freshness feeling.

I made a lot of mistakes in the past. I had a plan and tried to execute it no matter what. I got injured or, if lucky, could not absorb the training stress in an optimal way for sure.

I always have this in my mind now so flexibility and having some process goals and strict training principles in which I believe are the only concerns.

Having a coaching certification is something I see in my near future so I have been my own guinea pig. After a decade of mild falilures, it seems that I finally got somewhere.

I strongly advise anyone who does not have the intention to become a coach to get one if money allows.

Some of the jeopardys of self coaching are also felt if one just buys a general plan specially in running. Not that much in cycling or swimming.

Trying to follow a bought program strictly is something that frightens me. Running does not forgive inadequate training. Injury is always a sure menace if we do too much too soon or do not know how to listen your body. On the other hand, if one is too conservative, the fitness gains might be poor if any.

A coach brings individualization. A key point for running, swimming but maybe not as fundamental for cycling given the data we can gather from a powermeter (FTP,. Power duration curves, TSS, PMC, etc…). The data itself creates a great part of the individualization if one follows a modern training program.

So… If I wanted to upgrade my running with a fall 70.3 in mind,

1 - I would put my swimming and biking in maintenance mode until June

2 - I would hire a triathlon coach but with her/him focusing me in a 6 month running block

3 - I would plan some intermediate goal races and a half Marathon in the end of the block.

Maybe what you spare in buying the plan, pool time and bike maintenance can partially finance the coaching fee

Another thing, if you train 10 hours per week and reduce bike and swim maintenance to a 3 hours total, you can dedicate 7 to you running (including strength and mobility). It is already a very decent volume.

Just be sure of one thing. A properly coached and well executed high volume 24 weeks running focused program will change you running ability forever.

22

I’ve been thinking about this recently, if I wanted to do a dedicated block of run training, how would I maintain my bike fitness? Or better put, how many, and which, TR workouts would be needed in the course of a week to try and avoid too much loss of hard-fought bike improvements.

Maybe that would be a solution for @Stringwise, cut down the cycling to focus on the running for a dedicated block now - using the advice above. Given that a 70.3 is a possibility in the second half of the year, there is plenty of time to build the cycling fitness.

23

Once I had to mantain cycling fitness with very little volume and it sort of worked with:

  • Assuming no road; riding only indoor -more focused sessions, much less time consumed in pre and post riding

  • Only do intensity training (no “fill” workouts)
    Two times a week alternating:
    over-unders;
    VO2Max intervals,
    zone 6: 5x30s all out with 4 minutes rest,
    2x10 sweet spot or LT.
    I was doing like 30 to 35 minutes per workout.
    when the last interval was completed, I hit the stop button. No time wasted on cool down

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24

I just continue with a tri plan but skip bike sessions as I see fit, otherwise…

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25

I mean its kinda possible but running more makes you a better runner. And unlike biking you cannot just smash tempo runs 5 days a week. You should aim for shorter runs 5-6 days a week, getting from 30-40 miles a week. All of these runs should be stupid easy pace. Like almost annoying slow pace.

Several years ago when I was still a triathlete (also coached XC and the distance runners for a track team) the best I became at running was when I started running 40-50 miles per week with at least 90% of the runs being stupid easy. After several months of doing this I dropped over a minute from my 5k time just doing time trial with a friend, not even racing.

Doing that will make a huge difference. Even if you can get out for Its was better to run 25 miles a week as 5 five mile runs a week rather then 1 ten mile and 2 seven & a half mile runs. All about consistency.

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26

Also during this time I was doing 6x4 efforts at like 110%-115% w/4 min rest twice a week plus another ride or two. Helped me keep my biking strength.

28

When I did a 70.3 last year I ran 6 days a week via the barry p plan I posted above and then did low volume plan with an extra workout on the weekend. When I had those 3 days of shorter runs I added the TR workouts.

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29

First thing is to figure out how your body adapts to tempo and volume. How much volume can you handle and do your respond to tempo work. Just as an example, last year I PR’ed my open half marathon at 1:27 on a 70.3 protocol and 23k per week average. My best friend beat me by less than a minute on as much as 80k per week. When I do mile repeats, I do it on 250m rest, he does it on 1k rest. When I push beyond 50k per week my body falls apart, he easily does 100k+ on his marathon protocol.

What I’m saying is, figure out what works for you and try things out. You can and will get faster on 3 runs per week, after all consistency is king in the beginning. Be careful to not injure yourself. You bring a pretty big engine to the start line and the rest of your body will not adapt as quickly. Inch up your weekly mileage carefully and be very careful with hard tempo work. If you can, incorporate a fair bit of trail running, which will help with coordination and strength.

Good luck, you’ve got this!

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