[pete_72]

Hi: Just organising my programme for the next 6 weeks (am bringing a regular brick into my schedule that hasn't featured previously) and have the following question.<br><br>
These Three sessions need to slot into Tues/Weds/Thurs evenings (follows a low intensity day on monday; and Friday is also low intensity or active-rest).<br><br>
60min Easy Run.<br>
60min Hill-reps Run.<br>
90min Brick session (either 60/30 or shorter repeats)<br><br>
I'm pretty sure I want the easy run in the middle on Weds, but how would you slot together the other two "quality" days? I suspect it doesn't matter at all, but if there's any ideas that i ought to consider it would be good to know. Thanks for any help.

 

[SpartyGirl]

I would do this order short brick, easy, hills.

 

[jroden]

I'd be inclined to conside a tempo as the third run and just throw a real short transition run after any old ride during the week, rather than doing a long slog--if you think about it, you are not running fast at all during the week. The other thing is maybe you could build up to 8 x 100 striders after one of the runs over the course of the cycle?<br><br>
This is from an injured runner, so take it at face value.<br><br>
I don't think the order is so important without knowing the context of the other workouts and what your weekends look like

 

[hobey]

If he were to do that, I'd consider adding more rest in between. Three quality workouts, three days in a row will do you no favors. You won't be well rested and will likely do them half-a$$ed and court injury.<br><br>
FWIW, I'd do the following:<br><br>
Long Run - Start at 60 minutes and start building to about 2 hours. In a 4 week cycle, I'd do Z2 on easy rollers, Z2/Z3 with some fartleks thrown in, Z4 hilly LR, and then cut back the 4th week for recovery.<br>
Speed - In the same 4 week cycle, I'd do one week of hill repeats, one tempo, one cruise interval workout, and then an easier informal fartlek during recovery.<br>
Brick - I'd do BRICKs mostly in Z2 for both the bike & run but as you build, I'd add some short race pace intervals into both.<br><br>
The key thing to remember is to be well rested between quality work.

 

[pete_72]

Saturday/sunday/monday are volume days at low intensity.<br><br>
The only time I'll be running that's <i>not</i> an easy pace will be Tuesday and/or Thursday. (and there's no reason to run particularly hard in the brick session; I just want to practise running at least a couple of miles or three off a decent hour's bike ride every week. I have a Sprint Du on April 26th).<br><br>
I'm going to go brick - Tues; run session - Thurs unless there's reasons this is a bad idea.

 

[hobey]

That sounds fine. I'm assuming Wednesdays will be rest days?<br><br>
Everyone responds differently to training plans. I find that I respond best to a plan that is balanced between the three sports with 2 quality days and the third day is a higher volume/low intensity. I focused on lower intensity volume last season and got burned out...teetering on the hairy edge of overtraining. You need to play a round a bit and figure out what works for you.

 

[pete_72]

Cheers Hobey. It's not the content of the workouts that I'm asking about (although I think you are right and i should mix it up with the rolling idea for the speed session - hill/tempo/cruise/fartlek across different weeks); it's the day to do 'em on. I know I want to be splitting the brick from the quality midweek run. Just wondering if tues or thurs matters for these workouts?<br><br>
sunday is a quality day cos it's a long run. saturday likewise with a long bike.<br>
monday is low intensity ride. friday is active rest.<br>
therefore four quality days each week, all seperate apart from sat-sun. all swimming is midweek lunchtimes.

 

[pete_72]

No. Weds is a 6.25 mile run - v easy pace.

 

[hobey]

What do you hope to gain with this run?<br><br>
M - Easy ride<br>
T - Brick<br>
W - Easy run - I'd argue you don't need this and instead focus on a quality pool workout<br>
T - Run Speed Session<br>
F - Rest<br>
S - Long Ride<br>
S - Long Run

 

[pete_72]

miles per week takes a high % hit if I don't do this run.<br><br>
for example: Say I mix up the long run on Sunday, and it's 10 or 12 or 14 miles. And the Tuesday run after the bike is 3 or 4 (max). And Thursday's quality session is 5 or 6 or 7 (max). Then I'm hitting 20-25 miles each week, and the long run is disproportionately high (at least 50%). If I keep a 6 mile easy run in the week, then 30 mile weeks are more easily hit, and the long run is closer to 35/40% of volume. Therefore less risk of injury.<br><br>
so if you want to give the Wednesday easy run a label; it's about long-term <b>toughness</b> in the legs. I'll be less likely to get injured by getting used to running more regularly (4 times rather than 3).<br><br>
Extra Swimming I don't need on Weds eve. At 5 times a week (or 4 if I duck one for whatever reason) I'm covered. I can always increase session length to 45 mins (from current 30s) if I want more pool time.<br>
The better alternative option (imo) is an extra bike ride on Weds evening to replace this run if it is a really wasted session. Or, there's nothing to say I couldn't switch it bi-weekly. Do a run one week, a ride the next. I'll still be getting the weekly run miles up towards 30 every second week.