Workout of the Month
- Dec 2010
-
December 2010 Workout
1900 Speed Swim [Swim]
- Warm-up
- 200 Freestyle
- Main Set
- 6 x 100 @ T-pace (RI:20)
-- 2:00 rest --
6 x 75 @ T-pace (RI:20)
-- 2:00 rest --
6 x 50 @ T-pace (RI:20)
6 x 25 moderate (RI:20) - Cool-Down
- 200 Freestyle
T1 pace or T pace - This is the fastest pace you can maintain over three sets of 100 or 300 yards/meters, and represents Lactate Threshold level. It is used primarily in Speed workouts.
- Nov 2010
-
November 2010 Workout
1900 Easy + Fast [Swim]
- Warm-up
- 300 Free
8 x 75 Pull (RI:15) - Main Set
- 300 Easy (RI:30)
3 x 75 Fast (RI:30)
75 Easy (RI:20)
2 x 75 Fast (RI:30)
75 Easy (RI:20)
75 Fast RI:(30) - Cool-Down
- 100 Free
Pull - Swim with a pull buoy and use only arms, no kicking. Pull buoys give buoyancy to your legs so you can concentrate on the arms; hold the pull buoy between your thighs or knees. If you are still inclined to kick, cross your ankles.
- Oct 2010
-
October 2010 Workout
Lactate Threshold test - 30 Minute Time Trial [Run]
- Warm-Up for 10-20 minutes
- Zone 2
- Test
- Run a 30 minute time trial on flat course/track. Punch HR monitor lap button 10 minutes into Time Trial. The Average Heart Rate for last 20 minutes predicts your Lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR).
- Cool-Down for 10-20 minutes
- Zones 1-2
Lactate Threshold - The point at which blood lactate levels accumulate in the body.
Lactic Acid - The substance produced within a cell from anaerobic metabolic activity; the accumulation of lactic acid in the body is thought to produce the burning sensation in working muscles. - Sep 2010
-
September 2010 Workout
Muscle Endurance 3-minute Intervals [Run]
- Warm-Up for 10-15 minutes
- Zone 2
- Main Set
- Run 3 minutes, building into Zones 4-5a. Recover for 2 minutes in Zones 1-2. Repeat 4-5 times.
- Cool-Down for 5-10 minutes
- Zones 1-2
Build - Get faster within the specific distance or time. In swimming, 100 Build means you swim 100 yards, getting faster all the time, until you are at the fastest in the last 25 yards or so. In running, Build 3 minutes to Zone 5 would mean over three minutes, increase your speed to that the last 30 seconds or so you were in Zone 3.
- Aug 2010
-
August 2010
Taper Reps at Race Effort [Bike]
- Warm-Up for 10-15 minutes
- Zone 2
- Main Set
- 4 x 90 seconds at race effort, with 3:30 recovery intervals. Remainder of your ride time should be Zone 2 endurance ride.
- Cool-Down for 5-10 minutes
- Zones 1-2
- Jul 2010
-
July 2010
Determining Your T-Pace [Swim]
The T-Pace is used for speed work in swimming.
- Warm-up for 10-20 minutes.
- Swim 3 x 100, with a 20 second rest interval. Your goal is to swim the highest sustained speed over all three 100s, so pace yourself. (Note: this for for sprint triathlon distance. If training for the international distance, swim 3 x 300 with a 30 sec RI.)
- Get your time for each 100. The times should be 5-10 seconds of each other. (International distance: within 15 seconds of each other.)
- Average the three times.
- This is your T-pace.
Sample T-Pace Workout
- Warm-Up
- 200 Free, 100 Kick
- Main Set
- 8 x 100 @ T-Pace (RI: 10)
8 x 50 @ T-Pace (RI: 10) - Cool-Down
- 200 easy
- Jun 2010
-
June 2010
Endurance Brick [Bike] + [Run]
Make sure you transition to the run within 5 minutes of getting off the bike. If you take longer, you're losing the benefit of the brick.
- Warm-Up on the bike for 10 minutes
- Zone 2
- Main Set
- Bike 1:30 in Zone 2
Transition less than 5 minutes
Run 30 minutes, Zone 2 - Cool-Down from run for 5 minutes
- Zone 2
Brick - A bike ride followed immediately (within 5 minutes) by a run.
- May 2010
-
May 2010
Run Time Trial (1.5 mile) [Run]
Do this workout about every 4-6 weeks to check your progress. However, to be able to compare between tests, make the conditions as similar as possible. In other words, don't do one test indoors on a treadmill and the next out outside on a hilly course!
- Warm-Up for 15-30 minutes
- Zone 2
- Test
- Run 1.5 miles as fast as possible. Record time and conditions.
- Cool-Down for at least 5 minutes
- Zone 2
- Apr 2010
-
April 2010
200s Variable [Swim]
Total is 1500 - can be yards or meters.
- Warm-Up
- Build effort on each rep: 50 Free, 50 Kick, 50 Free, 50 Kick
- Main Set
- Each numbered set is done non-stop as a 200:
#1—100 easy, 50 mod, 50 fast (Rest Interval: 10 seconds)
#2—50 easy, 100 mod, 50 fast (RI:20”)
#3—50 easy, 50 mod, 100 fast (RI:30”)
#4—100 fast, 50 easy, 50 mod (RI:20”)
#5—50 fast, 100 easy, 50 mod (RI;10”)
#6—50 fast, 50 easy, 100 mod. (RI:60”) - Cool-Down
- 100 easy with drills
Build - Get faster within the specific distance or time. In swimming, 100 Build means you swim 100 yards, getting faster all the time, until you are at the fastest in the last 25 yards or so. In running, Build 3 minutes to Zone 5 would mean over three minutes, increase your speed to that the last 30 seconds or so you were in Zone 3.
Kick - Swim with a kickboard; swim just with your legs, no arms. You can also swim on your back without a kickboard. - Mar 2010
-
March 2010
TV Special [Bike]
Until the weather gets better, this is a good option for indoors. You can adjust the time to your favorite show.
- Warm-Up for 15 minutes
- Zone 2
- Main Set
- Do this workout while watching TV. Pedal at 95 rpm in Zone 2 during the show. During the commercials, sprint.
Option 1: during the commercials, stand.
Option 2: during the commercials, pedal 90% with one leg for one minute, then switch to 90% with the other leg for a minute. Continue to alternate until the commercials end. - Cool-Down for 5 minutes
- Zone 2
- Feb 2010
-
February 2010
Faster, Faster, Faster! [Bike]
This is one of the favorites of our Tri Cycle and Tri Brick classes before the Indoor Triathlons to get the legs ready for the bike portion. Think of this workout as a 30 minute time trial broken down into 5 minute sections. It's best done on a spin bike or bike trainer, though you can do it riding outside.
- Warm-Up for 10 minutes
- Zone 2
- Main Set
- Do 6 intervals of 5 minutes each, followed by a 2 minute rest interval. Go hard/fast.
For each interval, note the distance and speed. In the next interval, you need to go further than you did previous interval (even if it is just 1/100th of a mile). So your 6th & last interval will be the furthest and fastest of all. - Cool-Down for 5 minutes
- Zone 2
The point of this workout is to keep you going faster through the whole "time trial." If you rode for 30 minutes straight, you'd probably slow down toward the end. By building in these rest periods, you keep your speed up. It should also teach you a bit about pacing, because if you kill yourself on the first couple of intervals, you'll not be able to go fastest on the last one.
