Draft legal Olympic distance triathlons require athletes to compete at a range of intensities, especially on the bike where there can be high intensity sprints to get into bunches and solid efforts to close a gap – as well as sections of the ride that are a cruise settled into a bunch playing a tactical race. This session has all of that, and then launches into an intense run to get your legs firing into a frenetic pace at the start of the run.
Each week I will post Monday’s Brick session that you can do to enhance your triathlon performance. For a full understanding of my Level’s intensity system, please read my previous articles about intensity for cycling and running.
The inspiration for this workout comes from a YouTube video by TriathlonDan about a training session Alex Yee did in the build up to winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. You can see that video here:
Alex Yee’s BIG Brick Session (Paris Olympics Training)
- Bike
- 60min WU Level II;
- 3x 1min Level IV-/IV+/V, 1min Level II RI;
- 30sec Level II;
- 4x 10sec Level V++, 90sec Level I RI (only 60sec after 4th rep);
- 3min Level III+;
- 15min Level I;
- 3:30min Level V;
- 90min Level III;
- 25:50min Level II;
- Run
- 2km Level IV;
- 1km Level V;
- 10min CD Level II;
- 10min Stretching
Start this brick with an hour Warm Up (WU) at Level II.
Commence a progressive set of three, one-minute intervals increase the intensity for each interval. Start at Level IV- for the first rep, Level IV+ for the second rep and then Level V for the final rep. Take a one-minute Rest Interval (RI) at Level II between each rep, and after the final rep take a 90-second Rest Interval (RI).
The next set is made up of four, ten-second sprints at Level V++, cruise at Level I for 90-seconds after each rep, except the final rep which is only 60-seconds.
Ride for three minutes at Level III+ prior to a cruisie fifteen minutes at Level I.
Punch into a solid three and a half minutes at Level V, before settling into 90 minutes riding at Level III.
Cool Down (CD) at Level II to round the ride out to three and a half hours.
Transition to the run and straight into two kilometres at Level IV. Alex included a dead turn within this interval simulating the sharp 180 degree turns common at World Triathlon Championship Series events and other major events.
Increase your speed to Level V for a kilometre to finish the intervals.
Then move into a Cool Down (CD) for ten minutes at Level II.
Finish with 10 minutes of stretching to assist with the recovery.
Here are the details of Alex’s workout on Strava:
Read more about the benefits of brick sessions here:
I am the Head Coach and Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes in achieving their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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Download the Garmin (.FIT) & Zwift (.ZWO) files for this workout for FREE
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