Once you’ve become comfortable running off the bike, your brick sessions can start asking a more demanding question:
Can you finish the bike strongly and still settle into a quality run?
USA Triathlon’s Experienced Sprint/Olympic Brick builds towards exactly that challenge. You’ll spend an hour on the bike, progressing from Level II through Level III and ultimately Level IV, before transitioning directly into 20 minutes of Level III running.
Unlike a beginner brick where simply becoming familiar with the bike-to-run transition may be the primary goal, this session asks you to maintain purposeful intensity after accumulating an hour of cycling.
Why You’re Doing This Session
The final part of a triathlon bike leg can have a significant influence on how the opening kilometres of your run feel.
Push the bike beyond what you can sustain and you may arrive in transition with very little left for the run. Back off unnecessarily and you may not make the most of the fitness you’ve developed.
This workout gives you an opportunity to practise that relationship.
The bike progresses through:
30min Level II → 20min Level III → 10min Level IV
You then transition directly into:
20min Level III → 10min Level II
The important part isn’t simply completing 10 minutes at Level IV on the bike.
It’s whether you can complete that Level IV work without compromising the Level III run that follows it.
Session Inspiration
This workout was inspired by USA Triathlon’s guidance on incorporating brick sessions into triathlon training.
You can read their original article here:
How to Use Brick Workouts in Triathlon Training — USA Triathlon
I’ve structured the session using my Level I–V intensity system. If you need a refresher, you can read my guides to cycling intensity and running intensity.
What You Should Focus On
On the Bike
The opening 30 minutes at Level II provide a substantial aerobic foundation for the workout.
Don’t treat this as 30 minutes of waiting for the harder work to begin. Ride smoothly, maintain an appropriate cadence and use the time to settle into an efficient rhythm.
Next comes 20 minutes at Level III.
The intensity should now feel purposeful, but you still need to remain controlled. You have another increase coming, followed by 30 minutes of running.
The final 10 minutes at Level IV are the key cycling challenge.
This should be a strong, sustained effort—but it isn’t an invitation to empty the tank before transition.
You need to arrive at the end of those 10 minutes knowing that you can get off the bike and run effectively.
Through Transition
Move directly from cycling to running.
Have your running equipment organised beforehand so the transition can be smooth and efficient. You don’t need to race through it, but don’t turn transition into an extended recovery period either.
One of the purposes of the workout is to experience what happens when you begin running while the Level IV cycling effort is still very much in your legs.
On the Run
Your first 20 minutes are at Level III.
The opening few minutes may feel harder than Level III normally does because you’ve just finished 10 minutes of Level IV cycling.
Don’t respond by immediately chasing your usual Level III running pace.
Control the intensity first.
Relax your shoulders, establish your posture, find your running rhythm and allow your pace to develop naturally as your body adapts from cycling to running.
The final 10 minutes at Level II bring the intensity back down. Use this time to run smoothly and finish the workout under control.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Riding Level II too hard. There’s plenty of work still to come. Keep the opening 30 minutes genuinely aerobic.
Letting Level III creep into Level IV. Respect the progression. Making the middle section harder doesn’t necessarily make the workout better.
Treating the Level IV bike section like a time trial. You aren’t finishing the workout after those 10 minutes—you still have 30 minutes of running.
Taking too long in transition. An extended recovery changes the training stimulus.
Chasing running pace immediately. Your legs have just changed from cycling to running after an hour on the bike. Give them an opportunity to adapt.
Turning the Level III run into Level IV. The goal is controlled quality off the bike, not seeing how hard you can make the final part of the session.
Tips for Completing This Session Successfully
The most important thing to remember is that the bike and run aren’t separate workouts.
How you ride influences how you run.
Think beyond the end of each individual segment:
Level II → Level III → Level IV → Transition → Level III → Level II
When you reach Level IV on the bike, don’t ask:
“How hard can I ride these 10 minutes?”
Instead ask:
“How strongly can I ride these 10 minutes and still execute the run properly?”
That change in thinking is one of the most valuable lessons brick training can teach.
Today’s Workout
USA Triathlon’s Experienced Sprint/Olympic Brick
🚴 Bike — 1hr
Aerobic Warm-Up
30min Level II
Build
20min Level III
Strong Finish
10min Level IV
➡️ Transition
Move directly from the bike onto the run.
🏃 Run — 30min
Main Effort
20min Level III
Cool-Down
10min Level II
Recovery
10min Stretching
How This Session Should Feel
The session should develop gradually.
The opening Level II cycling should feel comfortable and controlled. Moving into Level III should make the workout noticeably more purposeful, while the final 10 minutes at Level IV should feel strong and challenging.
Transitioning onto the run is where the workout becomes particularly valuable.
Your legs may initially feel heavy and your Level III running effort may produce a slower pace than you’d expect when running fresh. That’s okay.
As you settle into the run, the movement should become more natural while the intensity remains controlled.
By the time you reach your Level II cool-down, you should feel that you’ve completed a substantial brick workout—but not that you sacrificed your run by overdoing the bike.
That’s the lesson.
Want to Get More From Your Brick Sessions?
Want to run better off the bike and use brick workouts properly?
Get my FREE Brick Session Blueprint.
Inside you’ll discover:
- Smarter brick sessions.
- Better pacing.
- Stronger triathlon runs.
- Sessions suitable for Sprint through to Ironman-distance athletes.
Get your free Brick Session Blueprint and start making every brick session count.