Slow Build

I think that the lower impact sports (biking and swimming) you can be a bit more aggressive with. When I started running 7 years ago I was constantly pushing too hard and hurting myself. It was a REALLY slow process to build to a point where I could train hard and not get injured and it took years. I have not had that experience with biking or swimming. So I would think you could be more aggressive on the bike. However, I have only been doing the bike/swim thing for a little over the year. I'm curious to see what the more seasoned folks have to say.

I agree, with running it's the high impact that forces you to build slowly while you get your ligaments/tendons/joints strengthened up and ready to do effort and distance. With swim and bike, the intensity isn't as risky since it is low impact.

I've re-built on the bike several times now (consistency ain't my game apparently) and my limiter for length of ride has been my seat and not my legs. Assuming that your bike fit is still good, I wouldn't fear pushing the intensity too much.

Just to update this and not start a new thread. Running has been going well. Been following a McMillian style running. All slow Doing two shorter runs and a longer run. Have built up to about 10 miles a week now. Hoping to get to 15. Want to transition into 80/20. How does the long run fit into this? Part of the 20 or 80?

I'm finding i have about 45-55 min at night during the week to get a couple(3x) trainer rides in. How should I structure these? Right now I'm only riding by HR. Ive done some 5/2 intervals and some just spinning. Want to get cadence and speed. Have had it before.

Swimming is going good. Can't complain there.

Try using youtube videos for bike intervals.

CTXC has lots, here's a 45 minute one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSFYRiqodvU
GCN has quite a few as well, here's a 40 minute one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kXd4ElpypE

What distance is your next race?  I always enjoy starting out with VO2 max intervals and sub/add a Threshold workout once my legs come back to me. VO2 workouts are hard to gauge with HR. Do you have the tools for virtual power (ANT+ speed sensor, PC)?

Not sure what 80/20 means?

Most all of my races are Sprints. I don't have time to train for much other than that. End goal is a quadathlon (swim-4/bike-22/kayak-12/run-15) but that is later in the fall.

Right now I'm just building volume. I'm hoping to get to four runs a week. 3m/3m/5m/2m. Currently I'm up to 2.5/2.5/4. I've had a long history of hurting knees and tight calves. So far the slow build in volume has worked fairly well. I think that I am going to add my fourth run before my long bike on sundays and start with a 1/2 mile or so. This would follow my long run on Saturdays.

80/20 is a polarized training plan. I'm going to get the book but from what I gather is that you spend 80% of your time in zone 1-2 and then 20% of your time in zone 4-5. Nothing in zone 3. But, my concern is that does the stress from a long run count any towards the 20%. While you're not in the zone 4-5, it is still more stress than the other 80%.

As for the bike, I took the intervals from the first video posted above and did them while I watched something else. I did have a speed/cadence sensor but when my 310xt got lost I sold is all back in the fall because I was going to go back to my cateye. Now I have a 910xt i need to get a speed/cadence to do some virtual power. But, I've yet to do that. I have some other priorities that need to be taken care of before I can jump on that sensor. So, right now it is only HR.

Well I had a big day planned yesterday. I have finally got my speed/cadence sensor(Wahoo Blue SC), renewed my subscription to trainer road and was going to do the 8min FTP test. I was pretty amped up all day about it. I can't get on the trainer till after my girls go to bed. So, I ate when/what I was supposed to whole deal. Got everything set up on TR started working through the gears and my rear derailleur cable broke! Mostly my fault there, I've had a Jagwire kit to recable the whole bike for a while and have done the other three. But, I didn't want to mess with the rear derailleur in fear of messing up the shifting. So instead of pushing myself to the max, I was in the shop fixing my bike. Got the new cabling on, but didn't have time to get it all adjusted.

Hopefully, get it dialed in tonight and ride Friday/Saturday morning.

You didn't ask, but McMaster's University in Canada which has done some of the best reearch on interval training just published a study showing that 3 x 20 second bouts of all out effort with rest inbetween (2 min?) was as effective after 12 weeks as 50 minute endurance sessions when matched sessoin for session in frequency. 1/5th of the training time with 3 20-second intervals was just as effective for UNtrained participants.

Studies like this control (if they are lucky) for only a handful of variables, in this case these were sedentary individuals.

so...something interesting to consider.

when I fidn the link to the original study I'll post it. What I wrote above is a summary from the NYT piece about it today.

I missed this update, and maybe you're already doing something that works, but if it were me I would put that new short 4th run AFTER my long bike and turn each of my long bikes into bricks. If possible I would also switch the days for your long ride/run so that it was long ride w/ short run on Saturday, then long run on Sunday. The brick will get you running off the bike better, and the long run will help you adapt to running on tired legs.

Good luck getting the bike back up and running!

I am thinking going to add my 4th run after my long bike. It makes the most sense time wise. I can hop off the bike and run a quick mile working up to 2 miles.

As for the training. Things have been going really well so far. I did a super short sprint tri 150y/6m/2m. Haven't done any bricks or much riding on the road but was able to beat my goal time of 45min by close to 5 min and finish in 40:19.

So as things are with life my schedule right now is M-W-F Lunch Swim ~30min. Monday is usually 100's, Wednesday is usually 50's, and Friday is a mix have done 1600m to 500m repeats. T-TR Lunch Run ~30min usually 2.5miles-3miles. M-W-F Night Bike ride. These have been fairly unstructured but starting trainer road sweet spot base build low volume as soon as the bike is up and running. Then Saturday/Sunday usually dominated by the weather/family time. But, I try to get on the road to ride and work in a long run.

I've been at my current run milage for a few weeks now and feel like I can start adding some again. I've also started to do some speed work as well.

I have to deal with those time constraints. I have decided I'll just get as good as I can get within the time I have to spend. I have to remind myself that I'm not at the pointy end and I don't have the time to get there. I'm just focused on being happy and healthy.

I do realize however that I will need to up my milage both running and swimming to be ready for my August Race. I'm going to have to dedicate at least one day a week to kayaking.

4m Swim/22m Bike/12m Kayak/15m run

Funny part is that I got into triathlon to keep from running as much. Now, I'm running more!