Race-Length Training?

OK if you are just squeeking by in the training getting to the race distance and are "all in" at the end of it just work on the distance you are racing and toss in some bricks (not the full distance). If you are comfortable with longer runs and rides then go a little further but follow the 10% rule. No more than a 10% increase in activity in any one sport each week in time OR distance. If you are barely runnig 3.1 miles then don't start attempting 5! If you are doing an hour on the bike an hour and fifteen would be fine but not two. FOR NOW. I train at distances much longer than sprint, especially for running but I have marathon goals.

Yup. Train for longer distance. That's one of three keys to training -- I'll give running examples, since that's what I'm most familiar with.

1. Run the distance or a bit more (an exception being the marathon), but a slower pace than you wish to run the race. What we call the Long Run - it builds endurance.

2. Run race pace continuously for shorter distances than the race. These are Tempo Runs, they build strength.

3. Run intervals at faster than race pace, building up to the total distance. Interval Training - it builds speed.

The principles can be applied to almost any endurance sport.

Do you know the type of course you will be racing in? Is it flat? Hilly? Mountain??

My triathlon race, the course it was flat. When I train, I train on some hills. Same distance but make the training route harder.

When i was in the actual race, it was much easier b/c psychologically i know I trained on harder terrain.

If the OP is a true beginner then I am going to respecfully disagree about speed training. Just get through it for now. Then incorporate long distances. I just believe, and a lot of runners do, that speed work should not be undertaken the first season.

Thanks, that's a good point -- there should be a decent mileage base before you get too serious about speed. It's a pretty personal issue based on your conditioning.

Yes, I'm absolutely a beginner. The mix of extended distances and speed/interval work seems to make sense - possibly alternating workouts?

As with all Xtera events, the run (and bike) will be on a trail and, from what I hear, only slighty hilly. I'm big on training on tougher terrain than expected as well.

Do most ever extend themselves to a complete race (SBR) sometime before the competition or is the recovery time generally not worth the simulation?

I won't try to go beyond my expertise in making training recommendation, but as I was helpfully reminded above, do remember not to try to do too much too fast -- injuries are a drag. If you're going to jump into speed work, keep it moderate until you're strong. As a beginner it shouldn't be the major component of your training, and when you do it, aim for small increments of speed improvent.

I don't want to tell you what to do and not do but please stay away from speedwork this season. If this is your first season it is a surefire way to get injured. Your training, right now, should look like this and while I am not much of a cyclist and a slow runner I have been running for a while now and am pretty seasoned.

One long run a week. No more than 10% longer than your last long run. If your longest run is 5 miles then you can go five and a half one day a week but if it is 10 you can only go 11. Under 10 miles you can increase a smidge over 10% but DO NOT push it.

The next day NO running.


The next day a slow and easy recovery run. That means slow and easy and the mileage you are running right now.

The next day you can do some hills or even some fartleks (how fast can you run to that tree) but NO intervals for you this season. Next summer you can do that but NOT this summer.

The next day off

The next day recovery run.

The next day a nice easy run that you enjoy, you can push the speed tad but your long distance run, which you are going to increase from the week before is the next day so remember that.



So your week could look like this:

Sunday: Long run of 5 miles
Monday: off running
Tuesday: Recovery Run of three miles
Wednesday: Fartleks or smooth hills for a half hour
Thursday: off
Friday: Recovery Run 3 miles
Saturday: three enjoyable miles.

If you alternate a long slow distance day with interval training you are setting yourself up for a stress fracture, PF or ITBS injuries I promise you! This is your first season. If you want to be a lifelong runner then run for life. You will not get a lot faster this season. I know, I know. I was where you are now and I wanted it all but I cannot have it all and neither can anyone. This is not against your ability or trying to wreck your training. I am trying to extend it.

Get out there one day a week, maybe Saturday and run a trail. Trail running is very different from road running. You look down a lot. I do trails frequently and really enjoy them. It is a whole different world and really special. ONe of the best races I ever ran was Dances with Dirt (www.danceswithdirt.com).

Simulation. Most people will tell you not to bother. While I would not do a whole race set up I did, two weeks before my tri, do all three distances in one day to make sure I could. It is not ridiculous for a sprint. I got up and ran three miles. Came home and ate and rested. Biked to the pool (6 miles) and biked home. When I was in the pool I swam 500 meters. It gave me a boost of confidence without wearing me to nothing. I also did those distances nice and easy.

Again just please take it easy on that running. I know it seems like if you could just get out the gate and go, go, go it would make life easier but I am telling you from experience (got pnuemonia three years ago after Dances from overtraining then got PREGNANT) that pushing yourself too hard too soon is a recipe for disaster.

Building a base.

Just getting out on that running? Used to run 7 minute miles in college but back then REO Speedwagon's "Hold on Loosly" was at the top of the charts? Never ran before in your life? Then you need a base my friends? What's that? Yes a base! "You mean a base drum? a base guitar?" No my friends I mean a running base! And I don't mean running bases.

What the heck is a base you ask? Well good question! Just sit right back, grab a burrito and listen up while ole aunt Nancy splains it to you.

A base is a good solid base of mileage before you try anything fancy like a race or a plan to win the Olympics or do that pesky Ironman that is on your to do list. A good strong foundation of day in and day out (and that includes rest) mileage before you add on that long run or that speed work. That means just getting your porky ole fanny out the door with the running shoes on and running for time OR distance, not both.

Can you run for 10 minutes? Then great. Do it 5 times a week and GRADUALLY increase that puppy to 15 minutes. When you can consistantly and no, consistant is not "well I did it once in highschool" run 10 miles a week then you can think about adding long runs to the mix.

HOLY MOLY BATMAN TEN WHOLE MILES?? That is not a lot. However in ten miles a week you can injure yourself for a season or longer. You need to "respect the distance" and you know what else? 20 miles a week is not twice ten miles and I don't care what they told you in Elementary school. When you start going over 12 miles a week you open yourself up to injury. Does this mean no one should run more than 12 miles a week? SHUT UP! I do 20-30 and that is for now.

I did it by building a twinge free/injury free base of 10 miles a week. Then I bumped it to 11, etc. 10% at a time. I was well into this season before I even thought about interval training or other speedwork and I only did that because I have run in the recent past.

Remember before you even think about speedwork or that 26.2 mile monster you should have run for a while, a year some people say and I would not argue with them, for 10 - 12 miles a week. I do not mean to discourage newly converted zeal. I love the excitment of someone who has just started this but lets face it. Do you want to run this year or for a long time to come? If you are new to this and short and invest a lot of money and insist on monster running mileage your first season out can I have your bike next year?

So back to a base. 10 miles MINIMUM for AT LEAST two months or more before you even think about speedwork and by speedwork I mean a few hills or fartleks NOT track interval training. Increase SLOWLY. If it hurts BACK OFF. Do not run through injuries. You would not go out the door tomorrow to do an Ironman would you without preperation? Then leave the super long mileage to thems that earned it. You will be there too. There are many people here who can put together a nice little workout plan for you that will drop your run times, me included. They will be happy to do so.

I am OK in my swim knowledge and pathetic with the bike but running I know.

Edited by nliedel 2005-08-01 1:57 PM

Thanks much, Nancy. The sample training schedule seems like a lot of running to get in (5 days?) with all the swimming and biking to do as well, but I think I get the picture. Baby steps...

I agree that speed training will probably not benefit you significantly but will greatly increase your chances of getting injured. Based on my limited personal experience, just focus on long slow distances (increasing only about 10% per week as others have mentioned) and building in a recovery week about every 3rd or 4th week. Your body will become more efficient at burning fat as an energy source via this training (even at higher, anaerobic activity levels) and allow you to go faster at any given heart rate level.

My own experience is such that I have been training for a 1/2 IM event and entered a sprint distance event as my first triathlon a week and a half ago. I did absolutely NO speed training over the last year (and had not prior to that in any event), and tried to never let my heart rate exceed 144 bpm (using the Maffetone formula). I did not taper for the sprint event, which was held on a Sunday, did a 1.5 mile swim and a 66 mile ride on the Friday before and did a 12 mile run on the day before. I finished in the top 1/3 of my age group in just over an hour and a half.

I am relatively new to triathlons but based on my prior running experience I would say that the speed training should be left alone for the time being.

Edited by cjanc 2005-08-01 2:15 PM

Stop changing your avatar, I am getting dizzy ; )

OK is it the distance or the days? How many days do you want to run a week? What are your long term goals? I could be industrious and look at your logs but I am lazy!

Well there goes that idea! You don't keep logs.. hmmm.. I can gues tho.. You just got to the point of doing the mileage without sounding like a wheezing pig from Pocatello right? So you are probably running three to four times a week for three miles a pop?

Sunday: 4 miles

Monday: X train

Tuesday: recovery run 3 miles easy

Wednesday: off

Thursday: Hills, not too hard.

Friday: Recovery Run 3 miles easy

Saturday: Recover from Friday night's parties (kidding here)

Next Sunday: 4.5 miles repeat.

Sound better? the hills will help you with speed somewhat.

Sorry about the Avatar madness...I've been having trouble uploading my ID of choice!

Anyway, the distance doesn't concern me, running- or biking-wise. It's just that I can only seem to devote 2 (3 max) days per sport each week. I'm just wondering now that I've got the wind to do the distance, how do I move toward getting the legs to turn over more quickly without my HR rocketing to unsustainable levels.

By the way, what's wrong with REO???

Nuthin wrong with REO but I tried out for the Pompom squad to that song in HS... so it was a nice way of saying "If you are old like me!"

Bump the run to three days and you will go faster, I 100% GAR-UUUN-TEE.. it's like The Bear says about the bike: "Get in the saddle". Get your running shoes on more and it will pay off. You also might want to consider some 5k's but not too close to your sprint (Sprint.. what moron thought that something that includes swiming/biking and running should be called a "sprint"? It's like in Alaska when they call three day dog sled races a sprint. That ain't no sprint).

Your heart will catch to your legs then will overtake them and you will have a good heart rate and tired legs then they will flip flop a few more times. That is pretty normal. You're normal! Go tell that to the people who say you are crazy for doing this.

Edited by nliedel 2005-08-01 2:22 PM

Good stuff, Nancy. I've been thining about the 5K thing...

As far as the logs go, I have been keeping track on a calendar - I spend too much time on this site already!

Just my two cents worth on speed work. There's nothing wrong with the advice that's being given. It is important to have some type of base before you start incorporating speed work. But I can speak from my own experience as a runner who's injured himself through overtraining/speedwork and also completed 8 marathons that speedwork gets a bad rap sometimes.

It's my opinion that the emphasis on base-building can end up training runners who only know one speed - slow. Speed work doesn't need to be feared. Respected, yes, but not feared. When you're getting comfortable with your running, experiment a little. Instead of running 3 slow miles, go to the track, warm up at a slow pace, and then run 2-4 half miles at a pace a bit faster than you're used to going -- not flat out, just a bit quicker. Don't overdo it, but don't be afraid to try it. You'll never know how your body and muscles will react until you've tried it.

If you don't agree, fine. But remember, I'm not disagreeing that a base is important. It's just my opinion, based on my own experience, that limited amounts of speedwork can be an important part of your training routine even relatively early in your development as a runner.

Ok I can buy "respecting speedwork" and trying a little speed out. How's about for the first year some fartleks are fine but stay off the freaking interval train? Unless you are like 16 - 25 and a born rabbit. By fartleks I mean "How fast can I run to that poll and still get home" not the 4/2-3/3 - 2/4 - 1/5 hard/easy fartleks I do when I do speedwork (I love those).

Edited by nliedel 2005-08-02 9:17 AM

Cool. It's just tough to say what's right for each person. Me, I like running intervals and I'm 46 years old and I can guarantee I'm faster now then when I was 25 (of course that's cause I was way out of shape 25 year old...)

Fartleks can be a very effective training tool, but I've never liked them personally -- I like looking at my watch and getting the feedback from a specific, set distance. And you're probably right, I should be very careful in urging beginners to do speedwork.

But still, imagine yourself as a runner who's been plodding along at 12 min/mile for 4-6 months. They'd probably be pleasantly surprised if they went to the track and found that they could run couple of 1/2 miles at an 11 minute/mile pace. A nice change in the mindset (hey I CAN run faster), a little incentive, some variety in training, and at a low risk of injury. Can't hurt.

Good discussion, thanks for your input.

I like to train at longer distances than the triathlon will have. I also like to mix in shorter speed hill workouts, although it's tough to find hilly water. You can do the September race, but you'll definitely want to practice a few bricks and get your swim distance up. Open water can be much more difficult than the pool and going longer will give you more confidence when things get crazy in the water.

Oh I do run further than my next race and bike longer and swim further etc. I will not do the whole thing before the Oly. I know I can go mroe than the distance of each portion.