Mile Repeats--Ouch!

Repeats are a very hard workout.  You take it one at a time (whatever distance it is you are doing) and you give it an all out effort as if you were just doing one.  Then you do it again.  And again.  And again.  Depending on how many repeats your workout calls for.  I try to shoot for 6:30 miles when I do this...at least sub-7 if I can.  Running this pace for a continuous 3 or 4 miles is REALLY hard for me.  But the more I do repeat training at a fast pace, the more my body can adapt to running at a fast pace for longer distances.

Here is the workout:

4 x 1 mile repeats.  

Try to keep your times as consistent as possible.  Take it one mile at a time and recover between each one.  Each mile should be an individual effort. Run them hard.

If you are a beginner you can do 2 x 1 mile repeats, or 3 x 1 mile repeats.  Or you can do 5 x 1/2 mile repeats.  Just make sure the focus is on an all out effort on each one with a recovery between so you can give it a good effort each time.

Run. Rest. Repeat.

Bike-Swim Brick

Oh my gosh, do you really expect me to bike and swim in the same day?!  YES!!!  Don't get caught up in the details of inconvenience, they don't matter.  Just get out there and do it.

Most triathlons are swim/bike/run and it's good to do brick workouts in the order that you'll be transitioning.  BUT, Tri Catching Cupid is a reverse sprint tri, run/bike/swim, so you will be biking and then swimming last.  That's why I've ordered this workout the way I have.

Brick workouts are so important for your training.  Not just physically, but mentally for you to prepare to switch from one mode to the other.  Trust me, this will help you immensely on race day to feel prepared.

You obviously won't be able to transition as quickly as you train for this as you will at the race because you will have to change clothes and maybe you're at a gym or have to drive to the pool after biking, that's okay.  As you switch from biking to swimming, however you have to go about it, just picture yourself on race day transitioning from one to the other.  How will you take off your shoes, put on your cap, etc?  Think about the order in which you will do everything.  This will also aid you in your mental preparation for the race.  

BIKE:  25 mins 

hills or outside bike do 5 minutes high gear, 5 minutes low gear, repeat

SWIM:

200 yd warm up -- on each lap focus on breathing. Breath every 3 strokes (1st lap), 5 strokes (2nd lap), 7 strokes (3rd lap), 9 strokes (4th lap), repeat

3 x 200 yd continuous swims (increase speed with each 200 yd swim...easy, medium, fast)

2 x 50 yd sprints (go as fast as you can, recover, do it again)

100 yd cool down