Bike-Run Brick Workout!

Triathlon season makes me the happiest kid on the planet. Especially right now because I get to wake up with the sun, and the weather is still reasonably cool. Ahhh, the best! Long workouts are tougher as the weather becomes more hot and humid, so I’m soaking up as much of this month as I can. Today’s session was so much fun, I couldn’t not share it with you all. If you’re looking for something different to spice things up, or if you’re a triathlete and want to work on your bricks, hopefully you’ll enjoy this as much as I did!

Bricks are workouts that combine two or more athletic disciplines. In this case, biking and running. They are especially important for triathletes because it helps the body become accustomed to the bike-run transition so you can avoid running on legs that feel like lead. Even if you’re not a triathlete, bricks are advantageous; they help you strengthen different muscles in the same workout and allow your body to adjust to different types of demands. Plus, they’re fun 🙂

For this, I set up my bike on my indoor trainer and ran hard outside, but do whatever is most convenient for you!

Total time: 60 minutes(ish)

Warmup: Bike 5 minutes easy

Main Set:

-Bike 10 minutes hard effort

-Run 1 mile

-Bike 5 minutes easy, 5 minutes hard effort

– Run 1 mile

-Bike 5 minutes easy, 5 minutes hard effort

-Run 1 mile

Cool Down: Bike 5 minutes easy

Feel free to play around with this to fit your fitness level and goals. For example, you could:

1.) Include three 30-second sprints in each mile run

2.) Run the first mile easy, second mile moderate, third mile hard effort

3.) Add 15-second pickups at the end of each minute on the bike portions

4.) Alternate biking hard with biking easy every minute for 10 minutes

5.) Do two rounds of bike-run, rather than three

There are endless ways to customize this to fit your needs. Have fun, work hard, and try something new 🙂

Triathlon transition area — everyone was out on their bikes!

Did you try this brick workout? Leave a comment and let me know how it went!

And as always, Remember to breathe.

 

Disclaimer: I am not a certified coach. Workouts I post on this site are what work for me and my body, and you should use your own judgment about attempting them. Consult your healthcare professional before starting a new diet or exercise regimen.