Dear Athletes,
Last week’s email considered the benefit of approaching the bike discipline of the triathlon with an open mind to riding hard and working hard on the bike to maximise the time spent in that discipline. This week, we are going to look at the benefits of adopting a middle distance run program in preference to a long distance run program in order to prepare you as an athlete so you can run better (ie – faster) in the last discipline of a triathlon.
As is the case with the bike discipline (refer to last week’s email), if an athlete is able to run at a pace 5-10 seconds per kilometre faster than their competitors in a 10km run, they can make up close to a minute (see pace table below). This proves strong runners do not need to chase down all the deficit of the swim on the bike, as the run is still a very important and substantial area of the race they can make an impact in.
Portion of the race we are considering
Sprint Triathlon (5km run) & Standard Distance (10km run) = 19% total distance of race = approximately 27-29% race time
How to Race a Triathlon RUN
Training and Preparation
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Practice Running Fast
When training athletes for the run it is important to remember when speed is the key to running fast, an athlete should never stray too far from speed in training.
While the run leg may be the last discipline raced in triathlon, it is very beneficial to train athletes in running speed sessions while fresh in training, so they develop the skill, ability and technique to run fast. Running fast in races requires fast running in training, and against popular belief, continuous practice in training of tired running off the bike is not going to constructively develop fast running – in fact it will hinder it.
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Train like a middle distance runner
The best run training program for a triathlete is one designed off the similar program requirements of the key speed sessions for a middle distance runner (800m, 1500m events). While the run leg of a triathlon is traditionally classified as a ‘distance’ event, the training plan a triathlete is better off adopting is that of a middle distance runner. Triathlon run training does not require the volume of long distance run training, due to the carry over training volumes of the swim and bike. Run quality is key to consistently fast triathlon run racing.
There are two main reasons for this –
- Triathlon training volume – given elite, world class triathletes are required to train 2-3 times a day, if a distance run program was followed, there would be too much emphasis on volume and endurance. Triathletes need to be capable of running fast 5 & 10km run times and shorter, faster run programming will develop this skill better.
- Swim and Bike negative impact on running – to run fast you need to be ‘light’ on your feet, spend as little time on the ground as possible and have a fast cadence. Both the swim and the bike negatively impact a triathletes ability to do this. If on top of the negative effect of the swim and bike, a triathlete was to also adopt more endurance this negative impact on running speed would be increased further.
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Use middle distance run events to develop your race craft (racing IQ)
Track racing is a very good tool for athletes to not only sharpen their speed, but also practice racing tactics and decision making under pressure. Racing skills can be learnt with the use of track racing. Track racing will improve an athlete’s speed and quality of running, sharpen up run technique and learn the skills of racing fast and hard.
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Use training environments to improve your running skill
A triathlon run is traditionally on a road surface. This doesn’t mean all your training needs to be on a road surface to run well. Take the time to run in trails and uneven surfaces so you develop your running skill and learn to land lightly on your feet. Along with varying training surfaces and environments, it is also important to vary training environments so you develop the skills to race up and down inclines, run fast through tight turns and know how to run with both a strong headwind and tailwind.
As is also the case with the bike discipline, an athlete will run a course more efficiently if they have a good understanding of the different courses they may be exposed to in racing.
The same environmental factors will make an impact on a run, as with the bike. Learning to run well on hills – both uphill and downhill, running through corners fast including 180 degree turns) and running efficiently with and against the wind are vital to running fast. Understanding and coping with pace change are also vital.
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Remain mentally focussed on the run
While the run is such an important part of the back end of a triathlon event, a run specialist must be able to focus throughout the run, and remain positive, especially if chasing non run specialists. It is a common tactic in triathlon to run out of T2 very fast, so as to demoralise anyone who is trying to chase or hang on to the running pace. Athletes should be coached to be diligent with the efficiency of their T2, but also remain aware that the hot pace run exiting T2 will usually slow as athletes settle into their natural race pace.
As was the case last week, you may not agree with all my points regarding the run training, I hope I have provoked some thought on how you may approach your run training and introduced you to some ideas as to how you may run faster in the run discipline of the triathlon.
Run well.
Emma
