Bike-Run Reps
Powerful Race Specific Strength Training
Running fast off the bike requires exceptional durability, peripheral endurance and specific strength.
Today’s session directly targets what’s required to run faster in your races.
It’s also better tolerated than starting “speedwork” on the flat.
If you are a disciple of Polarized training1, then you’ll notice this session falls in the middle of what you’re told to target. Just like Big Gear Cycling, John and I think you should do it anyhow.
If you are injury prone with your fast, flat running then this session can act as a bridge to fast & flat pace work.
Before You Start
Before adding BikeRun Reps, you should use 2 to 3 months of hill running to prepare your body for the stress of picking up the pace when running uphill.
Let’s review John’s earlier advice for starting out with running:
I usually give these athletes an initial program of 3 or 4 runs per week, not exceeding 1 hour, but soon introducing one of these runs to become a hill run. The hills will train the running accessory muscles and the different loading mechanisms will help prevent injury and add to running strength.
Initially all running needs to be aerobic but am happy with Zone 2 over and above Zone 1. Uphill you can’t help getting into Zone 3 and that is o.k. as running uphill is lower impact. All downhill running is done Easy.
How long this introductory phase lasts depends on the build of the athlete and their biomechanics.
If you’re not able to run, or ride, uphill without spiking your heart rate into Zone 3, or higher, then you’ll need to wait before incorporating this type of work. Continue to focus on using moderate grades as part of your general preparation training.
Also consider if you need to change your bike gearing so you have easier options available and don’t have to spike effort/power/heart rate when riding hills. I’ve had to change the gearing of nearly all of my one-on-one athletes when I started working with them.
What You Need
Climb with an average gradient of 6-8%
In Christchurch, Mt. Pleasant Road, 4.6 km long with an average gradient of 8.8%.
In Boulder, Flagstaff From Gregory Canyon, 4.6 km long with an average gradient of 6.7%.
Recon your climb and:
Find a safe transition area (bike to run)
Figure out your bike start point so the bike takes ~16 minutes riding Steady2.
Figure out your run end point so the run takes ~8 minutes running Steady.
In New Zealand, we could stash our bikes behind a water tower when we ran. In Colorado, I drive a car up to the transition area so I can lock everything up.
Eight Week Protocol
John was kind enough to share his eight-week protocol for a well-trained standard distance athlete.
Week 1: 2 reps, 1) Z2+ and 2) Z3+
Week 2: 2 reps 1) Z3 and 2) Z4
Week 3: 3 reps 1) Z3 and 2) Z4 and 3) Z4+
Week 4: have a break from the hill reps and do 90 min bike hill ride in Z2, followed by 45 min run off the bike, Z2
Week 5: repeat Week 3
Week 6: repeat Week 3
Week 7: 2 reps: 1) Z4 and 2) Z4+
Week 8: taper week with 75 min hilly bike Z2, and 30 min run off the bike on flat Z2, mid-week.
++
For a well-trained Ironman, or 70.3, athlete
Week 1: 2 reps Z2 and Z3
Week 2: 3 reps, Z2, Z3 and Z3
Week 3: 3 reps Z2, Z3 and Z4
Week 4: bike run, 2 hr ride Z2 followed by 75 min run off the bike Z2
Week 5: 4 reps Z2, then Z3 X3
Week 6: 4 reps Z2, Z3, Z3, last one Z3-4
Week 7: 3 reps, Z2, Z3, Z3-4
Week 8: taper week with 90-120 min ride, Z2 hills or undulating and 50-60 min flat run off the bike Z2
These are examples. Be willing to use variations on this according to athletes’ needs.
John has found that a block of eight weeks is enough, as it is a demanding session, Z2 uphill is different from Z2 on the flat, it requires more strength.
By “taper” John means you don’t need, or want, to do hill reps too close to your event. Be sure to give yourself time to absorb your work, before racing.
Final Tips
Be smart.
Don’t exceed the intensity guidelines, this is a specific-strength session, not a mini race.
Ride home knowing you could have done one more rep and gone faster on each individual rep.
Save your best for race day.
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Polarized Training: 80% of your sessions (by number) in the Green Zone, 20% of your sessions in the Red Zone. BikeRun Reps tend to fall right in the middle, in your Tempo Zone spanning Zones 3 to 4. FastTalkLabs put together a Complete Guide on Polarized Training with Dr. Stephen Seiler. It’s worth a read.
Subsequent to the guide being published, Dr. Seiler has advised athletes to consider polarizing stress, rather than intensity. Given that stress comes from the interaction between intensity & duration, balancing stressful days is a great way to schedule training.
You can find John’s intensity descriptions, and my comments on Zone 2, in this article.
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