Unconventional triathlon run training

Over the past 14 years as a triathlete, my body has experienced a wide variety of run workouts. Without getting into too much detail, I've learned that some workouts build confidence, some workouts don't carry over to performance improvements, some workouts increase the risk for injury and other workouts are really beneficial to the demands of triathlon.

Becoming a better at running off the bike is much more than training for speed or distance or accumulating weekly running miles. Proper run training means you must think like a triathlete and not like a runner. 

If you think about the sport of triathlon - specifically any distance at and above the Olympic distance - the sport is all about resisting fatigue. Speed is relative to the distance. 

One of the most important physiological components of successful triathlon racing is resiliency. The stronger and more efficient you are, the easier it is to resist fatigue. Training to improve your 5K or half marathon times in a road race will not guarantee that you will become a better runner off the bike. In fact, historically, most of the top triathletes lack a background in competitive running. Some elite triathletes can run faster off the bike relative to their own stand-alone run times! Not surprisingly, triathletes with a great background in cycling tend to fair better running off the bike than their competitors.

In my book Athlete to Triathlete, I discuss four main areas that will help you become a better triathlon runner. While there's no order of priority to the following, it's unlikely that your running will improve if you master one without the others.

1. Learn easy, efficient running. 
2. Improve swimming and cycling. 
3. Triathlon is a strength-endurance sport.
4. Practice proper fueling and hydration. 

Here are a handful of my recent run workouts. As you can see, there is a wide variety of workouts, no workout is set by miles (all by time) and there are no pace guidelines to adhere to. I also have the freedom (and permission) to walk and reset my form anytime (which I do often). Some workouts are repeatable but many are new. With this said, I look forward to my run workouts, I love feeling challenged by some workouts, I really enjoy the runs when I can run as easy as I want and I find myself feeling accomplished after every workout. Even though I listed the more specific run workouts, I also do a lot of brick runs and most of them (unless I run on the treadmill) are on hilly terrain (so the terrain is the interval and I focus on running well up and down the hills). I always start my stand alone runs with ~15-20 min of mobility, light strength and dynamic stretching. And I always bring liquid calorie sport nutrition with me (and consume it) during every single run (with my Naked Running Band).

Treadmill Walk (50 minutes)
WU: 10 min EZ jog

Pre-set:
4 min walk 10% incline
2 min walk 12% incline
1 min walk 15% incline
1 min rest

MS: (with 20 lb weight vest)
4 x (4 min walk at 15% incline w/ 20 sec rest btw)

Post set:
12 min form focused running at 1% incline

CD: walk
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Neuromuscular firing run (50 min)
WU: 15 in EZ run

MS:
30 minutes as (1 min fast/4 min best easy pace x 6)

CD:
5 min EZ
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Strength run (80 minutes)
WU: 20 min EZ
Pre-set:
15, 30 45 sec build effort to strong uphill w/ EZ jog down btw each

Main set:
4 x (3 min steady strong uphill w/ smooth good form running down)

Post set:
30 min best easy pace
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Variable speed (1:45)
WU: 20 min EZ running

Pre-Set:
30 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
60 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
90 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
60 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
30 sec Fast/ 90 sec EZ
10 min Best EZ Pace

MS: 2 rounds
10 min as (1 min at tempo / 1 min Strong x 5)
20 min Best EZ Pace

CD: Walk