General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day Rss Feed  
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2011-02-24 12:53 PM

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Subject: Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day
I hope this doesn't sound stupid but I am new to using a workout program and to Tri's. I created a custom workout that is a 16 week 3x run focused. I have been doing the daily scheduled workouts back to back each day. Isn't that basically doing a brick each day that I have double events (swim\bike, swim\run, bike run) scheduled? Am I supposed to be doing it that way or am I supposed to do 1 workout in the am and the other in the pm? If I continue doing it the way I am is there any downside to it?

Here's an example.

Monday I swam 600yards and ran .7miles (if I remember the distances right). I did them back to back with enough time to dry off and get changed.

Tuesday: Bike 8 miles and ran .7 miles (strength for 25min before hand). No break in between.

Web: Swam 850 yards and biked 8.3 miles (drove home from the pool and then biked...15-30 minute break maybe)

This was my first week of the progam so far.


2011-02-24 1:21 PM
in reply to: #3370779

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Subject: RE: Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day
Yesterday I did
Swim 5:00 AM and Run 3:00 PM
This morning
Run 3:30 AM and Bike 3:00 PM

If I swim, it's in the morning. If I bike it's after the sun comes up so it's afternoon during the week.
I'll run in the dark so either is fine.

I always try to do SOMETHING before work to get the blood going for the day.

If you want to do them as bricks, go for it. That'll get you used to doing one after the other. BUT you won't get as good a run workout if you always do it after a bike.
2011-02-24 1:29 PM
in reply to: #3370779

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Subject: RE: Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day
You might want to take a look at the free plans on BT, especially if you are just starting out.  I used the free 20week 2x balanced Oly plan last year and it worked for me.  Once you have more experience, you can work on customizing. 

As for multi-workout days, a lot depends on your fitness, goals and time you can commit and how intense each workout is.  But in general, I think you will get more out of each workout if you are able to rest between them.  Mornings are harder for me, so I try to use lunch breaks for swimming and an occasional run and the use the PM for my 2nd workout.  Once you start adding volume and more intensity it will become more obvious why you need to the rest between. 

With that said, I think the occasional back to back workout (brick) is ok, although others may have different opinions.  I tend to do this more early in the season (beginning of the winter) and again closer to my race.

2011-02-24 1:36 PM
in reply to: #3370779

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Far South Burbs of Chicago
Subject: RE: Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day
Thanks. I had a feeling that was going to be the answer. I'm really not a morning person...anymore but I think I may have try getting up early. I am usually up by 5:30am to get myself going and then get my kids up for school\daycare. Sounds like a 4am wake up may be in my future. Maybe the split workouts will help me burn some more weight off. Swim days I can do the other workout in the morning. Bike\run days I can do either at either time. Thanks for the advice. I want to get the most bang for my workouts.
2011-02-24 1:39 PM
in reply to: #3370779

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Subject: RE: Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day
The rest of my week looks like this.

Thursday - Medium Run
Friday - Long Swim\ medium Bike
Sat - long run
Sun - Off day (volleyball night)
2011-02-24 1:57 PM
in reply to: #3370779

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Subject: RE: Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day
I did the same - created a 3x run and swim focused custom plan on BT.  I have two double-days (swim/run, bike/run) each week that I do back-to-back brick style, mainly because the only time I have to workout is during lunch at work. 

I do my short swim before the run and it doesn't seem to have an adverse affect on the run workout.  I do my short run after the medium bike.  It's not the best quality run workout, but it helps get my legs used to the transition... so, maybe I won't look like a drunken walrus coming out of T2.

When it starts staying light later in the evening (and the snow melts and they clean up the roads) I plan on splitting things up a little and add some runs and bikes in the evening after work.


2011-02-24 2:22 PM
in reply to: #3370779

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Subject: RE: Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day
For the days you do back to back workouts, I would try to do the workout that is most important first.  I would also pick one of the workouts to be more intense than the other.  Generally, my shorter workouts are more intense than my longer workouts.  So if I were to do a back to back, I might do shorter, more intense swim followed by a longer less intense run.  This will be easier to monitor if you use a HR Monitor and set your zones appropriately.  There is a good link on this site which explains how to set your zones.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=633

For swimming, you will have to go by pace or RPE.

2011-02-24 2:39 PM
in reply to: #3370779

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Far South Burbs of Chicago
Subject: RE: Custom Workout Plan and multiple workouts per day
When I was laying out the days I tried to do a long workout followed by a short and either  a medium with a short or a medium with a medium.

I bought a Garmin FR305 so I could monitor pace, distance and heart rate. I want to get a foot pod for when I have to run inside. I have been plugging in my info into my training log on here each day.

So far I have felt fine doing the dual workouts brick style. Before I started the training program I had been doing strength 3 days a week and cardio 5. On strength days I was following weights with either elliptical or bike. Cardio only days I was doing both bike and elliptical in that orders and seemed to be fine with it.

I appreciate all of the different points of view. It gives me something to think about. 
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