The Plan RACE A DUATHLON IN FOUR WEEKS - TriRadar.com

TRAININGZONEThe planRACE ADUATHLON INFOUR WEEKSSMASH THE OPPOSITION ON THE BIKE ANDRUN WITH A DUATHLON THIS SEASONPhotos Nigel Farrow Illustrations Phil NicodemiMeet theexpertPhil MosleyCoaching editor of Triathlon Plus Mosley is anexperienced coach who has raced for Great Britainat the elite duathlon world championshipsTHE SUMMER is drawing towardsits inevitable close and with itcomes a plethora of late-seasonduathlons to choose from. They’rea great option when the days arecooler because you won’t feel theautumn chill that cycling in swimsoddenclothes might cause.They’re exciting races too,especially as they’re normally massstarts. From the word gothey throw you into the midst of aclosely fought battle.Despite having fewer disciplinesthan a triathlon, duathlons are not tobe underestimated. The traumaof running flat-out, then cyclinghard, then running again can leaveyour muscles battered and stiff. It’seven worse if you haven’t done theright training. Which is why I’vedevised these plans that willtransform you into a race-readyHow it worksGet your guide ready to goCut out the guide followingthe dotted outlineFold the guide in quartersusing the fold guidesduathlete in just four weeks.There are two plans that youcan choose from here. One is called“Get Round” and it’s ideal if you’reracing your first duathlon or if youdon’t have time to do masses oftraining. It has all the main elementsyou need for racing fast without ittaking over your life.The other plan is called “Go Fast”and is slightly harder and more timeconsuming.It will get you into tiptoprace shape.Now all you need to do is read theTraining Zones on the opposite page,and everything in the plan will startmaking more sense. Then you canstick it your fridge and start training.Just make sure you don’t become aslave to it.Try to use your common sense toswap the days and fit them aroundyour life, or just borrow the bits ofthe plan that suit you best.Are these plans for you?Before beginning this plan you shouldalready be able to:Ride your bike for 90 minutesRun for 30 minutesNow carry it with you forreference while trainingYOUR4-WEEKPLANDuathlonG O FA S TYOUR4-WEEKPLANDuathlonTIME RICH? THEN BOOST YOUR BIKE AND RUNWITH THIS TRAINING PLANGET ROUNDSTRAPPED FOR HOURS? THIS TIME-EFFICIENTTRAINING PLAN WILL GET YOU RACE READY78 SEPTEMBER 2011

THE PLAN DUATHLONMonYOUR4-WEEKPLANDuathlonGO FASTTIME RICH? THEN BOOST YOUR BIKE AND RUNWITH THIS TRAINING PLANFOLD 1FOLD 2WEEK 01 WEEK 02 WEEK 03 WEEK 04Type Run Time 30mins steady (Z2) including4x 20secs HardOPTIONAL Type Swim Distance 2kmas 4x500m alternate FC/PULL + 45secs restType Run Time 35mins steady (Z2), including6x20secs HardOPTIONAL Type Swim Distance 2kmas 500m FC, 5x200m FC/KICK/IM/PULL/FC+ 45secs rests WD 500m choiceTRAINING ZONESUSING THESE Training Zones will help you train at the right intensity foreach session. This helps develop specific aspects of your fitness, as well asmaking sure you don’t overdo it.You can either estimate your intensity, using the Training Zonedescriptions, or use a heart-rate monitor for a more precise measure. If youuse a heart rate monitor, use the percentages provided, and subtract themfrom your maximum heart rate to calculate your zones. Tools like cyclepower meters and GPS watches will also help track your training progress,but they’re not essential for these plans.These training zones are only a guide, so don’t worry about being overlyprecisewith heart rates because they’ll fluctuate anyway. It’s good to bemindful of your intensity but it’s even more important that you get outthere and enjoy your training.ZONE 1 [Z1] EASY60 to 65% of your maximum. Easy pace, feels nice and light.ZONE 2 [Z2] STEADY65 to 75% of your maximum. Fairly easy pace. Easy enough so that youcould breathe just through your nose if you wanted to.ZONE 3 [Z3] TEMPO75% to 80% of your maximum. A fairly hard, but sustainable pace.ZONE 4 [Z4] RACE TEMPO80 to 90% of your maximum. A hard pace that requires real focus.KEYWU Warm up, WD Warm down, MAIN Main set, FC Front crawl,PULL Front crawl using a pull float, RI Rest interval, KICK Kick with a float heldout in front of you, BREAST Breaststroke, BACK Backstroke, FINS Swimmingwith fins, PADDLE Swim using hand paddles, EASY At an easy intensity, IMIndividual Medley (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, front crawl)STAY IN THE TRAINING ZONE WITH TRIATHLON PLUSMonType Run Time 40mins steady (Z2),including 8x20secs hardOPTIONAL Type Swim Distance 2.4kmas 5x200m FC, 4x200m PULL, 3x200m FCRACE TAPER WEEKType Swim Distance 1.5km as 15x100mchoice of PULL/PADDLES/FINS/FC/KICKTueType Run Reps Time 40mins-1hrWU 10mins Easy (include 3x15secs sprints)MAIN 12x400m at Race pace (Z4) with1min rests WD 10mins EasyType Run Reps Time approx 40minsWU 10mins Easy (include 3x15secs sprints)MAIN 6x800m at Race pace (Z4) with 2minsrests WD 10mins EasyTueType Run Reps Time 40mins-1hrWU 10mins Easy (include 3 x 15secs sprints)MAIN 3 x 1.6km at Race pace (Z4) with 3minsrests WD 10mins EasyType Run Reps Time 40mins-1hrWU 10mins Easy (include 3 x 15secs sprints)MAIN 3x800m at Race pace (Z4) with 3minsrests WD 10mins EasySun Sat Fri Thur WedType Bike Time 2hrs Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 4x20secs sprintsOPTIONAL Type Swim Distance 1600m asWU 2x200m FC + 20sec rest MAIN 8x 100mas FC/KICK/PULL/FC on alternate laps+ 20sec rest WD 400m choiceType Run hills Time 35mins WU 10minsEasy (include 3x15secs sprints) MAIN 15minsof running hard up a hill (approx. one minute),jogging slowly back down WD 10mins EasyREST DAYType BikeTime 2hours Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 2x10mins Tempo to Hard (Z3/Z4)Type Multi-brick 1 hour WU 10mins Easy runMAIN 3x(7mins ride in Z3 INTO 4mins run inZ4) WD 10mins Easy rideType Bike Time 2hrs Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 4x20secs sprintsOPTIONAL Type Swim Distance 1500mas 30x50m as every 4th length BACK orBREAST + 20sec restsType Run hills Time 35mins WU 10mins Easy(include 3 x15secs sprints) MAIN 15mins ofrunning hard up a hill (approx one min), joggingslowly back down WD 10mins EasyREST DAYType Bike Time 2hours easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 2x15mins Tempo to Hard (Z3/Z4)Type Multi-brick 1 hour WU 10mins Easy runMAIN 3x(7mins ride in Z3 INTO 4mins run inZ4) WD 10mins Easy rideSun Sat Fri Thur WedType Bike Time 2hrs Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 8x20secs sprintsOPTIONAL Type Swim Distance 1600m as8x200m as 4 strokes butterfly, then FC +30secs restsType Tempo Run Time 40 mins WU 10minsEasy, 20mins Tempo (Z3), 10mins EasyREST DAYType Bike Time 2hrs Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 2x20mins Tempo to Hard (Z3/Z4)Type Multi-brick 1 hour WU 10mins Easy runMAIN 3x(10mins ride in Z2 INTO 5mins run inZ3) WD 10mins Easy rideType Bike Time 2hours Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 4x20secs sprintsOPTIONAL Type Swim Distance 1600mas 8x200m as 4 strokes butterfly, then FC+ 30secs restsType Run Time 30mins Easy paceType Bike Time 1hr 30mins Easy ride inZ1 or Z2REST DAYDUATHLONRACE DAYSEPTEMBER 2011 79

TRAININGZONEYOUR4-WEEKPLANFOLD 2TRAINING ZONESUSING THESE Training Zones will help you train at the right intensity foreach session. This helps develop specific aspects of your fitness, as well asmaking sure you don’t overdo it.You can either estimate your intensity, using the Training Zonedescriptions, or use a heart-rate monitor for a more precise measure. If youuse a heart rate monitor, use the percentages provided, and subtract themfrom your maximum heart rate to calculate your zones. Tools like cyclepower meters and GPS watches will also help track your training progress,but they’re not essential for these plans.These training zones are only a guide, so don’t worry about being overlyprecisewith heart rates because they’ll fluctuate anyway. It’s good to bemindful of your intensity but it’s even more important that you get outthere and enjoy your training.ZONE 1 [Z1] EASY60 to 65% of your maximum. Easy pace, feels nice and light.ZONE 2 [Z2] STEADY65 to 75% of your maximum. Fairly easy pace. Easy enough so that youcould breathe just through your nose if you wanted to.ZONE 3 [Z3] TEMPO75% to 80% of your maximum. A fairly hard, but sustainable pace.ZONE 4 [Z4] RACE TEMPO80 to 90% of your maximum. A hard pace that requires real focus.DuathlonGET ROUNDSTRAPPED FOR HOURS? THIS TIME-EFFICIENTTRAINING PLAN WILL GET YOU RACE READYMonFOLD 1WEEK 01 WEEK 02 WEEK 03 WEEK 04REST DAYREST DAYKEYWU Warm up, WD Warm down, MAIN Main set, FC Front crawl, PULL Frontcrawl using a pull float, RI Rest interval, KICK Kick with a float held out in frontof you, BREAST Breaststroke, FINS Swimming with fins, PADDLE Swim usinghand paddles, BACK Backstroke, RP Race pace, EASY At an easy intensity, IMIndividual Medley (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, front crawl)STAY IN THE TRAINING ZONE WITH TRIATHLON PLUSMonREST DAYRACE TAPER WEEKREST DAYTueType Run Reps Time 35-45minsWU 10mins Easy (include 3x15secs sprints)MAIN 7x400m at Race pace (Z4) with1 min rests WD 10mins EasyType Run Reps Time 35-45minsWU 10mins Easy (include 3 x 15secs sprints)MAIN 4 x 800m at Race pace (Z4) with 2minsrests WD 10mins EasyTueType Run Reps Time 35-45minsWU 10mins Easy (include 3x15secs sprints)MAIN 2x1.6km at Race pace (Z4) with 3minsrests WD 10mins EasyType Run Reps TIME 35-40minsWU 10mins Easy (include 3 x 15secs sprints)MAIN 3 x 800m at Race pace (Z4) with 3minsrests WD 10mins EasyPhotos Nigel FarrowSun Sat Fri Thur WedType Bike Time 1hour Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 6x20secs Hard effortsType Run steady Time 30mins including4x20secs HardREST DAYType Bike Time 1hr 30mins Easy ridein Z1 or Z2 including 2x10mins Tempo to Hard(Z3/Z4)Type Multi-brick 45mins WU 10mins Easyrun MAIN 2x(7mins ride in Z3 INTO 4mins runin Z4) WD 10mins Easy rideType Bike Time 1hr Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 6x30secs Hard effortsType Acceleration run Time 30mins WU15mins Easy MAIN 12mins increasing the paceevery 3mins. Build it up so you run the last3mins at Harder than normal Race pace WD3mins EasyREST DAYType Bike Time 1hr 30mins Easy ride in Z1 orZ2 including 2x15mins Tempo to Hard (Z3/Z4)Type Multi-brick 45mins WU 10mins Easy runMAIN 2x(7mins ride in Z3 INTO 4mins run inZ4) WD 10mins Easy rideSun Sat Fri Thur WedType Bike Time 1 hr Easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 8x30secs Hard effortsType Tempo Run (30mins) WU 10mins Easy,10mins Tempo (Z3), 10mins EasyREST DAYType Bike Time 1hr 30mins Easy ride in Z1 orZ2 including 2x20mins Tempo to Hard (Z3/Z4)Type Multi-brick 45mins WU 10mins Easyrun MAIN 2x(7mins ride in Z3 INTO 4mins runin Z4) WD 10mins Easy rideType Bike Time 1 hour easy ride in Z1 or Z2including 4x20secs Hard effortsType Run Time 25mins at an Easy paceType Bike Time 1 hr EasyREST DAYDUATHLONRACE DAY80 SEPTEMBER 2011