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Shorter tris leading into a Half or Full

katelearykateleary
in General Training Discussions

What is the conventional wisdom on competing in Sprint or Oly races in the weeks before a Half or a Full IM? Can you use a race as a training day a couple or three weeks before a race? I hate to miss my favorite local races, but I also don't want to mess up my training for "A" races.

Comments

  • Al TruscottAl Truscott

    Posted By Kate Leary on 12 Jun 2013 10:45 PM

    What is the conventional wisdom on competing in Sprint or Oly races in the weeks before a Half or a Full IM? Can you use a race as a training day a couple or three weeks before a race? I hate to miss my favorite local races, but I also don't want to mess up my training for "A" races.

    Several thoughts:

    • A race is a race; it can *replace* workouts in your training plan, but to think of it as simply another workout (a "training day") is a waste of time and money.
    • Many of us have done sprints and Olys 2-3 weeks before an HIM or an IM. The biggest issue is the days required to recover *after* the race, and whether that will put a hole into your training.
    • A BAD time to do a race is the weekend when you should be doing your race rehearsal. The final RR is the number 1 most important wko of your entire training plan; don't switch it around, or try to replace it with a race.
    • IMO, a good plan is: RR on Sat or Sun as scheduled in the plan. A rest day afterwards. Then Mon-Thurs, do the long run and long bike and a couple of swims scheduled for that week. Race on Sat or Sun, with the day before a short, easy day.
    • Remember, the race REPLACES three of your workouts that week - usually the interval Run and bike, and a swim workout.
    • Take a day off afterwards for every hour you race (round down from 40 minutes), then back to the plan.
    • If you are not a strong and/or experienced triathlete, then a sprint is better than an Oly when you're talking 2 weeks before an HIM or IM.
  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    What Al said. The only "race" I have done that replaces a RR is a full distance aquabike at the Great Floridian. I've done that twice with a 5 or 6 mile run after and think it beats the tar out of doing a RR because it is more race-like than any RR I've done. Money well spent too!
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