BTC Brick Workout – Week 30 – Oct 29, 2020

BTC Brick Workout
Week 30
10/29/20

Hi Everyone,

The weather is getting colder, so make sure you have appropriate layers as you roll out this week/end. Given the possibility of temps in the 20s, shorten this session as needed or wait until Sunday or Monday when it warms up a little. A trainer ride and road run works well also, since sometimes it’s easier to work on bike technique when there are no other distractions. Given the intensity of our Tuesday bike and Wednesday run, this session is one of lower intensity, just like two weeks ago. Choose two or three technique points that you haven’t focused on recently and improve them.

The goals of this week’s brick are:
1) Complete a distance brick
2) Work on bike and run technique
Note: You should practice race fueling throughout the bike, and at mile one of the run. It’s good to see how your body responds to planned race foods over longer distances. Try to eat a meal 2-3 hours before the workout, so your muscles will be topped off, but your stomach won’t be heavy. Like your next race.

The Brick Workout:
WARM-UP:
Raise your heart rate and loosen up your legs with a 10min easy jog including several 30sec pickups with 1min rest.

TRANSITION: As fast as possible

BIKE:
Distance: 1-3 hours or 20-60 miles
Effort:
15min build effort, power, or heart rate to Zone 2 without overshooting.
Hold Zone 2 for the remainder of the ride.
For 5-10min each hour, take some time and use each of the positional thoughts below to evaluate and improve your body position.
Evaluate:
Road Position:
– Relax your shoulders and feel them drop into a position that takes pressure off your neck.
– Slight bend at the elbows.
– Keep your wrists straight: they should be in line between your elbows and fingers.
– Notice if your back is rounded or slouched down – both extremes can cause pain. Keep it relatively neutral and relatively flat between hips and shoulders. Every body is different, so your ‘neutral’ may be more rounded than someone else’s.
– Each leg should be moving in a flat plane from hips to knees to ankles. If your knees are bowing out or collapsing in, this can cause a loss of power and knee pain.
Time Trial Position:
You’re rotated forward and this begs a few more points:
– Relax your back and shoulders before lifting your chin to look ahead.
– Allow your hips to rotate forward on your seat, otherwise your lower back will be too upright for aero.
– If your knees are popping out to the side, pull them back in. 

TRANSITION: As fast as possible

RUN:
Distance: Divide bike mileage by 10
Effort:
5min moderate, then settle into your Zone 2 run pace.
For a few minutes each mile, take some time and use each of the form thoughts below to evaluate and improve your running technique
Evaluate:
– See how steady you can hold your gaze, limiting bounce, even over rough terrain.
– Run tall, bring your shoulders back a little, and imagine someone is lifting you up from the top of your head.
– Arms crossing the centerline in front? Bring them more in line with where you’re going.
– 90deg bend at the elbow.
– Open your fingers and shake them out.
– Pull your abs in, belly button toward your spine.
– Feel your knees passing behind your hips.
– Make your footfalls quiet.