Every sport has its lingo that no one else understands. In the world of triathletes, they talk about bricks. No, it isn't that rectangular clay construction material that is often red, or pinkish or tan or brown and used to side a house or pave a sidewalk. Where I grew up in Nacogdoches, TX, the downtown streets are paved in red brick, something for which the historic town is famous and which adds to its charm. The following is an explanation of a brick:
NTRODUCTION TO BRICKS
Bricks refer to training on two disciplines during the same workout.
Bricks are a very important part of triathlon (and duathlon) training and they are sometimes overlooked. Bricks refer to training on two disciplines during the same workout, one after the other with minimal or no interruption in between, just as you would do in a race (I am sure you knew this). Usually when people talk about bricks they refer to a bike/run workout, but bricks could also refer to a swim/bike workout or to a run/bike workout (if you are training for a duathlon). These last two are often overlooked but still important to fit here and there in your training plan.
About a swim/bike brick: while you are swimming you will want to use your legs as little as possible or else you may have a hard time when you get on your bike before you start feeling comfortable. A swim/bike workout that simulates race conditions will help you minimize this problem. A couple of suggestions are to try and use your legs more (that is to kick more) during he last 50-100 yards of your swim to get more blood flowing to them. Also, start your bike portion using an easier gear than the one you plan on using during the main part of the race. This will give your legs a chance to get used to the new sport and accumulate less lactic acid than they would if you started from the beginning with a tough gear.
As an example, a useful swim/bike brick can be:
3 x (500 yards swim + 5 mile bike). I believe this is more useful and time efficient than doing a 1500 yards swim followed by a 15 miles bike, because you will switch sports 6 times instead of only once .
Even more important are bike/run bricks, mainly because the transition between bike and run is the toughest of the two during a triathlon. Most people's recount of their brick workouts consist of a medium/long bike ride followed by a medium run. Although I do perform these kind of bricks, my recommendations are a sequence of short/medium rides alternated with a series of short run.
Here are a couple of bike/run examples:
Sprint triathlon workout: (5-6 miles bike + 1mile run) - repeat three or four times.
Olympic triathlon workout: (7-8 miles bike + 1.5-2 mile run) - repeat three or four times.
When I do these kind of bricks, I try to run on a track so I am sure I am running the exact distance, I force myself to run fast and time myself and I don’t have to worry about traffic or sharp turns. I push on the bike, but the run needs to be the hard part of the workout. I am trying to get my body used to running fast as soon as I get off the bike.
By doing a series of short repeats you also switch sport (and therefore muscles used) several times in the same workout. You are practically teaching your legs and body to switch as fast as possible and as efficiently as possible between two very different kinds of effort. Again, I consider a series of short repeats more efficient then doing the two sports one after the other, especially when you are short on time.
The origin of the term brick isn't clear but some attribute it to two elite triathletes, who after a doing two disciplines in one training session, did a high-five and remarked that they just put another brick in the wall. I guess we will never know but one's legs sure feel like bricks. I've unknowingly done bricks before by riding my bike to the fitness center,getting on the treadmill, and then biking home. Humm. Was it a brick if I didn't know it was a brick? :-)
Given the funky, crazy weather this weekend, I've postponed a planned brick until another day, hopefully this week.
Update on swimming:
I am really pleased with the state of my swimming. I've been using various training aids, including fins like the ones pictured here.
Adiel, the source of all knowledge about training, says they will make my legs stronger, sooner. I've had some cramps using them but am adjusting. These are shorter and the cramping is practically zero versus some I tried that are bit longer. Today at the pool I did 1000 meters freestyle using these. "They say" not to use them as a crutch (is that a mermaid pun?) and to only use them for half of one's training but today I cheated and used them the entire time.
Hot vs not so hot? Today I trained in Pool B, which is kept at 87 degrees. I typically train in Pool A, which is about 81 or 82 degrees. I found the warmer pool just too warm and won't do that again unless I have to because of pool scheduling. The people in Pool B don't like lap swimmers encroaching in their water aerobic space either, even though there is a legal lane there. Oh well. There is politics everywhere.
Next week, tune in to hear about hanging out in the ladies' locker room. No...no pictures or unflattering stories but what the culture is like. Also, I will cover spin class, which is one alternative to outside biking when the weather is unpredictable.
PS. While I don't dislike Pink Floyd, I am really a fan of the Beatles, Eagles, Eric Clapton, and Rolling Stones.
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