First Official Brick Workout2.6 M Bike - 6 M Run
So this morning I decided to switch it up... It's Wednesday and I typically head over to Eola to meet up with Therese for our weekly run. (Which should really be down played to like monthly as we have missed it consectively for weeks!!!) Anyway, I had a MLR of 6 M on deck and The Brunette wanted to bike pace me. After thinking on it I decided rather then drive the bike over, I'd break in my new bike from Christmas and do a brick workout. We'd bike over together, I'd lock up my bike at my work and then I'd run around the lake and home. Everything was going as planned and we had a refreshing ride over to the lake... I say refreshing but what I mean is I froze my legs off because I wore shorts and it was in the 40's and wind against your legs on the bike is MUCH colder than wind against your legs when you run! BRRRR!!!
We dropped the bike off and headed over to the lake to wait on Therese... who totally FAIL'd me!!! (J/K I still love you!!!) After waiting for a few we decided she must have slept in (Slacker) so I began the run. Well first The Brunette tried to run me over. Seriously I had tire tracks up my leg! We were discussing when Panera opens and she started daydreaming about coffee as I was instructing her to turn right... So I turned right and she kept going... right up my leg! LOL! Anyway, my legs were all "whoa what is going on" all googly like at first but after about a half mile they felt normal again. I can't imagine how weird they would feel had I of biked further or faster! I have mad respect to my Triathletes out there! That's def going to take some practice!
A few jaunts around the lake later we headed in the direction of home and called it a day! First brick workout attempt = Success! Yay! I'm thinking I might try to work in a brick every now and then, if I can, just to switch things up a bit. Nothing too crazy til after Gasparilla though, it's all about the run right now. After that, then it's on to attempting a Tri...
We dropped the bike off and headed over to the lake to wait on Therese... who totally FAIL'd me!!! (J/K I still love you!!!) After waiting for a few we decided she must have slept in (Slacker) so I began the run. Well first The Brunette tried to run me over. Seriously I had tire tracks up my leg! We were discussing when Panera opens and she started daydreaming about coffee as I was instructing her to turn right... So I turned right and she kept going... right up my leg! LOL! Anyway, my legs were all "whoa what is going on" all googly like at first but after about a half mile they felt normal again. I can't imagine how weird they would feel had I of biked further or faster! I have mad respect to my Triathletes out there! That's def going to take some practice!
A few jaunts around the lake later we headed in the direction of home and called it a day! First brick workout attempt = Success! Yay! I'm thinking I might try to work in a brick every now and then, if I can, just to switch things up a bit. Nothing too crazy til after Gasparilla though, it's all about the run right now. After that, then it's on to attempting a Tri...
To my Triathlete's: How do you get over that crazy leg feeling after transition???
To my Runner's: Have ya'll ever attempted a Brick Workout? How'd it go?
49 comments:
I would love to attempt a tri, but I probably should take a few swimming lessons, right? And invest in something other than a mountain bike. And purchase some tri gear. And overcome my fear of swimming in open water.
I have a ways to go....
I've unintentionally done a brick workout before, and from what I can remember I had a hard time slowing down on the run because my legs were used to pedaling fast on the bike. Make any sense?
Q: "How do you get over that crazy leg syndrome after transition???"
A: You don't ever get over it. You just get used to it. :) At least that is what I have been told. The more brick workouts you do, the less it will affect you, but you will still notice it. I've heard that if you ride on aero bars, it utilizes a different set of muscles which can also ease the transition. Likewise, if you switch gears for the last mile so you aren't pushing as much as you are just spinning, that should help too.
Good luck!
I have no answers... when I did my only tri it was in reverse order (it was in northern VA in March and they didn't want us running/biking with wet hair) so I only had to swim after riding. Aside from the fact that I suck at swimming, it didn't really have the same sort of effect.
imbt is right. the weird, dead leg feeling after transition doesn't ever really go away. the more bricks you do, though, the less you notice it.
it usually takes about 1-2mi to work them out and get the legs comfortable with running again. spinning for the last few miles on the bike will help that as well.
Never done a brick workout before. I had never heard of one before until today!! Now I want to try one :-) I hope you have a great day!!
Yeah, you never get over it. Eventually it just becomes natural and you get used to it like anything else. I personally don't love bricks but they are necessary for tri training. Incorporating a mock transition is a good idea as well.
the transition legs will always be there, it's just the nature of the beast. For me the always go away after half mile to a mile. The best for your mind is to do more bricks and then you will just "know" that the legs will come back. If you can run at the same cadence as you bike, like 90 pedal strokes per minute and 90 leg turnovers per minute, the feeling will fade quicker, that's not always possible with the location of the transition area though. And you don't have to do a ton of run miles after a long bike, even doing just 1 mile or until the legs feel "normal" is enough to get your body accustomed to making that transition and one less thing to worry about on race day.
from what i've read, new triathletes are encouraged to walk for a few minutes after they dismount their bike before starting to job and then run. shifting in steps from the biking to the running eases the wobbly googly feeling... my legs just tend to feel like lead after a ride no matter what.
Look at you, biking AND running before I even roll outta bed. Awesome start to your day!
I've done a couple of bricks after Spin class... my legs are usually total jello for 10 minutes or so. WEIRD. I haven't done this enough to get used to it.
HEhehe you were Redhead roadkill..
I have never tried this, I am not a bike fan. Maybe when my boys get bigger.
Im not sure i get the brick workout thing... what is it?
So funny that I had no idea what a brick workout was so when you posted it on Facebook, I was like, "What? is she running on a brick pathway or something? Ouch!" Haha! Now I get it! Well, still don't get why they call it "brick" but I know what it is at least.
I'm obviously *not* a triathlete.
I think your legs are supposed to feel heavy like "bricks" afterwards...hence....brick workout, right? :)
I was just reading up on it. Making plans for the future....
Nice job on the brick. Your legs never rid of the wacky feeling between transition, however the time it takes for your legs to feel "normal" decreases.
I did a tri years ago and it scarred me for life. It was just a bad day and ended up being a bad event--not that tris in general are bad or anything, I just had a bad experience. Boo!
We'd do brick workouts to get ready for the race--it's hard. I wouldn't say I ever got used to it, but, it was almost normal (?) after a while.
Yay for you!
Ah, the shorts on the bike thing made me laugh! The bf is/was a competitive bike racer and always talks abou thow it was hard to transition to Running - where you actually *warm up*, as opposed to biking where you *bundle up* because you freeze! heh. anyway...
nice brick workout!! It'll def take some practice to let those legs know whats up - but you'll get there ;)
If you ride your bike hard, you never get over the feeling of dragging around 50 extra pounds after a bike ride. So, do a couple of really hard bike workouts and then back off the throttle when you are doing a brick. Don't back off too much mind you, just enough so that your legs feel a little fresher.
My vote is you do the tri...
the other triathletes are correct. The only way to adjsut is to do "more" of them as well as gear down towards the end of the bike to "spin" more.
I "try" to remember to have "happy feet" off the bike. I shorten my stride and really focus on turnover/cadence.
Try that next time...see if that helps
I remember my first brick. The best description I could think of was that my legs simply felt "stupid." Now during a tri I have my 1 mile rule: Its gonna hurt like a mother for the first mile, then suddenly a "switch" WILL go off, and then its running like normal, while tired.
You should attempt a sprint tri this spring/summer. They are a ton of fun!
I think brick workouts are a lot of fun, but I love to bike as much as run. I did my first duathlon last year and plan to do it again this year. I too will attempt triathlons, but probably not until next year (when I can schedule more time in the pool). Great job on the brick!
I remember my first brick, too. Not only were my legs out of control, but I get a really upset stomach (REALLY UPSET).
Your body will adjust. I'm not sure you ever get used to it, but you know what to expect. And each brick makes you that much stronger.
I've found that I'm always in my best running shape when I'm on top of my bike or swimming.
You should try a tri soon! They are so fun and so challenging.
I was going to say the same thing that a lot of your commenters already said...you don't ever get over it, you just get used to it and know that after a few miles it goes away.
I will have to research a brick workout and probably try one! It sounds fun actually! Glad your first was a success, you hot little redhead :)
P.s. The one thing that sucks about Utah is...we don't have CVS stores. There's a lot of stuff we don't have here. Thanks for the tip though!
Just let is all hang out!
Great graphic! I did a few bricks when I was training for a triathlon long, long ago. My legs always felt so weird. The first time I did a brick workout, I thought my legs felt like Jello during the run.
I would have some great advice for you on this if I didn't hate biking ("cycling" for those-ahem-folks that insist you call it that) so much and ever actually did it. I say YAY to you for doing it at all!!
Awesome first brick workout! I can't wait to experience the weird leg transition feeling myself! :) (is it weird that I look forward to pain/discomfort.....? oh what have I become? heehee)
actually, I LOVE running off the bike. Lots of triathletes don't have a background in running, so it doesn't come as natural to get into a stride. I was first a runner and now a triathlete. I find it harder to get my HR down after the swim than to transition into the run from the bike...but everyone is different. What most said about it getting easier is true though - like most things in life, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
I can barely ride a bike, no bricks here!
Good luck w/all of that :-)
Never done a tri, but I did do Muddy Buddy last year and it was definitely interesting to go from run to bike to run. I had an easier time from running to biking than vice versa although I'm not sure why. Either way, I think you just get used to it if you do it more often. :)
Bike & Run = Brick Workout? I never knew this lingo.... hmmm.. guess I learn something new every day. I wonder what biking to the beach and surfing is called? Maybe a Splash Workout.
uhh you just do it. The more you do it, the sooner it is available. A mile and a half soon becomes a mile and before you know it your biking legs turn into running legs in a half mile or so. When is your triathlon debut? I knew you were one of us....
OMG! The Brunette ran over you! I was picturing that in my head and laughing! Not at you of course :)
I have done a brick a few times, maybe a dozen, just like you to mix it up. The jelly like feeling does go away after about 1/2 mi or so - but don't you just feel so HARD CORE when you're done! Awesome job Red!
Wow, awesome job! I've never done a brick workout but it sounds like fun!
Nice job on the brick, especially after nearly becoming roadkill!!! I haven't yet gotten used to the feeling, and as the others pointed out, not likely I ever will!!! They're so fun though! Now you just need to go for a swim first and you'll be a triathlete :)
I ride my bike to work when it's warmer, and when I run with my group on Wednesdays nights, I don't have enough time to bike home and drive back. Since the run is midway on my ride (5 miles in, 15 miles total including the morning ride), I was biking, putting the bike in my boyfriend's car, running with the group, then driving home.
Never had a wobbly feeling, and it was actually a great warm up!
Last year when I was training for the Tri that got canceled and it killed my motivation....I always got the webble wobble legs---crazy huh?
Now I have the "She's a Brick...house!" song in my head! :)
Great workout!!!
Yes, and being a brickhouse also has a lot to do with mental ability and the ability to believe in one's self.
Good job!
You definitely don't get over the funny leg feeling, you just get used to it and roll with it! The first time I ever did a brick workout I was so tired when I came in that I fell asleep on my bedroom floor for 3 hours! I've definitely come a long way since then!
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Wow I learnt something new today! Never thought about tris before but I find myself reading more and more about it as I follow blogs.
Great that you decided on this workout. I see you already thinking about how a tri will feel. Can't wait to hear from you after the swim part!
PS: Thanks for the comment :)
Oh dear Redhead...don't ya know...
Tris ain't for kids! Just sayin'
But then again, i'm a wimp because I haven't BRICKed yet...but I fear it's coming!
I used to be big into mountain biking but now I don't enjoy being on a bike. Plus with little ones the off road biking I did like is undoable without serious sitter support.
I wish I could make myself "mix it up" more for the workout benefits!
No bricks for me. Maybe when the kids are older and won't drown while I'm trying to get in a swim or get hit by a car in the bike carrier because I forget they are back there.
Congrats on your brick though. And your run. Oh, how I want to run...
I tried it once (but I didn't know it had such a cool name). It was tough!! I tired out much more quickly than I usually do.
Great job on the brick workout! I'm glad you didn't get hurt by the dreaming-of-coffee bike incident. :)
I totally have thought about the differences between temps on a bike vs temps on the run. I always get SO cold on the bike that I have to fully adjust what I think that I should be normally wearing.
I haven't ever done a brick, but since a tri is on my items todo this year, I guess I'd better get practicing!! :)
Fun! I like bricks, but have only done a few. I want to do a tri someday. Just not sure when I'll have time to train for one.
I'm brand new to cyling and Im so wobbly when I hop off, it's a wonder I don't just fall over. And that's only after 25 miles or so - how do the Ironmen do it??? I'm eager to attempt my first brick. Glad I have another newbie (you) to inspire me!
so basically you aren't a good friend? you ditch on b.o.b, you ditch on therese... ;)
jk of course. i mean you did check in on me via gmail!
hmm never done a brick. i think...
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