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QUESTION
Whats the opinion on importance of brick workouts for short distance vs longer distance racing? I hear its more beneficial for sprint and Olympic but doesn’t really make much of a difference in 70.3/140.6 other than maybe building mental toughness.
ANSWER
Brick workouts are important for all distances for races for many reasons. First, and most obvious, bricks give you a “mental map” of what to expect on race day – how your legs, body and mind will feel as you transition from bike to run. Bricks also give you an opportunity to test the durability of your fuel plan, especially important for longer distances. The best training is also race-specific, and honestly you cannot get any more race-specific than running off the bike or biking after you swim.
Bricks also offer the opportunity to keep your training fresh and challenging. Think beyond the usual bike-to-run brick and instead include some swim-to-bikes, swim-to-runs or reverse the order for something completely different. A triple (swim/bike/run) brick is also a great way to test out your race equipment, gear and practice transitions to be the most prepared for race day.
