Beginner brick training for duathlon

topcattim

Hi, I'm a long time road cyclist, who hasn't run for years, literally - until the last month. A colleague mentioned a duathlon (5k run, 20K off road ride, 5k run) and I've signed up as well. I used to run, decades ago, but packed it in after injuries to my knee (for which I had a minor op) and my Achilles heel.

I've done a few training sessions, and find I can run fine before I ride - no pain. But if I run after the ride, my knee hurts (this is not the one that I had an op on, and there is no historical reason for weakness). I've cut back on pace and distance, and stride length and this eased it slightly, but ironically I then got a calf twinge.

Does anyone have any advice for beginner brick training/duathlon preparation. Is this normal? Do I man up? Or try something different?

siamon

Its a good idea to be careful when you first start running off the bike. Because muscles are tired you may tend to take longer strides and this is the quickest way to numerous impact injuries. I purposely concentrate on technique of the bike because I have come a cropper too many times. The way I do it is to check my cadence is around 85 (42-43 right foot steps per minute) and concentrate on lifting the heel. After running 50 yards or so the lower legs have loosened up and I can accelerate. But you will have to find a technique that works for you. Also, you have to practice this transition,don't do cycling one day then running the next. You have to get your body used to it. Jog very very slowly off the bike at first, almost walking and gradually build up.

Flexisurfer

If you've been cycling for a few years and prior to that running for a few years one of the mistakes people make is that they try and run to either the same intensity or distance that they remember. I started duathlons this year but prior to me getting back into cycling last year I was running on a tread mill at home so seemed to slot in quite well when combining the run and cycle. You need change your body quite a bit to get back into running again as cycling will shorten muscles whereas running lengthens them. Take time to do this with short low pace/heart rate running on softer ground and really concentrate on stretches after running and cycling.You don't say where the knee pain is. One good leg exercise that I find is unweighted squats as they help to build the leg muscle around the knee.

As for brick training, I use the road I live in which wraps around in an oval with a give way at one point. It's no more than 200 metres and I start with 4 run laps 6 bike 4 run 6 bike and finish with 4 run laps. With this short distance I can go for it hard and get a really good work out it also allows me to practice the transitions as I have my bike set up in the back garden. If you don't have this kind of residential area you could find a park which has a Tarmac path round it and use that in the same way, just get someone to sit with your bike whilst you do the run, I'm sure the local tramp might look after it if you pay with a bottle of paint stripper.

Try and do this through the winter if you can and you'll notice the difference in the spring when the duathlons start off again.

This is just how things have worked for me, I'm not a physio or an expert just a cycles who enjoys running.

Good luck, now just off for a run;-)

topcattim

Thanks for that advice. I'll stick at it, and look at stride length like siamon says. I suspect - typical - that I may have been overkeen and just need to build it up slowly, like flexisurfer advises. Trouble is, the event that I am trying to train for is in a few weeks!
Following flexisurfer's advice also, I'm now off to look for some painstripper.

lochindaal

To control your run speed try the Adidas MiCoach app if you have a smart phone. Similar to you I had knee issues after surgery.

The app gets you to do a short run at different perceived intensities and uses the GPS on your phone to minitor your speed. You then create a plan based upon your distance/speed goal. When you do a training run the app tells you if you are running too fast or slow. If you set your goal speed to be slow to start then it controls your pace and stops you overdoing it.

This worked well for me to gradually build up