Monday, August 19, 2013

Help! I just realized I don't know how to Taper...

For a triathlon! I'm racing my very 1st Olympic distance tri (1500M/40km/10km) on Sunday and since I really didn't follow a specific training plan, I have no idea what to do with myself this week! Akk!!!

You may wonder how one trains for an Oly without a plan. Here's how: you take your marathon training plan & in addition to one long run a week, you add a long bike ride in each week and make the rest of your runs into bricks. I actually love doing more than one thing each workout. Makes me feel kinda bada$$ ;)

I have never worried about doing a sprint because the distances individually were not particularly challenging & I can pretty much psych myself up to do any workout under 2 hours....And can suck up 3 miles even on dead legs. An oly is a whole different thing. It requires practice & actual race strategy. I'm ready. I've had really successful bricks. I'm comfortable with the swim distance....

I just don't know how much or how little to do this week???? I did a 4 miles tempo run and 750m swim today. Tomorrow I'd like to bike & maybe swim...but not sure how much & what intensity? Wed & Thurs I work so maybe 5k run one of those mornings. Friday & Saturday? Anything? I'm guessing running the 5k my sons are doing Saturday morning would be a bad idea? 

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! (& yes, I know I should have planned this better)

Thanks! Because I want to be THIS happy at the end of my Oly!

3 comments:

Michael said...

I've only done one "official" Oly distance, and it was early in my training for a 70.3.....so not sure I have the best advice. But, if it were me I'd probably do one more Bike/Run Brick at just below race pace but much shorter. Say a 10 mile ride and 2 to 3 mile run. Do a total recovery (no training) two days before and a short slow ride the day before...maybe 5 miles. Throw in another short swim at moderate pace and you'll be golden.

The Unexpected Runner said...

Thanks!!!! That sounds like a good plan to me!

Frickin' Fabulous at 40 said...

GOOD LUCK TODAY!!! I wish I would have seen this earlier or I would've told you to talk to my team mate Jen about this.