Let’s take a raise of hands who feels conditioned enough to take on a 30 minute time trial test for the bike and 30 minute time trial test for your run this week?
Given previous experience, likely not many 🙂 For this reason, the baseline tests are after your first build cycle instead. However if you looked ahead, what kind of workouts do you see in the first build cycle? Yes, the focus here is on form. And given our thread speaking on changing running form, what pace should form based workouts be done at? EASY and SLOW so it’s conscious (zones 1-2 only).
You will also see a few short but higher intensity efforts thrown in in order to start conditioning your HR (so you can eventually take on these tests more appropriately). We also had a thorough discussion regarding HR zones in another thread, as well as the kick off meeting. What was the learning here?
The key here is that you must correlate heart rate with power (as applicable) with your rate of perceived exertion with your talk test. So if you do not have HR zones yet (or technology stops working mid race), you always have rate of perceived exertion and the talk test.
Finally, triathlon workouts are always written in regards to HR zones even if athletes chose not to use HR zone training. Again, it is your responsibility to then use other means to ensure you are executing these workouts appropriately. Great question, James!
And nice work getting some new running shoes. Sounds like it was very much needed. Be sure to walk around it them to break them in (and rotate then with your other running shoes until they are broken in). It’s GO time!
