220’s Winter Training Advent Calendar (Part 22)

139 Scott Neyedli’s Over Geared Session

Do this using a Computrainer or indoor trainer. The aim of this session is to simulate bike-specific leg weights session by over-gearing.

First warm up with a 10-20min spin. Then perform a 10min single-leg drill as 2mins left foot only, 30secs both feet, 2mins right foot only, 30 secs both feet. Do this twice before a 2min easy spin.

For the main set, choose an appropriate big gear when you can hold a slow cadence around 60rpm. Pedal 6mins in this gear and 3mins easy spin. Do it 4-6 times. Finish with a 5min cool-down.

140 Lisa Norden’s Run Session

Chris Jones (former GB Olympic coach) taught me this when I used to train in Swansea. It’s a tempo run with increased speed as time goes by.

Go out for a 10min jog, do a few strides, stretches, then 20mins at a steady pace under threshold, then 15mins a touch fasters but still at threshold. Focus on holding your run form. To finish, jog down and recover.

141 Stuart Hayes’s Brick Session

Warm up for 15mins easy on the bike, then do a few run pick-ups of 4 x 15secs to elevate HR. Straight into 8 x 5mins bike efforts hard, keeping your cadence around 85-90rpm and taking 2mins rest spin in between each rep. Jump off the bike and run 1 x 10mins fast, 2mins easy, 2 x 5mins fast, 90secs easy, 3 x 2mins fast, 60secs easy. End with a 10min easy cool-down on the run.

Matt Baird Editor of Cycling Plus magazine

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.