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should I do a full length "time trial" before my race?

tjhsu's picture
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85 days
started by tjhsu on September 4, 2008

-I have a triathlon coming up on Sept 20.
-Distance = 0.5mi swim, 20mi bike, 5mi run
-I will have done 9 weeks of training.
-This is my first and only race of the season.

Instead of my usual single-sport workouts, I am thinking of doing a full length time trial in the gym 11 days before the race. My goal is to simulate race-pace stress on my body and do the full distance on all 3 sport in a row, since so far I've only done at most 2 sports in 1 continuous workout.

I would swim 0.5mi in the pool, bike for about 75 min on a stationary bike (about how long I think it'll take me on race day), and run 5 miles. I would do all 3 legs as close to race pace as I could w/o killing myself - maybe 80-90% of race pace.

Do you think this is a good idea? Any tips/advice?

Joe_H's picture
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2399 days
Joe_H posted 11 weeks ago.

I say it'd be a good practice for transitions and how it feels to run off the bike. also a good chance to try out what (or if) you will drink or eat and clothing works. go for it

PrinceofClydes's picture
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1530 days
PrinceofClydes posted 11 weeks ago.

Yeah, go for it,
just be prepared to back off or even stop if you feel muscle pain due to strain.
You don't want to pull a muscle now.
2 weeks out is plenty of time to recover.

Have a good one.

PoC
ps. fill out your personal profile to make it easier to answer queries like this.

"Pain doesn't last, chicks dig scars, glory is forever!"
- Shane Falco.

zagfan's picture
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185 days
zagfan posted 11 weeks ago.

Depending on how comfortable you are with racing the distance, it could give you just as much mental benefit as physical. Simply knowing that you've completed the distance before will give you more confidence and allow you to focus on racing, not just finishing.

Are you limited to doing it all in the gym? I recommend that if you're going to have a breakthrough workout like this that you mimic race conditions as closely as possible. Go to your local lake (if its an OW swim) and have someone help you set up your transitions (or if you're by yourself set them up in your car). This will give you a chance to practice your transitions under race day conditions. Better yet, if the race is local go to the race venue and practice the course.

Make sure not to push too hard and treat it as a B or C race, that way you don't compromise your A race. Good luck.

TriSooner's picture
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338 days
TriSooner posted 11 weeks ago.

I won't hurt but I wouldn't use the experience to set time goals considering 1) it is in a gym (pool, stationary bike, treadmill) and 2) you can't simulate race-day experiences (ie, intensity, other racers, etc.) in a gym. But if it's just for a long workout 11 days out, that's plenty of time to recover. Take the next day off or do something really light then pick back up immediately.