Last year, George Schweitzer made a rather non-descript comment in a blog about his training. It is something that stuck in my mind, though I never really thought about it too much. He said that he was going to start doing leg strength workouts before his runs. The goal? Start the training run on tired legs to prepare for running off the bike.
This morning, I decided to give it a try. Generally, I add strength workouts into whatever time I have available after running. Today, I did a full strength session then ran during the remaining time. My leg sets included single leg press, double leg squats, and hamstring curls. I also did my normal sets including standing lat pulldowns, seated rows, and core exercises. You can see the full strength workout on my training page.
Anyone wanting the benefits of a bike/run brick without having to juggle bike and strength workouts should consider this minor change to their routine. For me, the challenge is finding a way to balance the workouts desired in the time available. I know the value of bricks, and often struggle to find a way to add more of them. This allows me to complete a strength workout and still run on tired legs. And after this morning, I can confirm that a solid leg workout is comparable to a pretty good ride on the bike.
Just heading up the stairs from the weight room to the track gave me a good idea of what the run might be like. Completing the run showed me the value of shifting the order of workouts. While I won't put a strength session in front of every run, I will be adding this to my routine on a weekly basis. I doubt it will get me "comfortable" with running on tired legs, but it will keep me in tune with the feeling of those first few miles after a long bike.
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