Taxing yourself a little more

As the global sporting spotlight will fall on Bahrain again later this year, GulfWeekly has teamed up with one of the world’s top trainers to coach the island’s sports-lovers to prepare to take part.

If you have ever fancied trying a triathlon there will never be a better opportunity. Your community newspaper hopes to inspire you to put your best foot forward and have a go.

Don’t be scared … Andy Price will help you every step of the way!

Here’s your WEEK 16 – 30 Days until Bahrain Challenge

*Training programme for the week starting Sunday to Saturday, October 31
This is the fourth week of your last four-week block before the taper starts for the Challenge and then Ironman.

This week we will over train. DON’T PANIC, that doesn’t mean you are going to get thrashed but it means we are going to go over distance to prove to your body you can do each event, albeit separately. It won’t be at race pace but as close as you comfortably can be.

On the subject of race pace it is almost impossible to achieve race pace in training over the full distance without the buzz and adrenalin of competition. Yes, over shorter distances you can sustain it, but not over longer, so don’t be disappointed if you are below your times; it will be different on race day.

For ease I will include a key to explain abbreviations each week:
• F/S – Freestyle or front crawl
• Alt – Alternative stroke. For most this should be backstroke, but for some breastroke
• PULL – F/S with a pull float between your legs
• KICK – F/S kick using a kick board
• R – Rest (normally in seconds)
• Z – Zones (1 – 4)
• RPM – Revs per Minute
• HRM – Heart Rate Monitor

* SESSION 1 – Pool
• Warm up. All R60
200m Swim
200m Pull
200m Kick
200m Swim
• Main set (all at Z3 /Hard)
4 x 50m R15
6 x 100m R20
5 x 200m R30
1800m
• Warm down
6 x 50m Easy R45 (Alt strokes)
Total – 2900m

* Session 2 – Pool
• Warm up x 2
100m F/S R30
100m Kick R30
100m Pull R30
• Main set (all at Z3 / Race pace)
3 x 300m R45
3 x 200m R30
1 x 400m R30
5 x 100m R20
• Warm down
4 x 100m Easy
Total – 3400m

* Session 3 – Open water. Race practice
• 2000m as close to race pace as possible
• 2 x 500m steady as warm down
l SESSION 1 – Indoors / Turbo Trainer
• Warm up – 15 minutes steady
• Main set (repeat 8 times)
3 mins hard in hardest gear (maintain the pace and intensity even if you have to pace it evenly)
2 mins spinning (relatively easy)
• Cool down 10 mins

* SESSION 2 – Outdoors (remember this is a Bike to Run)
• 100km at as close to race pace as possible
Take the first 5km relatively steady and then hold the pace
Followed by a 6km steady run (Zone 2)

* SESSION 3 – Outdoors
• 90km at race pace. Practice your hydration and feeding.

* Session 1 – Pace Run
• Warm up before you start the run. Try to avoid going straight off.
Mobility stretches
200m Jogs
• Main – 20km at race pace. Mix this up with
1km warm down steady
• Warm down
4 x 200m Strides (just above race pace)

Dynamic stretches. Don’t push the stretches just hold for 20 seconds each. Work from your feet up stretching each major running group muscle.

* Session 2 – 60 minutes Fartlec (Jog, run at pace, walk, jog repeat)
• Start with 10 minutes steady running then 44 min of 2 mins run (steady), 3 mins at pace, 2 mins walk recovery then repeat 5 times
• Warm down jog

* Session 3 – Bike to Run
• Following your weekend bike give yourself 3-5 minutes rest as you stow away the bike then go for a 6km or max 35-minute run at a steady pace (Zone 2) whichever is the shortest.