Getting Back Up to Speed

How do I regain short-course speed after training for an Ironman?

Most triathletes are much more comfortable with “going long” than going fast, they can run all day, but put them near max and the wheels come off . This is only compounded by the culture of Ironman, in which an athlete’s worth is measured by kilometres per week instead of kilometres per hour. Here are the first steps to develop speed after distance-focused training.

1. Reframe your idea of what constitutes a hard training week. Your hours/kilometres per week will decrease when focusing on speed, but the quality of training will be much higher.
2. Learn to value the importance of recovery between workouts. Cramming in training for time efficiency is perfectly acceptable when the intensity is low. But once the focus shifts to higher-end speed work, you must allow for full recovery between workouts.

1. Adapt your nutrition (less important during shorter speed workouts, paramount before and after). Working at high intensity pushes blood away from the stomach and to the muscles, so it may be a good idea to opt for recovery fluids instead of solid food immediately post-workout. It is still essential to respect the glycogen window and refuel with a mix of carbohydrate and protein within 30 minutes to two hours after.
2. Focus your speed training on, well, speed. At first it may feel awkward to turn your arms and legs over at a higher rate. It will feel this way for a few weeks before the body adapts to the faster pace and higher intensity. Begin each season with some speed work in the winter and it feels terrible for about three weeks. After that, the increase in VO₂max allows you to perform longer efforts at a much faster pace.
3. Start small. Think 25s and 50s in the pool on long rest intervals, 200- and 400-metre repeats on the track and 30–90-second intervals on the bike, all with full recovery. These intervals may not sound like much but can be very challenging. Many athletes get attached to the idea that each week must contain a long run and a long ride, but combining volume and intensity is a recipe for burnout and injury. You’ll add volume back into the programme later, but to focus on speed, workouts should be an hour or two at most.
4. Practise speed under controlled conditions, such as on a treadmill or trainer. This allows you to focus on high turnover and maximising your effort without having to deal with distractions such as cars, wind and hills. Setting a goal pace on the treadmill allows you to turn your brain off and just run, and it forces you to maintain a higher cadence. As you can imagine, there is no slowing down or “settling in.”