Steal A Pro’s Workout: Kyle Buckingham’s Ironman Prep Ride
Buckingham does this long bike workout to prepare for Ironman, and practices everything during it.
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South African Kyle Buckingham was 16th overall at last year’s Ironman World Championship—as an age-grouper. His 8:37 finish made him the overall amateur winner, and he went pro in 2014 and won his first Ironman pro title in Lake Placid in July.
Buckingham does this long bike workout to prepare for Ironman, and practices everything during it—from his race nutrition (GU Chomps and drinks) to wheel choices (Enve Composites 8.9 wheelset).
Ironman prep long bike workout
5–6-hour ride in Zone 2, riding in the aero position as much as possible
Include:
– 2–3 x 20 min intervals at Ironman race pace and a high cadence with a 15 min rest in between
– 3–4 x 3 min VO2max intervals with 5 min recovery between (done toward the end of the workout)
“The body is already very fatigued and it’s great to practice a workout like this to replicate how you would feel after the bike ride in an Ironman,” Buckingham says.