Hawaii From Home: Run Workout #2

Join us for Hawaii From Home—one week, 140.6 miles. Swag, prizes, training tips from coaches, bragging rights. Get all of the details at triathlete.com/hawaiifromhome. Each week we’ll be providing four key workouts (one swim, one bike, one run, and one brick) that you can work into your overall training plan.

Before you head out to tackle the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run, from Oct. 5-11, Ryan Bolton has created a progressive plan that’ll identify one key run per week—alternating between one quality run and one purposeful long run each week. The long run on week five should be the last long run before attempting the challenge. Bolton prefers to use heart-rate zones for his run workouts, but feel free to use Rate of Perceived Exertion (on the below scale) if you don’t have a heart-rate monitor available. Each workout includes an option for a newer triathlete who has either never done a long-course event or is still building up mileage and an option for a more experienced triathlete who has a solid running mileage foundation already. Depending on the rest of your volume and where the session will fall in your training week, feel free to alternate between beginner and advanced.

The second week will be a fairly intense workout that combines high heart rate for a short period of time with low recovery and a great tempo at the end. This combination of hill running and steady-state running does a great job simulating what it’s like to come off the bike onto the run with fatigue. Be sure to run the hills fast and powerful, focusing on great form—running tall, leaning forward from your ankles, and quick, light turnover on your forefoot.

Be sure to give yourself an easier swim workout if you swim prior to this run, and don’t expect much from yourself if you swim afterwards. Plan a lighter day on the bike the next or do a full leg recovery so you can repair and rebuild.

Heart Rate Zones to RPE (1-10)
Zone 1 – Active Recovery -> 1-2
Zone 2 – Endurance -> 2-4
Zone 3 – Tempo -> 5-6
Zone 4 – Threshold -> 7-8
Zone 5 – VO2 Max+ -> 8-10

Run Workout #2: 80-Meter Hill Repeats with Tempo

Advanced: 1:30 total

Warm-up:
40 minutes in zones 1 and 2

Main Set:
10 x
(80m hill sprints on a 6-10% grade at 95% max effort (don’t worry about heart rate)
1 min. jog down recovery)

3 miles at steady tempo pace in high zone 3 to low zone 4

Cool-down:
5 min. easy

Beginner: 1:10 total

Warm-up:
30 minutes in zones 1 and 2

Main Set:
6 x
(80m hill sprints on a 6-10% grade at 95% max effort (don’t worry about heart rate)
1 min. jog down recovery)
2 miles at steady tempo pace in high zone 3 to low zone 4

Cool-down:
5 min. easy

Ryan Bolton is a former collegiate runner-turned-pro triathlete who now coaches athletes, from beginner to elite. For more expert advice, mental techniques, and 16-week training plans for all levels, check out The Triathlete Guide to Sprint and Olympic Triathlon Racing, out now from Velopress.