Tools you might need next
Calculate race pace per mile or kilometer, finish time, and split times for any distance. Plan pacing for 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon.
Estimate VO2 max from race times, Cooper 12-minute test, or resting heart rate. Measure aerobic fitness for running and cycling training.
Calculate heart rate training zones from max HR, lactate threshold, or Karvonen formula. Set easy, tempo, threshold, and interval zones for running.
Training bricks use 25–50% of race distance at target effort. Sprint tri: 30–45 min bike + 10–15 min run. Olympic: 60–90 min bike + 20–30 min run. Half Ironman: 2–3 hr bike + 30–45 min run.
Brick duration ≈ Race leg duration × 0.25 to 0.50First mile off the bike is typically 15–45 seconds per mile slower than standalone run pace due to neuromuscular adaptation. Target effort (HR or RPE), not standalone pace, for the first 5–10 minutes.
Brick run pace ≈ Standalone pace + 15–45 sec/mile (first mile)Include 1–2 minutes T2 simulation: dismount, rack shoes, helmet off. Race-specific bricks add full transition with gear to identify time-saving setup changes.
Total session = Bike + T2 practice + RunUpdated: July 2026
40-minute bike at race power/HR, 90-second T2, 15-minute run building from brick pace to race pace. Practice first 800m at RPE 6 before settling to RPE 7–8.
75-minute easy-moderate bike (Zone 2), immediate 20-minute easy run (Zone 2). Focus on leg turnover adaptation, not pace. Weekly during base phase.
2.5-hour bike at race nutrition plan, T2 practice, 30-minute run starting at marathon effort. Tests GI tolerance and run pacing on fatigued legs 3–4 weeks pre-race.
First 5–10 minutes off the bike require pace adjustment. Starting too fast causes early lactate spike and late-run fade. Use heart rate or RPE for the opening segment.
T2 costs 1–3 minutes in sprint tri and adds stress. Include mount/dismount and gear change in bricks to identify bottlenecks — flying mount, elastic laces, and pre-set shoes save race time.
Brick workouts stack two disciplines back-to-back — typically bike then run — to simulate triathlon race conditions and train the heavy-leg sensation of T2. This calculator plans segment durations, effort levels, and transition targets based on race distance and training phase.