Olympic Distance Brick: 60km Bike + 10km Run

Session Overview

This 60km bike followed by a 10km run is the definitive brick session for Olympic distance triathlon preparation. Racing the full 40km race bike leg is one thing — but extending to 60km in training teaches your legs to hold run pace after a longer effort, building the aerobic resilience to perform when it counts. Expect this session to take 2.5 to 3 hours total.

What You’ll Need

• Road or TT bike with nutrition mounted (gels, bars, or water bottles)
• Running shoes and kit laid out for quick transition
• Two water bottles on the bike plus a handheld or fuel belt for the run
• GPS watch capable of multisport recording
• 1-2 gels or energy bars for the bike leg

Warm-Up (10 minutes cycling)

Start the bike leg easy for the first 10 minutes, spinning at high cadence (90-95rpm) to warm your legs and joints before increasing intensity. Use this time to settle your position and check hydration — drink at least 250ml in the first 15 minutes of the bike leg before the heat builds.

Main Set

After the warm-up, settle into race-effort pace for the bulk of the 60km, then immediately run a 10km at your target Olympic distance run pace.

• Bike km 0-10: Easy warm-up at high cadence, build gradually to race effort
• Bike km 10-55: Sustained Zone 3-4 effort. Hold your race pace consistently. Fuel every 20-25 minutes.
• Bike km 55-60: Spin down, shift to an easier gear, raise cadence to 95rpm to flush legs before the run
• T2 transition: Aim for under 90 seconds. Swap shoes, grab run gear, go.
• Run km 1-2: Accept that legs feel heavy — this is normal. Don’t panic and don’t sprint out.
• Run km 2-8: Build to and hold your target 10K race pace. This should feel like a 7-8 out of 10 effort.
• Run km 8-10: Race to the finish — push everything you have left.

Cool-Down (5 minutes)

After finishing the 10km run, walk for 5 minutes to bring your heart rate down before stretching. Your temperature and heart rate will be significantly elevated — don’t stop abruptly. Begin rehydrating immediately and consume a carbohydrate-protein recovery meal or shake within 30 minutes.

Coaching Notes

• Nutrition is critical. If you underfuel on the bike, the run will fall apart. Aim for 60-75g of carbohydrate per hour on the bike.
• The heavy legs feeling in the first 2km of the run is normal — trust your fitness and the sensation passes as your body adapts.
• Make it easier: Shorten to 40km bike and 6km run, keeping the same race-effort approach throughout.
• Make it harder: Add a 1.5km open water swim at the start to create a full Olympic-distance simulation.
• Aim for 170-180 steps per minute on the run off the bike. Higher cadence reduces the heavy feeling significantly.