Race Week Activation Brick: 20km Bike + 3km Easy Run

Session Overview

This race week activation brick is designed to prime your neuromuscular system for competition without adding fatigue. A 20km easy bike followed by a brisk 3km run gives your legs the stimulus they need to feel sharp on race day — without the deep muscle soreness of a full training session. It’s the ideal workout in the 2–4 days before a sprint or Olympic distance triathlon.

What You’ll Need

• Road or TT bike
• Running shoes
• A flat or gently rolling route with a safe place to transition between bike and run

Warm-Up (included in ride)

The first 10 minutes of the bike leg serve as your warm-up. Spin easy at 85–90rpm, gradually building to your Zone 2 effort. Let the legs wake up naturally — don’t push hard from the start.

Main Set

• Bike — 20km at Zone 2: Easy to moderate aerobic effort. Keep cadence at 85–95rpm. Include 4×20-second spin-ups (fast cadence, light resistance) in the final 5km to feel the legs sharpen. Arrive back at transition feeling smooth, not breathless.
• T1 transition: Practise your actual race-day transition. Take a normal transition time — this is also a dress rehearsal. Check helmet buckle, rack correctly, change into run shoes.
• Run — 3km at brisk moderate pace: Start at Zone 2 for the first kilometre, build to Zone 3 (comfortably hard) for the final 2km. You should finish feeling loose, fast, and with energy to spare. No all-out efforts.

Cool-Down (5 minutes)

Walk for 3 minutes after the run. Stretch your quads, hip flexors, and calves gently — no deep stretching or foam rolling tonight. Save the legs for race day.

Coaching Notes

• The purpose of this session is activation, not fitness. If you finish feeling tired, you went too hard. Adjust accordingly.
• Do this session 2–3 days before your race — not the day before, which should be rest or a very short swim only.
• The 4×20-second spin-ups on the bike are the most important part — they recruit fast-twitch fibres and sharpen the legs without generating lactate.
• Wear your actual race kit and shoes. If anything doesn’t fit right or chafes, now is the time to find out.
• RPE: 4–5 out of 10 on the bike, 5–6 on the run. Comfortably uncomfortable at most.