Chris Carmichael writes: I came into the triathlon world from a base in single-sport competitions, specifically cycling. And while some people in the triathlete scene may see that as a weakness, I believe it to be an advantage. I approach triathlon as a single sport requiring multiple skills, not three sports crammed into one competition. You're a triathlete, not an endurance athlete trying to excel in three separate activities.

As a unified sport, triathlon is unique in that maximizing performance in one leg of the race may not be worth the effort. (It sounds strange, I know, but stick with me here.) If you spend a tremendous amount of training time focusing on your cycling and dig really deep on the bike in competition, you'll reach T2 faster, but most likely you'll only gain a handful of minutes. The same idea holds true with racking up monster hours in the pool and then red-lining your body in the swim leg of a race. However, no matter how much faster you go in the water or on the bike, you can lose every bit of that advantage - and more - if you crack on the run. So, when I worked with top triathlon coaches to develop a system for coaching triathletes, getting our athletes to the run faster and fresher emerged as our top priority of training.

Finish with a Kick and a Smile
In cycling, it's often been said there are two races within each competition. There's the race to get to the final 10 kilometers, and then there's the race for the finish line. If you neglect preparing for the first one, it doesn't matter how fast you can sprint because you won't have the opportunity to use it. In triathlon, you could say there's the race to get to the run, and then there's the run itself. By focusing on energy management in the water and on the bike, during both training and competition, you can excel in the race to the run and then hold a faster pace to the finish while everyone else slows to a walk or crawl. The run is hard for everyone, and the classic mistake is to assume that quick times in the swim and bike legs will compensate for a slow run.

The run is the most critical of the three legs of a triathlon because it is where greater effort can yield the biggest difference in finishing time. If you're exhausted when you exit T2, either because you dug too deep in the previous legs or because you failed to fuel or hydrate properly, there is very little you can do to climb out of that hole. On the other hand, if your fitness and race strategy gets you to T2 with energy to spare, you can let it rip on the run course. The difference between having to walk on the run versus cruising across the finish is gigantic: Walking the final 5 miles to the finish at 3 mph (20 min/mile pace) is more than an hour slower (1:02:30) than running them at 8 mph (7:30 min/mile pace).

Train Smart, Not More
Perhaps the most important benefit I've seen from implementing this new approach to triathlon training is how well it integrates into the busy lives of today's growing age-grouper population. Shortening workouts by eliminating wasteful efforts--adding hours and hours to swim and bike workouts--makes training easier to fit into daily schedules and allows more time off for better recovery. Workout quality improves and people make greater strides in less time and with lower chances for injury. In the end, everybody wins--new triathletes enjoy their entry into the sport and experienced veterans break through plateaus for new PRs.

SIDEBAR:
Progressive Tempo Runs
Just as I advise triathletes to hold themselves in check on the swim and bike legs so that they reach the run feeling fresh and ready to rip, I also want them to ease into the run. Pounding out of T2 at your set race pace might make the first 5k fly by, but it's going to make the last 5k murderous. Thus, I prescribe Progressive Tempo Runs on shorter run days used to build speed. These start slow and then build speed every five minutes until you're striding comfortably at your 10k running race pace. The goal is to finish at a faster pace than you started and make you a faster runner overall. By beginning at a slower pace you improve your chances of finishing strong and fast.

If you're training for a half- or full Ironman, start this workout with a 10- to 15-minute Warm-Up, then start running at a pace that's 20 seconds slower than your 10k race pace. Every 5 minutes, increase your pace by 5 seconds until you're running at your 10k pace. Run for 5 more minutes then cool down at an easy pace for 10 to 15 minutes.

Training for a shorter event? Start the Progressive Tempo Runs at a pace that's 10 seconds slower than your 10k pace.

You may find it difficult to give up that much time at the start of your run on race day, but don't worry. If executed well, this plan could shave minutes off your time by the time you cross the finish line.