You put the bike down feeling pleased. You handled the hills, you like the average speed and you stayed with the group. You change shoes and set off running… but those opening minutes feel much harder than expected.
Does that immediately mean you rode too hard? It is one possibility, not a diagnosis. A brick session is useful precisely because it lets you explore how the two disciplines connect, rather than judging each one separately.
A good average speed does not tell the whole story
The summary of a ride can look steady while hiding quite different efforts: an acceleration to catch someone, a climb tackled a little too enthusiastically, then an easier stretch. Those details may tell you more about the run afterwards than average speed alone.
A ride around Lens-Liévin and the Bassin minier can extend towards the Artois hills. Before choosing a loop, check its surface, access and suitability for your bike. A pleasant walking path is not necessarily suitable for a road training session.
Choose a route you know and follow the rules of the road. An unfamiliar descent is no place to explore while watching a number on your computer.
The bike-to-run transition deserves its own reference points
A brick session here means following a bike ride with a run. It can help you discover how the change of discipline feels and rehearse the practical steps of transition.
The suggestion below is an observation log to use within training already suited to your level. Fit the session to your preparation instead of automatically adding another workout to your week.
If you are starting out, a club or coach can help you decide what that first experience should involve.
The TRIPP SPORT tip: three observations, rather than another record
- Before getting off the bike: remember how the final stretches felt. Steady? Breathless? Often chasing the group?
- During transition: note whether you took time to put your equipment down, get your shoes on and leave without rushing.
- At the start of the run: describe your breathing, your legs and how easily you find a comfortable rhythm.
Three words for each stage can be enough. If you use a watch or sensor, treat its data as additional information. Checking it must not distract you from riding safely or noticing your surroundings.
Afterwards, ask yourself: “Did I manage the ride as part of a triathlon, or as a ride that ended as soon as I put the bike down?”
Compare two sessions without changing every detail
During a comparable future brick session, you might choose to control the accelerations and leave yourself more room in the final stretches. Keep the route, equipment and overall intention as similar as possible.
Then observe the start of the run. Does it feel different? Are the first sensations easier to understand? If so, you have something to discuss with your coach. If not, that does not mean you should keep slowing the bike leg without considering anything else.
Sleep, weather, food, hydration and general preparation can all vary. Two attempts cannot isolate a cause perfectly. They can help you ask better questions.
You do not have to prove yourself on every hill
Before leaving with a group, say what you intend to do: “I am running afterwards today, so I want to keep this ride controlled.” That is easier than negotiating with yourself at the bottom of every climb.
On rolling routes, anticipate gear changes according to your equipment and experience. If you use power or heart-rate data, follow the reference points established in your training. There is no single cadence or number that every triathlete should target.
The useful experience is one you can repeat and understand. It does not have to produce the group’s best average speed.
Transition is worth practising calmly
Prepare a safe place to leave the bike and arrange your equipment. Rehearse the order of your movements. In training, you can take a moment to settle properly into your running shoes.
If the discomfort is specifically on top of the foot, at the heel or around a sock, check the equipment too. Our article on running shoes after cycling explores that question.
Do not try to continue through pain. A persistent problem deserves appropriate advice; a training log cannot replace that conversation.
What you can tell us in the shop
“My shoes are comfortable when I just run, but I feel this discomfort after that kind of ride” is a useful starting point. Bring your shoes and socks. Separating the general sensations of effort from a fit issue makes the fitting more useful.
At TRIPP SPORT in Aix-Noulette, we help you choose running, swimming and triathlon equipment. For planning your training efforts and understanding a recurring training difficulty, your club or coach remains a valuable contact.
The best summary of your next brick session may not be “I rode fast”. It may simply be: “I understand a little better how I run after cycling.”
Plan your visit to TRIPP SPORT · Explore a finishing-time scenario including transitions