Run 101

That bad-legs feeling is physiology, not weakness. Every triathlete at T2 feels it, first-timers and veterans alike. Slow down, let it pass, and trust that km 2 will feel completely different. You've got this.

• Your quads and hip flexors have been in a fixed cycling position. They resist the new movement pattern.
• The cardiovascular shift from cycling to running also takes 1–2 minutes to stabilize.
• First 800m often feels like running through sand. This is normal, even for experienced triathletes.
• It passes. By km 2, most athletes have found their running legs.

• Brick = bike immediately followed by run, no rest between.
• Even 10–15 minute brick runs after a ride accelerate adaptation significantly.
• Start small: 30-minute ride + 15-minute run, once per week.
• Gradually increase both the bike duration and brick run length over your training block.
• Your first brick will feel terrible. Your fifth will feel manageable. Your tenth will feel normal.

Pro tip: Don't skip your first brick because it feels awful. That discomfort is the exact adaptation you're training for. The suffering is the point.

• Start 30–45 seconds per mile (20–30 sec/km) slower than your fresh-legs pace.
• Assess at the 1km mark — if you feel good, gradually pick it up.
• The most common beginner mistake: sprinting out of T2 and suffering for 4km.
• Even pacing beats blow-up pacing by 3–5 minutes over a 5K run.
• Use a watch with heart rate to anchor your effort, not pace.

Pro tip: Set a heart rate ceiling for the first km and run to that number instead of a pace target. By the time your legs settle, your pace data will be reliable.

Your form collapses when you're tired, which is exactly when it matters most. Practice running tall in the last 5 minutes of every training run. It's a skill, and it's trainable.

• Tall and upright — crown of head toward the sky, not hunched forward.
• Slight forward lean from the ankles, not the waist.
• Eyes on the horizon 15–20 feet ahead, not at the ground in front of you.
• Shoulders relaxed and low — tension in the shoulders bleeds energy.
• Shake your hands out every few minutes to detect and release tension.

• Elbows bent at roughly 90°, swinging fore and aft — not across the body.
• Crossing the midline rotates your torso and wastes energy.
• Hands relaxed: imagine holding a potato chip without breaking it.
• Arms should drive the pace — shorten the swing to slow down, lengthen to accelerate.

Pro tip: When you're hurting in the final km of a race, pump your arms harder. Your legs will follow the rhythm whether they want to or not.

• Land under your hips, not in front — overstriding creates braking force.
• Cadence target: 170–180 steps per minute is efficient for most runners.
• Counting: count one foot for 30 seconds, multiply by 4 to get SPM.
• Don't obsess over heel vs. forefoot strike — focus on landing under your hips.
• A short, quick stride is more efficient than long, bounding strides.

Pro tip: Count your right foot strikes for 20 seconds and multiply by 6. Below 85 SPM? Shortening your stride slightly will improve efficiency without any other change.

Your feet absorb the impact after swim and bike have already taxed your body. Don't cheap out on the only thing between your joints and the road.

• Get fitted at a running specialty store — not a big box retailer.
• Gait analysis identifies whether you pronate, supinate, or run neutrally.
• Replace shoes every 400–500 miles — worn midsoles look fine but don't cushion.
• Blisters and black toenails are almost always shoe-fit problems, not bad luck.
• Thin synthetic or wool socks only — cotton holds moisture and destroys skin.

• 10% rule: don't increase weekly mileage by more than 10% per week.
• Include a step-back week every 3–4 weeks — reduce volume by 20–30%.
• Two easy runs are better than one hard run — consistency beats intensity early.
• Running 3 days per week is enough for a sprint triathlon build.
• Fatigue from swim and bike training compounds run injury risk — account for total load.

Pro tip: When in doubt, do less. Undertrained is survivable on race day. Injured is not.

Most beginner injuries are training errors, not bad luck. Before calling a physio, try cutting volume 30% for a week. It self-resolves more often than you'd think, and knowing the cause means you can fix it.

• IT band syndrome: rapid mileage increase, running on camber, weak hips.
• Plantar fasciitis: sudden volume spike, inflexible calves, worn-out shoes.
• Runner's knee: overstriding, quad imbalance, going too hard too soon.
• Shin splints: training surface (pavement to track changes), too much too fast.
• Most beginner injuries are training errors, not structural problems — reduce load first.

• Don't stretch cold muscles — 5–10 minutes of easy jogging first.
• Dynamic warmup: leg swings, high knees, butt kicks, A-skips before hard efforts.
• Static stretching is for post-run — hold 20–30 seconds, don't bounce.
• Foam rolling: spend time on calves, quads, IT band, and hip flexors.
• Post-run walk for 5 minutes — don't stop dead at your front door.

Pro tip: A 5-minute warmup jog is not optional. A cold muscle asked to perform a hard effort is a muscle asking to tear — the injury prevention ROI is enormous.

Two 20-minute sessions per week beats zero 60-minute sessions every time. Keep it short enough that you'll actually show up.

• Single-leg squats and lunges: the foundation of run durability.
• Calf raises: load your calves to prevent Achilles and plantar issues.
• Glute bridges and hip abduction: weak glutes cause knee and IT band problems.
• Core work: a strong core holds your running posture when fatigued.
• 2 sessions of 20 minutes per week is enough — you don't need a gym program.

• Wet trails: shorten your stride, widen your stance slightly for stability.
• Reflective gear is essential October–March for pre-dawn or post-work runs.
• Rocky trail running is slower — adjust your pacing expectations.
• Cold starts: warm up indoors before going out in sub-45°F conditions.
• Running in the rain is not optional if you're training for a spring race — embrace it.

Pro tip: A good waterproof running jacket changes PNW training from six months of suffering to six months of genuinely enjoyable running. It's the one piece of gear worth spending on.