06/09/2026
Not all bricks are productive
Running off the bike is one of the most specific demands of triathlon
Transition flow, heavy legs, rising core temp, the mental recalibration of finding your pace.
These adaptations need to be trained. But abusing bricks can actually work against your running development, so at Bkyrd Club, we’re intentional about how and when we use them.
Why do we do them?
Running on tired, warmed-up legs with some discomfort is a skill you can only build by doing it. Your core temperature keeps climbing as you start the run, and learning to hold yourself back early even when you feel good is what separates smart racers from blown-up ones.
The transition itself. It’s a small piece of the race, but a smooth T2 builds confidence and can quietly shave lits if time on race day.
How much is enough?
1–2 bricks a week is plenty to build or maintain the adaptations you need. But it always comes down to the full picture , how many quality runs can the athlete still get in around them? Bricks shouldn’t cannibalize the rest of your run training.
In the off-season, they’re much less of a priority. But a lot of athletes go wrong avoiding bricks all season and then suddenly hammering them in the final weeks before a race. That’s not preparation, that’s damage control.
The key is building them in gradually as your block progresses, so the adaptation is already there.
Too much, too soon, too close to race day without having laid the foundation is just counterproductive stress on the body.
Use them with purpose.
