Triathlon - Brick workouts how often?

Hello forum,

This is my first post and made sure I searched the forum before posting. Many of you mention make sure you add a brick workout, but could not find specifically how often. So that is my question:

How often should I incorporate brick workouts to my tri training? I have started training running and biking and have not had a chance to tackle swimming, but I hope to start soon.
I run about 2 miles 3 times a week. Ride 4 times a week 15-20 miles each time. I also have added strength training twice a week.

I have found of couple of duathlons in my area that I am planning on entering as this seems to be the best approach while I take care of the swim part. How often should I add a brick workout? Once a week, once every other week?

I can't wait to start swimming. I really like how my weekly routing is always changing. Never boring and group bike rides are a blast. Loving every minute of it.

Thanks for your feedback.

It all depends on what kind of race you want to do, how competitive you want to be in that race, and what your strengths/weaknesses/level of fitness is. Are you just trying to finish, or are you trying to finish strong?

I know people that have completed sprint/olympic distance tri's without ever doing a brick workout while training. I also know people who do 2 or 3 brick workouts a week. Personally, I do one bike/run workout each week that would be considered a "brick". I might bike and run on one other day, but I will rest in between the two workouts (i.e. do one in the am, one in the pm).

It's really dependent on your training schedule. There isn't a rule of thumb that I'm aware of that says you need to do X bricks a week to be successful in triathlon races.

Instead of being concerned with brick workouts, I would up your run distance. Even a sprint tri has a 3.1 mile run, and your 2 mile runs aren't really preparing you for that. Try going for a bit longer of runs.

I think each person is different. I would really work on that which you are weakest and hopefully it will help your aerobic workouts for the other sports.

Good luck and work out hard and rest well also.

I am doing lazy brick workouts as my time schedule is really terrible. Sometimes I get in a half mile of swimming and then bike for 20 - 60 miles later in the same day. It depends upon my available time. Today was half mile swim at 12:00. 20 mile bike ride from 4:03 to 5:04 and then at 6:15 I did a two mile run.

I did my sprint triathlon, but it was over a long period of time with work thrown in there for fun I guess.

I try to do a brick after almost every bike. Bricks are not meant to be serious run training however. Bricks are only to prepare you for the strange feelings in your legs after the bike. usually a 3 to 4 mile run is good even if you are preparing for an Ironman.

Thanks for the replies. I have decided that one brick workout per week is doing me well. I started calling it lead workout because that is how my legs felt the first time, but now it is getting better.