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21 MAY 2026

Triathlon lore disagrees about the origin of the term “Brick Run.” Some coaches and athletes believe that the dead, heavy sensations one experiences running off the the bike resulted in the term “brick.” Other, more…literally inclined scholars point to the “B(ike) R(un)” beginning of the word “BRick” for its provenance. Does the “ick,” then, correlate to how one feels? Perhaps, but it seems a reach.

Regardless, running off the bike is what makes triathlon triathlon (or duathlon duathlon, but those people are nuts), and since the 1970s athletes, coaches, and researchers have been trying to figure out how to smooth out this difficult and uncomfortable aspect of our sport. When you run after cycling, your legs often feel like they don’t work, and your brain panics, wondering why you’re moving so much slower than you feel that you’re going.

Triathlon is not simply the sum of swimming, cycling, and running, however. It is a unique discipline that includes those sports but is not solely defined by any of them. A key step in improving your transitions is to stop thinking of the three sports as discrete—success requires linking all three together, and our transitions offer the opportunity to create a smooth experience, one that your legs (and your run split) will thank you for.

The cost of ignoring your transitions? An 11-12% reduction in running performance after the bike compared to fresh legs. Elites and well-trained triathletes can get that number down to 1-2%. If you can run a 1:40 half-marathon fresh, that might mean the difference between running a 1:52 in competition to a 1:42.

Do I have your attention now? First we’ll walk through why running off the bike is so hard on your body and brain, and then give you practical tips for how to make your transition training better...[read more]​

Sweat Tests Saturday @ Juniper Swim and Fitness

You train hard. You hydrate. You still crash.

Sweating isn't one-size-fits-all. Two athletes can lose the same fluid but have completely different sodium levels. If you're not replacing the right amount, your body doesn't care how many miles you logged this winter.

A Precision Hydration Sweat Test fixes that. No workout required. Walk away with your exact sodium loss rate and a personalized hydration plan built around it.

Marathon, triathlon, bike race, ski day, epic SUP. Whatever you're training for, this test is worth an hour of your time.

May 23rd from 9 am-2 pm at Juniper Swim and Fitness. Three spots left.

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Presented by Campfire Endurance Coaching

Today's newsletter is presented by Campfire Endurance Coaching.

We help endurance athletes improve their results (get FASTER), find more joy in the process of getting faster (get HAPPIER), and achieve lifelong wellbeing through sport (get HEALTHIER).

Our company has two major services:

• ​One-to-One Coaching: fully customizable, high-touch coaching built for your life and your goals. Our coaches carry a maximum of 15 athletes so you know you and your goals are always a prioity.
• ​Training Camps and Clinics: immersive multi-day and single-day events aimed at getting you the most improvement in the shortest amount of time.

If any of those sound like something you would like to take advantage of, you should consider booking a 45-minute FREE coaching and training consultation with us​