These 12 hallmark Purple Patch sessions consist of a series of 4 swims, 4 runs, and 4 bike sessions, in which each discipline progresses in intensity and duration during the series. These sessions, that we call 'artery sessions,' help you put your finger on the pulse of your performance and provide a sense of continuity as training progresses. Once you complete the first session in each series, space the following sessions to occur every three weeks. The idea is that each session in a series retains a familiar feel but evolves and progresses through 12-week period of training.
Don’t think of these as benchmark tests. Instead, use these as a readout on physiological progress. Your intention is not to redline with effort to improve your time -- it will only fool you into thinking your threshold is higher than it really is. You’ll crack on race day.
We encourage you to infuse these artery sessions into a 12-week period of training to serve to track and monitor the progress and effectiveness of your training.