TRIATHLON TRAINING

TRIATHLON TRAINING

BEGINNER

If you feel like your physical fitness level is higher than the first week of workouts below, please follow the intermediate workout plan. If you are weaker in swimming (for example) and a strong runner, then you’ll want to match the swimming level with your running eventually and work even harder in the swim. IDEALLY, follow one plan. Feel free to use the intermediate workouts to appeal to your strengths and use the beginner level to gain traction in another discipline if you are weaker in that area (swimming, biking or running).  Triathlon is very mentally demanding and you need to do everything in your power to build your confidence in each area. It’s just as important to train yourself mentally as well as physically. Your mental power will gradually build itself. We’ll go into how to energize your mental strength to build your personal powerhouse in another section. For now, get to work below!

8 WEEK TRAINING PLAN

800m swim | 12mi bike | 5k run

WEEK 1

  • Mon: 800m run

  • Tues: 50m repeats swim x2

  • Wed: 3 mi bike

  • Thurs: 800m run

  • Fri: 50m repeats swim x3

  • Sat: 3 mi bike

Note: Start with Week 1 if you are super out of shape and need to start somewhere. Before EVERY workout, stretch and warmup. This will help prevent injury, increase blood flow and prepare you mentally to focus on the workout.

WEEK 2

  • Mon: 800m run

  • Tues: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Wed: 5 mi bike

  • Thurs: 1 mile run

  • Fri: 200m repeats swim x2

  • Sat: 5 mi bike

Note: You’ll slowly increase mileage and intensity over the coming weeks.

WEEK 3

  • Mon: 1-2 mile run

  • Tues: 400m swim

  • Wed: 7 mi bike

  • Thurs: 800m repeats at race pace x3 run (run 800m, rest until heart rate is 20 beats in 10 seconds then go again)

  • Fri: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Sat: 7 mi bike

Note: Get a watch and take your pulse for 800 m repeats.

WEEK 4

  • Mon: 2-3 mile run

  • Tues: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Wed: 10 mi bike

  • Thurs: 3 mi run

  • Fri: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Sat: 5 mi bike, 1 mi run

Note: Saturday: bike and then run after. This will give you an idea what to expect during the race when you transition bike to run.

WEEK 5

  • Mon: 3-4 mi run

  • Tues: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Wed: 10 mi bike

  • Thurs: 3-4 mi run

  • Fri: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Sat: 12 mi bike

Note: This is when you are super out of shape and need to start somewhere.

WEEK 6

  • Mon: 4 mi run

  • Tues: 800m swim

  • Wed: 10 mi bike

  • Thurs: 1 min ON race pace, 1 min OFF walk/jog run: 24 mins

  • Fri: 100m warm up. 800m race pace. 100m cool down: swim

  • Sat: 15 mi bike

Note: This is when you are super out of shape and need to start somewhere.

WEEK 7

  • Mon: 4-5 mi run hard

  • Tues: 800m swim

  • Wed: 12 mi bike

  • Thurs: 4 mi run

  • Fri: 1 mile swim

  • Sat: 20 mi bike

Note: Test out what you’ve been training for this week. Next week will be pretty easy.

WEEK 8

  • Mon: 3mi run

  • Tues: 400m swim

  • Wed: 10 mi bike easy 14mph

  • Thurs: Light run 1 mi

  • Fri: Rest (probably drive to race)

  • Sat: RACE DAY

Note: Take it easy this week. Let your body rest for the race. The last thing you want to do at this point is work too hard.

RACE DAY

You will do this.

WEEK 1

  • Mon: 800m run

  • Tues: 50m repeats swim x2

  • Wed: 3 mi bike

  • Thurs: 800m run

  • Fri: 50m repeats swim x3

  • Sat: 3 mi bike

Note: Start with Week 1 if you are super out of shape and need to start somewhere. Before EVERY workout, stretch and warmup. This will help prevent injury, increase blood flow and prepare you mentally to focus on the workout.

WEEK 2

  • Mon: 800m run

  • Tues: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Wed: 5 mi bike

  • Thurs: 1 mile run

  • Fri: 200m repeats swim x2

  • Sat: 5 mi bike

Note: You’ll slowly increase mileage and intensity over the coming weeks.

WEEK 3

  • Mon: 1-2 mile run

  • Tues: 400m swim

  • Wed: 7 mi bike

  • Thurs: 800m repeats at race pace x3 run (run 800m, rest until heart rate is 20 beats in 10 seconds then go again)

  • Fri: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Sat: 7 mi bike

Note: Get a watch and take your pulse for 800 m repeats.

WEEK 4

  • Mon: 2-3 mile run

  • Tues: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Wed: 10 mi bike

  • Thurs: 3 mi run

  • Fri: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Sat: 5 mi bike, 1 mi run

Note: Saturday: bike and then run after. This will give you an idea what to expect during the race when you transition bike to run.

WEEK 5

  • Mon: 3-4 mi run

  • Tues: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Wed: 10 mi bike

  • Thurs: 3-4 mi run

  • Fri: 50m repeats swim x4

  • Sat: 12 mi bike

Note: This is when you are super out of shape and need to start somewhere.

WEEK 6

  • Mon: 4 mi run

  • Tues: 800m swim

  • Wed: 10 mi bike

  • Thurs: 1 min ON race pace, 1 min OFF walk/jog run: 24 mins

  • Fri: 100m warm up. 800m race pace. 100m cool down: swim

  • Sat: 15 mi bike

Note: This is when you are super out of shape and need to start somewhere.

WEEK 7

  • Mon: 4-5 mi run hard

  • Tues: 800m swim

  • Wed: 12 mi bike

  • Thurs: 4 mi run

  • Fri: 1 mile swim

  • Sat: 20 mi bike

Note: Test out what you’ve been training for this week. Next week will be pretty easy.

WEEK 8

  • Mon: 3mi run

  • Tues: 400m swim

  • Wed: 10 mi bike easy 14mph

  • Thurs: Light run 1 mi

  • Fri: Rest (probably drive to race)

  • Sat: RACE DAY

Note: Take it easy this week. Let your body rest for the race. The last thing you want to do at this point is work too hard.

RACE DAY

You will do this.