Description
Triathlon: Olympic Distance Triathlon, Beginner Plan: 5.25 to 8 (or 10) hrs/wk
Author: Gale Bernhardt
12 weeks - $64.95 (There is a 10% discount when ordering from Gale Bernhardt’s website.)
Total Hours: 62
You might be a beginning triathlete or maybe you have a couple of races under your belt from previous seasons. In either case you are fit and are NOT a beginning athlete. Before beginning Week 1 of the plan you are capable of riding a bike 30 to 60 minutes two days a week and completing a long ride around two hours on a third day. You can swim 100 yards (or meters) nonstop and swimming for 30 minutes a couple of times per week is easy. You can run two days per week, one 30-minute run and a longer run of 45 minutes.
With the profile in mind, have a look at the plan preview below. If the first week of training looks like a load you can handle, this is your plan. Weekly training hours range from 5:15 to a maximum between 8:15 and 10:00. There is some flexibility built into the plan to accommodate individual differences. For example there is no time posted for the swim workouts. Obviously there can be big differences in swimming abilities between people with a competitive swim background and those just getting into swimming. Some of the run and bike workouts also have ranges built into the workouts.
The plan has a general pattern of cycling and strength training on Monday and Wednesday, heading to only Mondays as the plan progresses. Strength training is optional in this plan. If you decide not to strength train, you can replace the strength training time with more time on the bike on those days. If you are currently strength training, you can keep your current routine. Be aware and notice if strength training is taking too much energy away from your swimming, cycling and running. If this is the case, consider reducing the exercises, sets or repetitions to allow higher quality workouts during the aerobic sessions.
Swimming is shown on Tuesday, Thursday and some Saturdays. Running workouts are typically on Tuesday, some Thursdays and Saturdays. Long rides are on Sundays.
Friday is always a day off. If it works better for you to have a different schedule and move the workouts around, it can be done. Try to keep similar workouts 48 hours apart. In other words, it is preferable to swim on Tuesday and Thursday instead of Tuesday and Wednesday.
By Week 10 you are doing a training day that includes a morning swim followed by a 2:45 brick. The brick includes race-pace work.
Q & A
Q – What do I get with a training plan?
A – After purchase, your plan will be available in your own private online training log account. You will enjoy the following benefits and more:
- Daily e-mails with your next workout keep you on track
- Create your own routes or search the library of routes for tracking your workouts
- Map, graph and share workouts with your friends by e-mail, Facebook and view in Google Maps or Google Earth
- Upload workouts from one of more than 80 training devices (Garmin, Suunto, Timex, Polar, more) or easily record your workouts manually
- Track your fitness and gain confidence
- Complete nutrition tracking to monitor your diet
- Get support and answers on a message board specific to your plan and access to more message boards
Q – What if I don’t like the plan once I’ve seen it?
A – Because discounted plans are offered through this site and a coding system, no refunds are allowed. If you are worried about wanting or needing a refund, you can forego the discount and purchase the plan directly from the TrainingPeaks website. Refunds for training plans are offered for a limited time after purchase. You can find this training plan on that site by following this link.
Sample workouts:
Workout #1 : Bike
Planned Time: 0:30:00
Ride in Zones 1-2 on a flat to gently rolling course at 90+ rpm. If you're unable to spin 90+ rpm coast and recover until you can.
Workout #2 : Strength
Planned Time: 0:30:00
After your designated warm-up, complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the exercises outlined in the Supporting Documents section titled Strength Training. Use a light to moderate weight.
Workout #3 : Swim
Planned Time: 0:00:00
Swim Workout #1: Warm-up: 200 Swim, 200 Kick, 200 Drill Main Set: 6-8 x 50 (10 second RI between swims.) Swim at Zone 1-2 RPE Cool Down: 200 Your choice
Workout #4 : Run
Planned Time: 0:30:00
Run on a flat course - a soft surface would be best (grass, dirt or treadmill) - keeping heart rate in Zone 1.
Workout #5 : Strength
Planned Time: 0:30:00
After your designated warm-up, complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the exercises outlined in the Supporting Documents section titled Strength Training. Use a light to moderate weight.
Workout #6 : Bike
Planned Time: 0:30:00
Ride mostly in Zones 1 to 2 zones with a few short (10 to 20 second) accelerations placed throughout the workout, your choice. Relax and have fun.
Workout #7 : Day Off
Planned Time: 0:00:00
Relax
Workout #8 : Bike
Planned Time: 2:00:00
This level is used for aerobic maintenance and endurance training. Heart rate should stay primarily in Zones 1 to 2. How much time is spent in each zone depends on how you feel that day. The goal of an E2 ride is not to see how much time you can spend in Zone 2. Ride on a rolling course if possible, with grades up to 4 percent. For reference, most highway off-ramps are 4-percent grade. Riding in a slightly larger gear can simulate a gentle hill, if there are no hills where you live. Remain in the saddle on the hills. If you ride with a group, inner discipline is necessary to let the group go if they want to hammer.
Workout #9 : Strength
Planned Time: 0:30:00
Warm up aerobically, running or cycling for 10-20 minutes, then complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the designated exercises using a light to moderate weight.
Hard copy of this plan is available in the book, Triathlon Training Basics.
