SPRINT TRIATHLON TRAINING BASE PLAN

weeks 1-4

30 min bike

650m total

2x50 kickboard

6x25, 6x50 2x100

30 sec rest

20 mins total

5 min easy run

10 hard run

5 min easy run

450m swim

45 min bike

15 min run

Friday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

rest 

run/bike brick

swim intervals

tempo/interval run

steady swim

long ride

Saturday

long run

Base phase training is meant to build your fitness in swimming, biking and running and get your machine used to training for the three disciplines.  During these first four weeks, we will work out some of the bugs and build your base level aerobic fitness.

If you're going from couch to triathlon, then 6 days of workouts a week is too much for you to start. If that's the case, then I'd encourage you to start with three or four workouts a week, ideally one of each discipline.  Add an additional workout every week until you're up to five or six workouts per week.  Reach out to me if you have specific questions on this! 

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Notes: 

• Always begin each workout with a brief warm up, and finish with a cool down and stretch.

• Do a run/walk combo as needed

• 450 meters is 18 lengths of a 25m pool. Some pools are 25 yards, so in that case, just swim 450 yards (or you could do the math if you wanted!)

450m swim

20 mins total

5 min easy run

10 hard run

5 min easy run

650m total

2x50 kickboard

6x25, 6x50 2x100

30 sec rest

30 min bike

15 min run

45 min bike

steady swim

tempo/interval run

swim intervals

run/bike brick

rest 

long run

Sunday

Saturday

Friday

Thursday

Wednesday

Tuesday

Monday

long ride

Notes: 

• "long workouts" are done at a steady pace where you could hold a (breathy) conversation

• interval or tempo workouts are a higher intensity, meant to improve speed, and should leave you short of breath (they include recovery time)

WEEK 3

Expect some mental and physical fatigue to set in this week as the "newness" of training wears off... just keep moving forward!

450m swim

22 mins total

5 min easy run

12 hard run

5 min easy run

800m total

2x50 kickboard

8x50 4x100

30 sec rest

30 min bike

20 min run

45 min bike

Notes: 

• Are you stretching?  What about foam rolling?  Try to squeeze in a stretch sesh after each workout, and foam roll anytime and all the time!

• Your "long" swim on Mondays is meant to be a continuous swim with minimal breaks.  Ideally, you'll swim the freestyle stroke (aka front crawl), because it's the most efficient of the 4 strokes.  Don't stress if you're not there yet. Many triathlons have been completed with a side stroke, back stroke or doggie paddle!

WEEK 4

Last week of base training!  If your body is screaming for a recovery week, then listen!  If you need a second rest day, take out one of the speed workouts (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday)

45 min bike

20 min run

30 min bike

800m total

2x50 kickboard

8x50 4x100

30 sec rest

22 mins total

5 min easy run

12 hard run

5 min easy run

450m swim

Notes: 

• If the swim in just not "clicking", you might want to look into lessons.  Just a few lessons, can be very productive in improving your stroke. 

• running is challenging to the your cardiovascular system, so if running is maxing you out physically, it's okay to walk - just keep moving forward!