How I structure training for my coached athletes
As a coach, the question I hear most often is, “What’s the secret to getting faster?” Triathletes are always searching for a magic workout, preferably one that’s short, easy, and can be done from the sofa (This is a lie, I know triathletes hate the sofa!).
The truth is, the “secret” isn’t a specific workout, it’s a specific, individualised plan. The path to a new PB isn’t a generic template. It’s a triathlon training structure meticulously designed for your experience level, your athletic background, and the demands of your target race distance and duration.
The Science of Peak Performance
Endurance performance isn’t just about logging hours; it’s a science. Every triathlete’s potential is governed by three key physiological factors that we can strategically improve.
- Maximal Oxygen Uptake (VO2 max): Think of this as the size of your physiological engine. The maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilise during intense exercise. A higher VO2 max means a higher performance ceiling.
- Lactate Threshold: This is the highest sustainable intensity you can maintain for an extended period. Think of it as your motorway cruising speed. It’s not the flat-out sprint you’d do to escape a dodgy service station, but it’s the fastest speed you can comfortably hold for a few hours without the engine warning light starting to flash. Pushing this threshold up is key to holding a faster pace.
- Economy: This is your multi-sport fuel efficiency. Think of it like a car’s MPG. A gas-guzzling Land Rover and an efficient city car both get you from A to B, but one uses a lot less fuel. Better economy means your energy reserves last longer. It’s a combination of your swimming technique, your aerodynamic position on the bike, and your running form.
My coaching philosophy is built on applying the right training stress at the right time. We do this by intelligently balancing three types of training intensity. To make it simple, I will break it down into 3 zones, rather than the typical 5-7:
- Zone 1 (Easy/Base): Low-intensity, conversational-pace efforts.
- Zone 2 (Moderate/Threshold): “Comfortably hard” efforts that directly improve your lactate threshold.
- Zone 3 (Hard/High-Intensity): Short, intense intervals designed to push your cardiovascular system and raise your VO2 max.
The art of triathlon coaching lies in blending these zones for you. Here’s how we structure training.
Training Structures for Every Triathlete
The Beginner Triathlete: Building the Foundation
If you’re new to structured triathlon training, our primary goals are simple: build an aerobic base, establish consistency, and develop solid technique, especially in the swim, where the initial goal is to feel and look more like an actual swimmer. At this stage, we use a Pyramidal approach, where most of your training time is in Zone 1.
- For Sprint/Olympic Distance: The plan is built around establishing a routine. We’ll introduce one “quality” session per week to gently introduce intensity.
- For Long-Course (70.3/140.6): For a beginner tackling a long-distance race, volume is king. The plan will be almost exclusively Zone 1 and low-end Zone 2 to build the required musculoskeletal strength.
The Intermediate Triathlete: Breaking Plateaus
You’ve been training for a few years, but your progress has stalled. This is where we focus on “training smarter” by targeting your specific limiters, that one discipline you secretly (or not so secretly) wish wasn’t part of triathlon. We stick with a Pyramidal model, but with more focused quality sessions.
- For Sprint/Olympic Distance: Your week will be built around key quality sessions in each sport, designed to improve lactate threshold and VO2 max.
- For Half-Ironman/Ironman (70.3/140.6): Lactate threshold and endurance are paramount. We increase the focus on Zone 2 work, and the “brick session” (a run immediately after a bike) becomes a critical part of training.
The Advanced Triathlete: Honing the Blade
You have years of high-volume training under your belt and are chasing those final, hard-won minutes, much to the confusion of your non-triathlete friends and family. For you, we often shift to a Polarised training model, making easy days very easy to allow the hard days to be very hard.
- For Sprint/Olympic Distance: The plan is built around multiple high-intensity Zone 3 sessions per week to maximise speed and power.
- For Half-Ironman/Ironman (70.3/140.6): This is an extreme form of Polarised training. The sheer volume required means the vast majority must be low-intensity Zone 1, with higher intensity work used sparingly.
Sample Triathlon Weeks in Action
Here are some simplified training weeks that I have used with my coached athletes in the past
Intermediate Olympic Distance Triathlete
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: Swim: Threshold reps / Run: Easy 30 min off the bike (Brick Session).
- Wednesday: Bike: Turbo trainer session with intervals at FTP (Zone 3).
- Thursday: Run: Track session intervals
- Friday: Swim: Easy technique-focused swim (Zone 1).
- Saturday: Bike: Long ride (2-2.5 hours) with hills (Zone 1/2).
- Sunday: Run: Long run (75-90 mins) (Zone 1).
Advanced Half-Ironman (70.3) Triathlete
- Monday: Swim: Recovery swim.
- Tuesday: Bike: 2 x 20 min intervals at just below FTP (Zone 2).
- Wednesday: Run: Tempo run (45 mins with 25 mins at half marathon pace). / Swim: (Z1).
- Thursday: Bike: Easy spin (90 mins).
- Friday: Swim: Open water skills. / Run: Easy 30 mins.
- Saturday: Bike: Long ride (3.5-4 hours) with 2 hours at race pace. / Run: 20 min off the bike (Brick Session).
- Sunday: Run: Long run (1:45-2 hours) on tired legs (Zone 1).
The Fourth Discipline: Fuelling and Recovery
A perfect training plan is only one piece of the puzzle. True progress comes when we integrate it with smart fuelling and recovery.
- Fuelling: In triathlon, fuelling is often called the fourth discipline. For long-course events, you must consume carbohydrates during the race, typically 60-90+ grams per hour. It is essential to practise your race-day fuelling strategy during long sessions, unless you enjoy making emergency new friends in a portaloo.
- Recovery: You don’t get fitter during workouts; you get fitter when you recover from them. Managing the load of three sports makes recovery paramount. Sleep is the most powerful recovery tool you have.
Success in triathlon comes from a smart, consistent, and individualised approach. It’s about understanding the science and applying it to you, your life, and your goals.
Would you like to build a plan together to maximise what you can do?
We also have the best triathlon training plans around you can find them HERE
