Training intelligently for short-distance triathlon racing is a challenging task. How do you fit all the sessions in? How do you order the workouts? How do you keep yourself from burning out, doing too much, or not doing enough?
Well, smarter people than me have said that making a good training schedule is more art than science. I think most of you have realized that I don’t market myself as a scientist!
The first table provided below is a summary of the different types of training sessions one would undertake in a season of triathlon training. The table includes examples and the phase that such training might take place. These are just general suggestions and everyone’s schedule should reflect their particular strengths and weaknesses. For example, a former collegiate runner might want to spend more time swimming and cycling and could get away with a minimum of run specific training.
The next few tables give example weeks for various levels of ability and period. I will continue to modify this file as I have time and as new ideas occur to me.
|
Key Sessions |
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|
Sport |
Frequency / Week |
Type |
Example (not including warm up/ warm down) |
Phase |
|
Swim |
|
|
|
|
|
S1 |
2-3 |
Lactate Threshold (LT) |
20 x 100 at 90% on :10 rest 6 x 400 descend effort 1-3, 4-6 on :30 rest |
Late Base / Build / Peak |
|
S2 |
2 |
Aerobic / aerobic endurance (AeT) |
4 x 500 at 75-80% on 1:00 rest 10 x 200 at 80% on :30 rest |
Base / Build |
|
S3 |
1 |
Any of the above can include a V02max sprint set
somewhere in there |
6 x 50 all out on 1:00 rest 10 x 50 all out 25, easy 25 on :30 rest |
Build / Peak |
|
S4 |
1 |
Recovery |
16 x 100 at 70% on :15 rest |
All |
|
S5 |
All |
Drills |
All sessions some focus on form & drills |
All |
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Bike |
|
|
|
|
|
B1 |
1-2 |
LT |
2 x 20 minute at threshold, 10 minute spin between time trial up to 40k 5 x 4 min Z4, 4 minute spin between |
Late Base / Build / Peak |
|
B2 |
1-2 |
Skills/Strength |
3 x 20 minute big gear w/ 10 minute spin between 5 x 5 minute climb (hill repeats) 10 x 1 minute one leg drills (each leg) 10 x 20 second jumps (sprints) 10 x 1 minute spin ups (high cadence) |
All except Prep |
|
B3 |
1 |
AeT |
2-3 hrs steady state moderate pace |
Base / Build / Peak |
|
B4 |
1 |
Aerobic / long slow distance / recovery |
2-5 hrs easy to moderate |
All |
|
B5 |
Optional |
Short recovery |
45 minute spin |
All |
|
B6 |
|
Hill work |
Include hills in AeT and aerobic sessions |
Base / Build |
|
B7 |
Optional |
V02max |
10 x 1 minute sprint, 1 minute between |
Build / Peak |
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|
Run |
|
|
|
|
|
R1 |
1 |
LT |
30 minute steady at LT 1 hr at LT minus 5bpm to 10bpm 4 x 1 mile at 10k-15k race pace, 3:00 rest |
Run Season / Build / Peak |
|
R2 |
1 |
V02max |
8 laps on track, stride straights, jog corners 8 x 200 fast, full recovery 8 x 400 at 5k pace, 200 jog between |
Build / Peak |
|
R3 |
1 |
Long run |
1-3 hrs at easy conversational pace (Z1, low Z2) |
All except Prep |
|
R4 |
1 |
AeT run |
1-2 hrs at moderate aerobic pace |
Base / Build |
|
R5 |
1 |
Brick run |
Run 10-45 minutes at various pace off bike |
Base / Build / Peak |
|
R6 |
2-3 |
Aerobic conditioning |
Easy running |
All |
|
R7 |
1 |
Drills |
Tack drills onto the end of an easy session |
All |
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Strength |
|
|
|
|
|
ST1 |
1-2 |
Core |
Swedish ball, situps, machine assisted resistance
training, hip abductors, isometrics, etcetera |
All |
|
ST2 |
1 |
Sport specific |
One leg bike drills, stair running, hill running, swim
cords, lats, quads, hamstrings, etcetera |
All |
|
Day |
AM session |
Lunch / PM session |
|
Monday |
S2, S5 |
R1 |
|
Tuesday |
B2 |
S4, R6 |
|
Wednesday |
ST1 |
S1, B3 |
|
Thursday |
|
R2, R7 |
|
Friday |
S1, S5, S3 |
B1, R5 |
|
Saturday |
R3 |
ST2, B5 |
|
Sunday |
B4, R5 |
|
Due to the nature of short course training, base periods will include more LT work than might be considered normal for IM or new athletes.
A base period week for the same athlete could be quite similar:
|
Day |
AM session |
Lunch / PM session |
|
Monday |
S2 |
R1 |
|
Tuesday |
B2 |
S4, R6, R7 |
|
Wednesday |
ST1 |
S2, B3 |
|
Thursday |
|
R4, R7 |
|
Friday |
S1, S5 |
B6, R5 |
|
Saturday |
R3 |
ST2, B5 |
|
Sunday |
B4 |
|
Clearly, there are a number of ways to construct both the base and build weeks, and as you can see these weeks did not include a day off.
|
Day |
AM session |
Lunch / PM session |
|
Monday |
|
S2, S3 |
|
Tuesday |
|
R1 |
|
Wednesday |
ST1 |
B4 |
|
Thursday |
S4, R6 |
|
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Friday |
S5, B6 |
|
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Saturday |
R4 |
|
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Sunday |
B1 |
|
|
Day |
AM session |
Lunch / PM session |
|
Monday |
|
S2, S5 |
|
Tuesday |
|
R1 |
|
Wednesday |
ST1, S4 |
B4 |
|
Thursday |
S4, R6 |
|
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Friday |
B6 |
|
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Saturday |
B3, R5 |
|
|
Sunday |
off |
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Some general guidelines for OD and sprint specific training (my take on it anyway):
Nutrition and sleep are different yet related subjects. Suffice it to say: Better diet = better athlete. Rested athlete = better athlete.
That’s all for now!
Marty Gaal – 03 July 2003