RG Active – 16 Week Olympic Distance Triathlon Plan – Page 1 16 Week [email protected] BEGINNER SPRINT TRIATHLON TRAINING PLAN www.rgactive.com RG Active – 16 Week Olympic Distance Triathlon Plan – Page 2 Key Notes Please find below a 16 week beginner, sprint distance triathlon training plan to help you prepare for your event. This 16 week training plan is designed to get a novice triathlete through a sprint distance triathlon. It is not a complex or hugely time consuming programme, it will get you to the finish line in good shape. In order to be able complete the training you should have a reasonable level of fitness at the start of the training. A pre-requisite would be that you can swim 400m continuously, you can cycle for 20 mins and run for 15 mins. The training sessions can be completed in a number of locations. The swim sessions are mostly designed for a pool, with open water sessions towards the latter half of the program. The bike sessions could be done either outdoors or indoors, the same goes for the running sessions. We would strongly advise that you do spend as much time as possible training outdoors so that you get time training in similar conditions to those that you will be racing in. We also would strongly advise that while most of the swim sessions in this programme are pool oriented you should be looking to get some Open Water swimming done in preparation for your race. All novice triathletes benefit greatly from getting the experience of what it is actually like to swim in open water with other swimmers. It is arguably the most daunting part of the race for all triathletes. The intensity of the training in this programme is to be executed using the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) scale, this allows the athlete to work to their limits with specific barriers. We would advise that if this kind of training is new to you that you are cautious to begin with until you can understand how your body reacts to the training. The full RPE scale is at the back of the programme. If some of the distances earlier in the program are much further than you’re currently doing for a given discipline; complete as much as you can comfortable. Do try to complete sessions where possible, pacing yourself to do so, taking breaks on rides, or adding a walk/run element into run sessions if you struggle here. We would strongly advise that as you get closer to the race day you ensure that you train using the exact equipment that you intend to use on race day, the same clothes, the same wetsuit, the same bike and trainers. You should not turn up on race day with brand new equipment to use. From time to time your busy lives will get in the way, we recommend that you don’t make up the missed sessions simply resume your plan on the current day. Similarly, the particular days the various sessions are laid out on are an example of a suitable/ideal way to spread them out. However, you may change them to suit your own timings or around existing club sessions that you may already attend. So long as you allow sufficient recovery between longer sessions, or the same discipline. At the back of this training plan is the ‘Appendix’ where you will find the RPE scale, swim sessions and strength and conditioning programs that are referenced throughout the plan. [email protected] www.rgactive.com RG Active – 16 Week Sprint Triathlon Plan – Page 3 WEEK 1 GOALS Building a routine of DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY allocating time to train SESSION Swim Rest Run Rest Strength Swim Bike Letting your muscle start to work into focused training DISTANCE 500 m 2.5 km 45 min 650 m 10 km Learning skill/drill work INTENSITY Drills/Intervals Steady state Technique Drills/Intervals “Just Ride” for technique SESSION Swim: Run: Strength: Swim: Head out for a ride at improvement Session #1 "just run", @RPE 5-6 Program 1a Session #2 an RPE 5-8, some DETAILS trying to maintain mixed efforts, taking Embarking on strength steady pace; note in hills as they training to improve pace/speed. happen and making strength endurance use of any flat safe Use this as a guide areas to put a little Use sessions in the to your current power down. first couple of weeks aerobic pace, which to set times and you can work of for speeds so you can future sessions in have a benchmark for this plan. performance, and use these times to set pace/speeds for sessions over the next month and gauge improvement. KEY Kicking endurance & Pace control and Strength: Skill of Hold a steady pace & Working at threshold FOCUS hip rotation. good form. movement. get a feel for the and below WEEKLY water DISTANCE: 14 KM NOTES Getting used to the This will set a Strength training is Focus on your Learning to vary the water, starting a benchmark for a valuable for making breathing pattern, pace on the bike will routine. Focus on short distance that you more "robust", keeping it consistent. keep training controlling your you can use to judge but exercises must If you can; try to interesting, but will breathing. the pace of sessions be performed breathe bilaterally (to also teach pace over the next 4 correctly; focus on both sides) as this is judgment and your weeks. technique. a useful skill, and will ability to overtake make your stroke cleanly more efficient. [email protected] www.rgactive.com RG Active – 16 Week Sprint Triathlon Plan – Page 4 WEEK 2 GOALS DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Building on the first week slightly, but not too much, so as to SESSION Swim Run Swim Rest Strength Run Bike allow recovery. Pace judgement and DURATION 650 m 3.5 km 500 m 45 min 2.5 km 12.5 km learning times for completing distances INTENSITY Drills/Intervals Steady State Steady state Mixed effort Hills “Just Ride” etc. SESSION Swim: Run: Swim: Strength: Head out for a Head out for a ride Session #2 Run at a steady but Session#1 Program 1b steady run around at an RPE 5-8, Getting to know the DETAILS sustainable tempo RPE 5-7. some mixed efforts, weights needed for pace that is just taking in hills as each exercise on the below your Aim to include they happen and strength program maximum effort for some undulation in making use of any 5 km. your route, holding flat safe areas to Taking note of your @RPE 6-7 the effort level on put a little power pace for a given the hills, both up down. distance and intensity and down. will make setting pace Use the downhill to in later session more work hard on foot accurate strike and stabilisation. KEY FOCUS Body position and Pace control and Strength: Skill of Maintaining pace Working at arm position for good form. movement. even on undulating threshold and below WEEKLY stroke in 1-arm drill terrain. DISTANCE: 19.7 KM NOTES 1 arm work will help Kicking will aid Strength training is You may utilise Learning to vary the you keep a better efficiency and hip valuable for making sessions like these pace on the bike position and teach rotation. you more "robust", as off-road will keep training you to breath and but exercises must sessions. The interesting, but will rotate to both sides. be performed mixed surfaces will also teach pace correctly; focus on challenge you more judgment and your technique. and may also be a ability to overtake nice break from cleanly tarmac. [email protected] www.rgactive.com RG Active – 16 Week Sprint Triathlon Plan – Page 5 WEEK 3 GOALS DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Consistency; keep the routine going. Modify session timings to fit SESSION Swim Bike Run Rest Strength Swim Brick your schedule if need be or if you find one session fatigues you for DURATION 750 m 15 km 3.5 km 45-60 min 500 m 12 km/3 km another too much INTENSITY Drills/Intervals Mixed effort Negative Split Drills/Intervals Steady state Your first brick session SESSION Swim: 4 km @RPE 5 Run Strength: Program Swim: Bike @RPE 5-6 will be a chance to feel DETAILS Session #3 4 km @RPE 6-7 Start your run at 1a Session #1 steady effort what it's like to run off 4 km @RPE 5-6 around the bike. 4 km @RPE 7-8 RPE @5-6, then build Run @RPE 6-7 4 km @RPE 5-6 your effort up to steady effort @RPE 8 by the end of Use the gearing to your run. keep your cadence The aim is to complete between 85-95 the second half of the run faster than the first half. KEY FOCUS Leg & head position Pacing & cadence Run posture/form and Execution & posture Holding form while Getting used to in the water. Pace & ability to increase pace during exercise working hard running off the bike WEEKLY speed. DISTANCE: 35 KM NOTES Continuing with Pace control; having The focus of this run Third week in, the As you do First Brick: Running body positioning and the ability to switch should be feeling exercises should shorter/faster efforts off the bike can feel breathing technique pace based on comfortable with the start to get easier as it can be easy to odd as the leg perceived effort will distance, focusing on your body begins to lose technique movements differ.