Is it your first triathlon? Set all your worries aside with this beginner triathlon training plan!
We have rounded up everything you need to swim, ride and stride to reach the finish line in one easy triathlon training plan. Swimming, biking and running- a triathlon is quite overwhelming. But a proper strategy will undoubtedly prepare you for an Olympic distance race.
A beginner triathlon training usually consists of a half mile swimming, 10 miles biking and 3.1 miles running. This training program will get you in the perfect shape in just 12 weeks so that you can give your best and following proper strategy.The more time you give yourself to prepare for the race, the more comfortable and confident you will feel on the race day using
We will be using these short abbreviations for this plan.
| Z1 |
Recovery |
| Z2 |
Steady |
| Z3 |
Tempo |
| Z4 |
Race Tempo |
| Z5 |
Red Line |
| MTB |
Off-road bike |
| FC |
Front Crawl |
| Back |
Backstroke |
| Breast |
Breaststroke |
| Pull |
FC with pull-buoy float |
| Pull Ankles |
FC with pull-buoy between ankles |
| Kick |
Kick on front and holding float |
| Fists |
FC with closed fists |
| BL |
Bilateral breathing, every three strokes |
| W/U |
Warm up |
| W/D |
Warm down |
* A quick tip, on swimming days increase your swimming distance around fifty meters a day. When your swimming distance is increasing, be certain to add all the forms of swimming alternatively from front crawl to breaststroke.
WEEK 1:
Mon: 500m swim.10 25m >alternating 25m fc >25m breast >30 seconds rest>5 50m kick >alternating 25m Z2 >25m Z4 >30 seconds rest.
Tue: 20 minutes run.Steady run in Z2 or Z3.
Wed: 500m swim.10 25m >alternating 25m fc >25m bl >30 seconds rest >5 50m >alternating 25m fc >25m breast >30 seconds rest.
Thurs: 20 minutes run.10mins in Z2 >4mins in Z4 >1min rest >5mins in Z2.
Fri: REST DAY Sat: 1 hour bike.Bike to run session, Cycle 50mins in Z2 >run 10mins in Z3.
Sun: 1 hour bike.Steady bike, road or MTB in Z2.
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WEEK 2:
Only the schedule for Monday and Wednesday will change. All the days will remain same as week 1.
Mon: Swimming distance 600m.10 25m >alternating 25m fc >25m breast >30 seconds rest >10 25m >alternating 25m pull >25m pull ankles >30 seconds rest >100m kick in Z3.
Wed: 550m swim.10 25m >alternating 25m fc >25m breast >30 seconds rest >200 m kick >alternating 25m on back >25m kick on front >4 25m >alternating 25m pull ankles >25m pull.
WEEK 3:
Same as week 2 with these changes:
Wed: 700m swim.8 25m alternating 25m fc >25m breast >30 seconds rest >8 25 alternating 25m fists >25m breast >25m fc head up >25m fc >30 seconds rest >200m kick.
Thurs: 20mins run.10mins in Z2 >6mins in Z4 >1min rest >3mins in Z2.Friday will remain a rest day every week. But on weeks four, eight and twelve, you will have an extra rest day because these weeks are your recovery weeks. So, you will have two rest days on Monday and Friday in your recovery weeks. Follow the same directions on the remaining days of each week but gradually increase your speed and time.
With each passing week, you will considerably increase the duration for your running and biking. But make sure to touch all the recovery, steady and tempo phases while increasing your time.
Excellence in all three phases of triathlon i.e. half mile swimming, biking and running will make you an accomplished triathlete. This training will boost your physical strength to withstand these long distance races effortlessly.For more information about triathlons check out this
article .
