Week 1 Monday: DAY OFF Tuesday: Swim 20 minutes
100 meters (m) warm up (choice stroke) 8x25 m freestyle (fr) (15 seconds rest) 4x50 m (as 25 backstroke/25 freestyle with 15 seconds rest) 100 kick (grab a kickboard) 100 m warm down choice Total: 700m
Wednesday: Run/walk 20 minutes
5 min warm-up walking 4*(1 min jog, 2 min walk) 3 min warm-down walk Thursday: Bike 20 minutes
5 min warm-up spin** 5x(15 seconds fast spinning, 45 seconds recovery) 5x(15 sections hard gear/tension, 45 seconds recovery) 5 min warm-down spin ***spin is pedaling in an easy gear Friday: Swim 25 minutes
100 m warm up choice 10x25 m fr (alternate between half of the lap fast arms, half recovery with 20 seconds rest) 2x50 m (as 25 breastroke/25 freestyle with 15 seconds rest) 3x50m (as 25 backstroke/25 freestyle with 15 seconds rest) 150 kk choice (grab a kickboard) 100 m warm down Total: 850m
Saturday: Run/walk 20 minutes
5 min warm-up walking 3x(2 min jog, 1 min walk) 2x(30 sec faster than jogging pace, 1:30min recovery walk) 2 min warm-down walk Sunday: Bike 30 minutes
10 min warm-up spin 4x(15 seconds fast spinning, 45 seconds recovery) 4x(15 sections hard gear/tension, 45 seconds recovery) 4x(10 seconds standing, 50 seconds recovery) 8 minutes warm down spin
Week 2 Monday: OFF Tuesday: Swim 25 minutes
200-meter warm-up 6x25m freestyle (15 seconds rest between each repeat) 5x50m (25 breaststroke/25 freestyle, with 15 seconds rest) 10x25m freestyle kick (alternate easy/hard, with 15 seconds rest) 100m easy warm-down Total: 950m Wednesday: Run/walk 20 minutes
5 minute warm-up walk 4x(1:30 jog, 1:30 walk) 5 minute warm-down walk Thursday: Bike 25 minutes
5 minute warm-up spin 4x(20 seconds fast spinning, 40 seconds recovery) 4x(30 sections hard gear, 30 seconds recovery) 10 minute warm-down spin Friday: Swim 20 minutes
100m warm-up 6x25m freestyle (1 free, 1 drill **fingertip drag**, with 15 seconds rest) 4x50m freestyle (25 fast arms, 25 recovery, with 25 seconds rest) 2x50m (25 breaststroke/25 freestyle, with 20 seconds rest) 100m kick (grab a kickboard) 100m warm-down Total: 750m **Fingertip drag: Slow your freestyle stroke down a bit and concentrate on dragging your fingertips across the top of the water during the recovery phase of the stroke (when your arm is above the water). This helps maintain a relaxed arm and a high elbow. Saturday: Run/walk 20 minutes
5 minute warm-up walk 3x(2 minute jog, 1 minute walk) 4x(15 seconds faster-than-jogging pace, 45 seconds recovery walk) 2 minute warm-down walk Sunday: Bike 40 minutes
15 minute warm-up spin 5x(20 seconds fast spinning, 40 seconds recovery spin) 3x(30 seconds hard gear, 30 seconds recovery spin) 6x(15 seconds standing, 45 seconds recovery spin) 10 minutes warm down spin
Week 3: Monday: OFF Tuesday: Swim 25 minutes
200m warm-up, choice stroke 8x25 m freestyle (with 20 seconds rest) 3x50 m (as 25 backstroke/25 breastroke, with 20 seconds rest) 8x25m freestyle kick (all at easy effort, working on kicking with relaxed feet, with 20 seconds rest) 6x25m freestyle (easy, working on distance per stroke-DPS**) 100m easy warm-down, choice of stroke **Distance per stroke: Work on lengthening out your stroke by reaching as far forward above the water as possible before entry, and extending your arm recovery as far back as possible at the end of your stroke. Take a stroke count for each 25m and try to decrease your stokes-per-length throughout the set. Wednesday: Run/walk 25 minutes
5 minute warm-up walk 5x(2 minute jog, 1 minute walk) 5 minute warm-down walk Thursday: Bike 30 minutes
10 minutes warm-up spin 4x(15 seconds left leg spinning**, 45 seconds both, 15 seconds right, 45 seconds both) 3x(30 seconds hard gear/tension, 30 seconds recovery spin) 10 minutes warm-down spin **Single leg spinning: This will help your overall foot rotation as you are able to isolate each leg. Concentrate on pulling up with your leg, along with pushing down. Friday: Swim 25 minutes
100 m warm up choice 8x25 m freestyle (as 1 free, 1 drill [glide to 3**], with 15 seconds rest) 4x50 m (distance per stroke, with 30 seconds rest) 200 kick easy choice (grab a kickboard) 100 m warm down, choice stroke **Glide to 3: At the end of each freestyle stroke you will pause for a count of three seconds. This ensures body rotation and position, as you will have to balance and use your legs to help move you through the water. Saturday: Run/walk 25 minutes
5 minutes warm-up walk 4x(2 minute jog, 2 minute walk) 5 minute warm-down walk Sunday: Bike 45 minutes
15 minutes warm-up spin 6x(20 seconds left leg, 40 seconds both, 20 sec right leg, 40 seconds both) 6x(20 seconds standing, 40 seconds recovery spin) 10 minutes warm down spin
Week 4 Monday: OFF Tuesday: Swim 25 minutes
200m warm-up 8x25 m freestyle (1 fast arms, 1 recovery swim, with 20 seconds rest) 4x50 m (25 backstroke/25 freestyle, with 20 seconds rest) 4x50m freestyle (working on DPS**, with 25 seconds rest) 6x25 freestyle kick with board (1 fast feet, 1 recovery, with 20 seconds rest) 100 easy warm-down **Distance per stroke: look to previous week(s) on triathletemag.com Wednesday: Run/walk 25 minutes
5 min warm-up walking 2x(2 minute jog, 1 minute walk) 4x(30 seconds jog, 30 seconds slightly faster than jog pace, 2 minute recovery walk) 5 minute warm-down walk Thursday: Bike 35 minutes
10 minute warm-up spin 4x(20 seconds left leg spinning**, 40 seconds both, 20 seconds right, 40 seconds both) 2 minute recovery spin 4x(20 seconds hard gear, 40 seconds recovery spin) 10 minute warm-down spin **Single leg spinning: look to previous week(s) on triathletemag.com Friday: Swim 25 minutes
100m warm-up 10x25m freestyle drill** (Glide to 3, Fingertip drag, with 20 seconds rest) 6x50m (distance per stroke, with 30 seconds rest) 6x25m kick freestyle (1 easy, 1 fast, with 15 seconds rest) 200m warm-down **Drills: look to previous weeks on triathletemag.com Saturday: Run/walk 30 minutes
10 minute warm-up walk 3x(2 minute jog, 1 minute walk) 3x(15 seconds jog, 45 seconds slightly faster than jog pace, 1 minute recovery walk) 5 minute warm-down walk Sunday: Bike 50 minutes
15 minute warm-up spin 5x(20seconds left leg, 40 seconds recovery spin, 20 seconds right leg, 40 seconds recovery spin) 4x(30 seconds standing, 90 seconds recovery spin) 5x(15 seconds fast spinning, 45 seconds recovery spin)
10 minute warm down spin Week 5 Monday: OFF Tuesday: Swim 30 minutes 100m warm-up, choice stroke
8x25m freestyle (1 fast arms, 1 recovery, with 15 seconds rest) 4x100m (50 backstroke/50 freestyle, with 45 seconds rest) 4x50m freestyle (working on DPS**, with 20 seconds rest) 200 easy warm-down, choice of stroke **Distance per stroke: look to previous week(s) on triathletemag.com Wednesday: Run/walk 30 minutes
10 minute warm-up walk 4x(30 second jog, 30 seconds faster than jog pace**, 1-minute recovery walk) 3x(2-minute jog, 1-minute walk) 5-minute warm-down walk **Faster than jog pace should raise your heart rate quite a bit. Remember to stay relaxed and maintain form and technique while increasing your intensity. Thursday: Bike 35 minutes
10-minute warm-up spin 4x(25 seconds left leg spinning, 35 seconds both, 25 seconds right, 35 seconds both) 2-minute recovery spin 4x(30 seconds fast cadence spinning**, 30 seconds recovery) 10-minute warm-down spin **Fast cadence: Little to no tension and just maintaining proper form and foot rotation, while trying to bring your pedal rate as high as you can. Try not to bounce on the saddle at higher cadences. Friday: Swim 25 minutes
100m warm-up choice 10x25m (as 1 freestyle, 1 backstroke, with 20 seconds rest) 6x50m (breathe every 3**, with 30 seconds rest) 3x50 kick freestyle (25m easy, 25m fast, with 20 seconds rest) 200m warm down, choice stroke **Breathe every 3: Only take a breath every third stroke Saturday: Run/walk 35 minutes
10-minute warm-up walk 3x(2:30 minute jog, 1:30 minute walk) 2x(30 seconds jog, 30 seconds faster than jog pace, 2-minute recovery walk) 5-minute warm-down walk Sunday: Bike 55 minutes
15-minute warm-up spin
4x(30 seconds left leg, 30 seconds recovery spin, 30 seconds right leg, 30 s econds recovery spin) 5x(30 seconds standing, 1:30 seconds recovery spin) 2-minute recovery spin 4x(30 seconds hard gear, low cadence, 1:30 minute recovery) 10-minute warm down spin Week 6: Monday: DAY OFF Tuesday: Swim 30 minutes
200m warm-up, choice stroke 6*25 m freestyle (as 2 fast arms, 1 recovery, with 15 seconds rest) 2* 150 m (as 50m freestyle/50m backstroke/50m freestyle, with 45 seconds rest) 4*50m freestyle kick (as 25m fast, 25m easy, with 20 sec rest) 200 easy warm-down, choice of stroke Total: 1050m **When working on kick, concentrate on loose feet and ankles, kicking from your core and kicking up with your feet, as well as down. Wednesday: Run/walk 30 minutes
5 minute warm-up walking 2*(3 minute jog, 1 minute walk) 4*(1minute jog, 30 seconds faster than jog pace, 1minute recovery walk) 5 minute warm-down walk **Faster than jog pace should raise your heart rate quite a bit. Remember to stay relaxed and maintain form and technique while increasing your intensity. Don’t struggle or strain to raise the intensity. Thursday: Bike 40 minutes
15 minute warm-up spin 3*(30 seconds fast cadence spinning, 30 seconds recovery spin) 2 minute recovery spin 5*(25seconds left leg spinning, 35 seconds both, 25 seconds right, 35 seconds both**) 10 minute warm-down spin **Single leg work: As the interval increases in length and your leg becomes fatigued, remember to maintain foot rotation and consistency throughout the entire pedal stroke. Friday: Swim 30 minutes
100 m warm up choice 6*25 m (as 1 freestyle, 1 backstroke, with 20 seconds rest) 8* 25 m (as 1 breathe every 3, 1 breathe every 5, with 30 seconds rest) 6*50 kick freestyle (25m easy, 25m fast, with 20 seconds rest) 200 m warm down, choice stroke Total: 1000m **Breathe 3 or 5: Only take a breath every third or fifth stroke. Remember that breath control is essential when it comes to swimming. You don’t hold your breath while running or riding your bicycle, so why would you while you are swimming? When holding your breath for up to five strokes, remember to release the oxygen by blowing out at a steady pace - don’t hold your breath until the last stroke; likewise don’t breath all of your air out on the first stroke.
Saturday: Run/walk 40 minutes
10 minute warm-up walking 2*(3 minute jog, 2 minute walk) 3*(15 seconds jog, 45 seconds faster than jog pace, 3 minute recovery walk) 10 minute warm-down walk Sunday: Bike 60 minutes
15 minute warm-up spin 4*(30 seconds left leg, 30 seconds recovery spin, 30 seconds right leg, 30 seconds recovery spin) 3 minutes recovery spin 2*(45 seconds standing, 1:15 seconds recovery spin) 3 minute recovery spin 4*(30 seconds hard gear- low cadence, 1:30 minute recovery spin) 15 minutes warm down spin Week 7: Monday: DAY OFF Tuesday: Swim 20 minutes
100m warm-up, choice stroke 4*25 m freestyle (as 2 fast arms, 2 recovery swim, with 15 seconds rest) 3* 100 m (as 50m DPS/50 kick** with a board, with 45 seconds rest) 100m easy warm-down, choice of stroke Total: 700m **When working on kick, concentrate on loose feet, kicking from your core and kicking up with your feet, as well as down. Wednesday: Run/walk 25 minutes
5 minute warm-up walking 1*(3 minute jog, 1 minute walk) 3*(1minute jog, 45 seconds faster than jog pace**, 2:15 minute recovery walk) 5 minute warm-down walk **Faster than jog pace should raise your heart rate quite a bit. Remember to stay relaxed and maintain form and technique while increasing your intensity. Thursday: Bike 35 minutes
15 minute warm-up spin 3*(15 seconds fast cadence spinning, 45 seconds recovery spin) 2 minute recovery spin 2*(25 seconds left leg spinning, 35 seconds both, 25 seconds right, 35 seconds both**) 10 minute warm-down spin **Single leg work: as the interval increases in length and your leg becomes fatigued, remember t o maintain foot rotation and consistency throughout the entire pedal stroke. Friday: Swim 20 minutes
200 m warm up choice
6*25 m freestyle (DPS**, with 15 seconds rest) 6*50m kick freestyle (25m easy, 25m fast, with 20 seconds rest) 200 m warm down, choice stroke Total: 700m **DPS: look to previous week(s) on triathletemag.com Saturday: Run/walk 30 minutes
5 minute warm-up walking 4*(2 minute jog, 2 minute walk) 2*(30 seconds jog, 30 seconds faster than jog pace, 2 minute recovery walk) 10min warm-down walk Sunday: Bike 40 minutes
15 minute warm-up spin 4*(30 seconds left leg, 30 seconds both, 30 seconds right leg, 30 seconds both) 3 minute recovery spin 4*(15 seconds standing, 45 seconds recovery spin) 10 minutes warm down spin Week 8: Monday: DAY OFF Tuesday: Swim 30 minutes
200m warm-up, choice stroke 4*50 m kick freestyle (as 25m easy, 25m big kick, with 15 seconds rest) 5* 75 m freestyle (as 25m breath 3, 25m breath 5, 25m breath 3, with 30 seconds rest) 6*25m freestyle (as blast first 15m, easy to the end, with 20 seconds rest) 100 easy warm-down, choice of stroke Total: 1000m Wednesday: Run/walk 30 minutes
5 minute warm-up walking 3*(30 seconds jog, 30 seconds faster than jog pace**, 2 minute recovery walk) 3*(3 minute jog, 1 minute walk) 5 minute warm-down walk **Faster than jog pace: see previous week(s) on triathletemag.com Thursday: Bike 40 minutes
15 minute warm-up spin 4*(30 seconds left leg spinning, 30 seconds both, 30 seconds right, 30 seconds both**) 3 minute recovery 3*(30 seconds fast cadence spinning, 30 seconds recovery spin) 10 minute warm-down spin **Single leg work: look to previous week(s) on triathletemag.com
Friday: Swim 30 minutes
200 m warm up choice 4*25 m freestyle (DPS, with 15 seconds rest) 4*100m (as 75m freestyle/25m double arm backstroke**, with 30 seconds rest) 6*25m freestyle (as 15m blast, easy to end, with 15 seconds rest) 200 m warm down, choice stroke Total: 1050m **Double arm backstroke: both arms pull and recover at the same time. This aids in loosening up and relaxing the shoulders.
Saturday: Run/walk 40 minutes
10 minute warm-up walking 2*(3 minute jog, 2 minute walk) 2*(30 seconds jog, 45 seconds faster than jog pace, 2:15 minute recovery walk) 10 minute warm-down walk Sunday: Bike 60 minutes
15 minute warm-up spin 4*(30 seconds left leg, 30 seconds both, 30 seconds right leg, 30 seconds both) 3 minute recovery spin 6*(45 seconds standing**, 2:15 seconds recovery spin) 10 minutes warm down spin **When standing: Make sure that you aren’t leaning on your handlebars. When you lean your weight onto your arms, you lose quite a bit of leg force, and your legs are what will propel you forward out on the road! You should concentrate on driving your foot down the centre of your pedal with one leg, and pulling up with the other. As well, try not to rock your hi ps back and forth on the bike.
Week 9: Monday: OFF Tuesday: Swim 35 minutes 100m warm-up, choice stroke 4 x 75m kick freestyle with flippers (50m easy kick, 25m very hard kick, with 15 seconds rest after each 75) 8 x 25m freestyle (as breath 5, with 10 seconds rest after each 25) 6 x 25m freestyle with flippers (as blast first 15m, easy to the end, with 10 seconds rest after each 25) 200m easy cool-down, choice of stroke Total: 1000m Wednesday: Run/walk 30 minutes 5-minute warm-up run/walking 15 minutes (as 30 seconds jog, 30 seconds faster than jog pace, 30 seconds jog, 1-minute recovery walk) 5 x (10 seconds stride, 50 seconds walk) 5-minute cool-down walk Stride is to pick up your leg speed and stride and get up to maximum speed, focus on good technique
Thursday: Bike 45 minutes 15-minute warm-up spin 4 x (20 seconds left leg spinning, 40 seconds both, 20 seconds right, 40 seconds both) 2-minute recovery spin 5 x (45 seconds hard gear @ 50-60 cadence, 75 seconds recovery spin) 10 minute cool-down spin If you do not have a computer on your bike that displays cadence, then, every few minutes, count how many times one leg rotates in 15 seconds and multiply this by four to calculate your cadence.
Friday: Swim 30 minutes 200m warm-up choice 8 x 25m freestyle (DPS: count your strokes and try to minimize the number you take each length while swimming efficiently. Take 10 seconds rest after each 25) 4 x 150m (as 100m freestyle easy/50m at effort, with 20 seconds rest) 6 x 25m freestyle (as 10m easy, blast to end, with 10 seconds rest) 100m cool-down, choice stroke Total: 1250m �At effort� means as fast as you can maintain throughout the given distance.
Distance per stroke: work on lengthening out your stroke by reaching as far forward above the water as possible before entry and extending your arm as far back as possible at the end of your stroke. Take a stroke count for each 25m, then try to decrease your stokesper-length through the set.
Saturday: Run/walk 40 minutes 5-minute warm-up walking 2 x (4-minute jog, 1-minute walk) 4 x (15 seconds jog, 45 seconds faster than jog pace,10 seconds strides. Take a 2:50-minute recovery walk after the 70second work interval) 10-minute cool-down walk Sunday: Bike 60 minutes 15-minute warm-up spin 3 x (45 seconds left leg, 15 seconds both, 45 seconds right leg, 1:15 both) 2-minute recovery spin 2 x (45 seconds standing, 2:15-minute recovery spin) 3 x (30 seconds at 90 rpm,30 seconds at 100 rpm, 30 seconds at 110 rpm, 30 seconds at 120+ rpm, 2-minute recovery spin) 15-minute cool-down spin