Following the release of our triathlon-specific Base plans, our new triathlon Build training plans will focus on raising your threshold on the bike, in the swim and in the run.

Overview

Our new triathlon-specific training plans have been designed for multisport athletes from the ground up. Not only do the on-the-bike workouts take into consideration the demands of multisport training, but they also have detailed swim and run workouts prescribed for each week. The goal? To make you a faster swimmer, cyclist and runner.

The new triathlon Build training plans (revamped Base plans are also available now) focus on building your fitness after your base foundation has been laid. Our head coach Chad Timmerman labored over making sure the intensity and volume of your workouts would trend gradually from your Base Phase and focus on building specific types of fitness for each discipline.

All swim workouts use RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and distance to quantify each interval. The run workouts use RPE and time. While there are plenty of other ways to quantify your work in those sports, these tools are widely available and allow the type of precision and flexibility needed to prescribe quality workouts to each of you.

Get a better feel for the type of work you’ll be doing in each of our newBuild plans with the detailed breakdowns below.

Sprint Triathlon Build

The Sprint Triathlon Build plan pick up where the Base Plan leaves off — with high intensity. The threshold and VO2 max intervals in this plan are sure to prepare you for the intense nature of sprint triathlons.

Sprint Build Low Volume

  • Duration: 4 weeks
  • Swim volume: 51-60 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 116-150 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 60-80 minutes/week

Sprint Build Mid Volume

  • Duration: 4 weeks
  • Swim volume: 99-116 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 179-280 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 130-150 minutes/week

Sprint Build High Volume

  • Duration: 4 weeks
  • Swim volume: 136-210 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 250-337 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 170-230 minutes/week

Olympic Triathlon Build

This plan uses more high intensity work while focusing on your ability to sustain these efforts. The versatility required by this discipline is addressed by first raising the intensity of your intervals and then stretching out the length of each interval as time goes on.

Olympic Build Low Volume

  • Duration: 6 weeks
  • Swim volume: 53-72 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 157-312 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 70-125 minutes/week

Olympic Build Mid Volume

  • Duration: 6 weeks
  • Swim volume: 113-152 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 251-314 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 125-175 minutes/week

Olympic Build High Volume

  • Duration: 6 weeks
  • Swim volume: 192-236 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 304-376 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 150-235 minutes/week

Half-Distance Triathlon Build

Although they are shorter than their full distance counterpart, half-distance triathlons are most definitely an endurance event. This plan places a premium on building your sustained power through progressively lengthening threshold intervals.

Half-Distance Build Low Volume

  • Duration: 8 weeks
  • Swim volume: 99-150 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 255-406 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 105-205 minutes/week

Half-Distance Build Mid Volume

  • Duration: 8 weeks
  • Swim volume: 120-156 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 253-401 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 160-225 minutes/week

Half-Distance Build High Volume

  • Duration: 8 weeks
  • Swim volume: 177-238 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 286-415 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 180-270 minutes/week

Full-Distance Triathlon Build

The natural assumption that full-distance triathlon training only requires moderate intensity is disproven with this plan. Twelve weeks of progressively increasing threshold and sweet spot work will prepare you to maintain a fast pace on race day.

Full-Distance Build Low Volume

  • Duration: 8 weeks
  • Swim volume: 113-180 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 295-354 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 140-260 minutes/week

Full-Distance Build Mid Volume

  • Duration: 8 weeks
  • Swim volume: 134-204 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 304-474 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 210-300 minutes/week

Full-Distance Build High Volume

  • Duration: 8 weeks
  • Swim volume: 176-268 minutes/week
  • Bike volume: 296-495 TSS/week
  • Run volume: 215-325 minutes/week

For more details on each of these plans, check out our training plans pages. And, as mentioned above, browse our new triathlon Base plans which are also available now. New Speciality triathlon training plans including swim, bike and run instructions are coming soon! In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below.