12-Week Olympic Distance Triathlon Training Plan
Welcome to your 12-week journey towards crushing an Olympic distance triathlon! This plan is designed for beginners to intermediate athletes who can swim 400m, bike for 45 minutes, and run for 20 minutes continuously. The plan will gradually build your endurance and skills across all three disciplines, plus strength training and recovery.
Remember, this is a guide training for an olympic distance triathlon – listen to your body and adjust as needed. Let’s break down the components:
- Swim (S): Focus on technique and endurance
- Bike (B): Build power and endurance
- Run (R): Improve speed and stamina
- Brick (BR): Bike-to-Run workouts to practice transitions
- Strength (ST): Full-body workouts to prevent injuries and improve performance
- Rest: Essential for recovery and progress
12-Week Olympic Distance
- Monday: Swim + Strength
- Tuesday: Bike
- Wednesday: Run + Strength
- Thursday: Swim + Bike
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: Long Bike + Run (Brick)
- Sunday: Long Run
Week 1-4: Base Building (triathlon how should be split)
Week 1. olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 800m total, focus on drills | ST: 30 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 45 min steady pace
- Wednesday: R: 25 min easy | ST: 30 min lower body
- Thursday: S: 1000m total, intervals | B: 30 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 60 min steady | R: 15 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 30 min easy pace
Week 2. olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 1000m total, focus on drills | ST: 30 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 60 min with 5×1 min high cadence
- Wednesday: R: 30 min with 5×30 sec strides | ST: 30 min upper body
- Thursday: S: 1200m total, intervals | B: 40 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 75 min steady | R: 20 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 40 min easy pace
Week 3. olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 1200m total, focus on drills | ST: 35 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 75 min with 8×1 min high cadence
- Wednesday: R: 35 min with 6×30 sec strides | ST: 35 min lower body
- Thursday: S: 1400m total, intervals | B: 50 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 90 min steady | R: 25 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 50 min easy pace
Week 4 (Recovery Week). olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 1000m easy | ST: 30 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 45 min easy spin
- Wednesday: R: 30 min easy | ST: 30 min upper body
- Thursday: S: 1200m total, fun drills | B: 30 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 60 min steady | R: 15 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 40 min easy pace
Week 5-8: Building Intensity
Week 5. olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 1500m total, including 6x100m speed | ST: 35 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 90 min with 5×3 min tempo efforts
- Wednesday: R: 40 min with 5×1 min at 5K pace | ST: 35 min lower body
- Thursday: S: 1700m total, intervals | B: 60 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 100 min steady | R: 30 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 60 min easy pace
Week 6. olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 1700m total, including 8x100m speed | ST: 40 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 100 min with 6×3 min tempo efforts
- Wednesday: R: 45 min with 6×1 min at 5K pace | ST: 40 min upper body
- Thursday: S: 1900m total, intervals | B: 70 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 110 min steady | R: 35 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 70 min easy pace
Week 7. olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 1900m total, including 10x100m speed | ST: 40 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 110 min with 7×3 min tempo efforts
- Wednesday: R: 50 min with 7×1 min at 5K pace | ST: 40 min lower body
- Thursday: S: 2100m total, intervals | B: 80 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 120 min steady | R: 40 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 80 min easy pace
Week 8 (Recovery Week). olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 1500m easy | ST: 35 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 60 min easy spin
- Wednesday: R: 40 min easy | ST: 35 min upper body
- Thursday: S: 1700m total, fun drills | B: 45 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 90 min steady | R: 25 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 60 min easy pace
Week 9-12: Peak and Taper
Week 9. olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 2300m total, including 12x100m speed | ST: 45 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 120 min with 8×3 min race pace efforts
- Wednesday: R: 55 min with 8×1 min at 5K pace | ST: 45 min lower body
- Thursday: S: 2500m total, race pace efforts | B: 90 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 130 min steady | R: 45 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 90 min easy pace
Week 10. olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 2500m total, including 15x100m speed | ST: 45 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 130 min with 10×3 min race pace efforts
- Wednesday: R: 60 min with 10×1 min at 5K pace | ST: 45 min upper body
- Thursday: S: 2700m total, race pace efforts | B: 100 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 140 min steady | R: 50 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 100 min easy pace
Week 11 (Taper Begins). olympic distance triathlon training
- Monday: S: 2000m total, mix of drills and speed | ST: 30 min full body
- Tuesday: B: 90 min with 6×3 min race pace efforts
- Wednesday: R: 45 min with 6×1 min at 5K pace | ST: 30 min lower body
- Thursday: S: 1800m total, race pace efforts | B: 60 min easy spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: B: 60 min steady | R: 30 min easy (Brick)
- Sunday: R: 60 min easy pace
Week 12 (Race Week)
- Monday: S: 1500m easy | ST: 20 min light full body
- Tuesday: B: 45 min easy with 3×2 min race pace efforts
- Wednesday: R: 30 min easy with 4×30 sec strides
- Thursday: S: 1000m easy | B: 20 min effortless spin
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 15 min easy swim, 15 min easy bike, 10 min easy run
- Sunday: RACE DAY – Good luck!
Conclusion
Remember, this first olympic distance triathlon plan is a guide. Listen to your body and adjust as needed. Stay consistent, trust the process, and don’t forget to enjoy the journey. You’ve got this! 12-Week Olympic Distance
As you progress through this plan, pay attention to your nutrition, hydration, and recovery. These elements are just as important as the training itself.
Good luck with your training, and remember – you’re stronger than you think. See you at the finish line!