12 WEEK TRIATHLON TRAINING PLAN SUPER …...2018/04/01 · This 12 week training plan is designed to get a novice triathlete through a super-sprint distance triathlon. It is not a

12 WEEK TRIATHLON TRAINING PLAN SUPER SPRINT DISTANCE

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This 12 week training plan is designed to get a novice triathlete through a super-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 basic level of fitness at the start of the training. You don’t have to be already doing a huge amount, but a pre-requisite would be that you can swim 200m, you can cycle for 20mins and walk/run for 10mins. If you are very new to exercise, then we advise you start as far in advance as possible so you can take your time to build your fitness up gradually.

The intensity of the training in this plan is executed using the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) scale, this allows the athlete to work to their limits with specific barriers. The full RPE scale is detailed in the appendix at the back of the plan. If you use a Heart Rate Monitor and/or GPS tracking, we recommend you use this in conjunction with RPE to monitor pace and effort as this will help you judge your pace more effectively. Strength and Conditioning This plan includes weekly strength & conditioning sessions that you can find at the back of this document in the appendix. We’ve broken these sessions into two phases to allow adaptations to your strength through the program that meet the demands of your training.

Base Phase This is intended to prepare the joints and soft-tissue for the upcoming training load. Key elements include mobility, flexibility and balance work, core work with some easier compound movements to increase strength endurance.

Core Phase This phase builds on the work you’ve done, adding in more demanding movements which challenge single legs strength and control of more complex movements. This added skill is essential to good performance and injury prevention.

Flexibility and Mobility If you are finding you’re getting tight and sore muscles throughout training you can perform the ‘Mobility/Warm-up’ section of the ‘Strength and Conditioning Sessions’ more frequently as required to help loosen tight muscles. Getting a sports massage once in a while can also be a good way to help keep your muscles moving well, if you’re new to sports massage be careful not to get one too close to race day as you may find your muscles have a fatigued feeling afterwards like you’ve done a tough work out. Missed a Session? From time to time your busy lives may get in the way of the training schedule, sometimes this is unavoidable, don’t feel guilty! In this situation don’t try and make up the session you’ve missed, simply pick up your schedule as normal the following day. Also, don’t train on your rest days! These are in there for a reason to allow your muscles to recover and repair themselves ready for the next training sessions in your plan.

SUPER SPRINT TRIATHLON – 12 WEEK – BEGINNER PLAN

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WEEK 1 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Create a routine of planning your sessions in ahead of time so you know what you’re doing on each day. Remember this plan is flexible, so you can move session to fit around your work, social and family life If certain days don’t match then make a plan of when is best to do them Think of this as a ‘benchmark’ week, where you’re setting a pace/time for yourself for each element of your training, as a level to work from. Relate your breathing rate and how you feel to learn to use the RPE scale effectively

SESSION Swim Rest Run/Walk Rest Strength Swim Bike

DURATION 400 m 2 km 45-60 min 600 m 5 km

INTENSITY Just swim Steady Drills/Intervals Steady state SESSION DETAILS

Swim: Aim to get into the water and just complete the distance however you wish You could break it up into 50m, 100m and aim for consistency. Or 200m if you’re able to

Run: Start your run at around RPE 5-6 Start very easy and settle into a comfortable pace

Strength: Base Phase Improving mobility and core strength will improve how you move when you swim bike and run as well as prepare your body for the demands of triathlon

Swim: 100 m warm up RPE 4 (FS = Free style/Front Crawl) 2 x 100 m Catch up drill 200 m FS RPE 6 150 m FS RPE 6 50 m warm down Resting briefly between each effort. Looking for consistent pacing

Just ride, aiming to complete the distance RPE 5-6

KEY FOCUS Leg & head position in the water. Head position when breathing

Run posture/form and ability to hold pace

Execution & posture during exercise

Consistent stroke rate and breathing

Comfort on the bike, getting used to gearing and position

WEEKLY DISTANCE: 8 KM

NOTES Slow your stoke down to give you more time to focus on breathing. Let breathing dictate your pace. Use this session as a bench mark to work from in later sessions

The focus of this run should be feeling comfortable with the distance, focusing on your posture and run form, finishing feeling strong

In the first session, just spend time getting to know the exercises, judging your ability and setting a bench mark for times and resistance for exercises

You can use a pull buoy to aid buoyancy and help you focus on arms by taking legs out of the movement

Ideally complete this session on your bike outside since bike handling is important for race speed and control. However, you may use an indoor bike if necessary

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WEEK 2 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Stick to the increases in distances as best you can, and where it fits

If you’re fairly accomplished at a particular discipline already, you can choose to up the distance slightly to what you’re comfortable with Improvements in speed are seen in the ability to repeat efforts consistently, not just go faster on one or two efforts

SESSION Swim Run/Walk Rest Strength Swim & Run Bike

DURATION 550 m 2.5 km 60 min 500 m/1.5 km 7 km

INTENSITY Steady State Steady state Tempo Tempo Steady State SESSION DETAILS

Swim: 100 m warm up RPE 4 2 x 100 m RPE 5-6 Catch up drill 4 x 50 m RPE 7 50 m warm down

Try to maintain a smooth pace and finish at the same speed you started RPE 6-7

Strength: Core Phase

Swim: Break the distance into 2 x 200 m sets & 1 x 100 m set, with 1min rest in between. Aim to be consistent with your times over each split Run: Tempo run at above comfortable pace RPE 7-8

Ride over flat or undulating terrain aiming to keep a steady pace RPE 5-8 Aim to keep your legs moving at a similar speed, using the gears to keep this speed comfortable. Practice braking from higher speeds too

KEY FOCUS

Body position, hip rotation, breathing smoothly. Control of efforts

Run posture, light foot strike, breathing

Core, flexibility, technique

Breathing, pace control, technique

Smooth pedal stroke, gear usage, controlled braking


NOTES Think about your body position in the water, the flatter you are the more streamlined and easier it is to swim. Use floats and pull Buoys where you need to

Steady effort at a below max pace, focusing on holding form and keeping each km the same speed. If your form suffers then slow the pace

Working on strength will improve your ability to hold technique for longer as well as help avoid injury Focus on technique before increasing resistance and time

Working above your comfortable pace will help improve run strength & speed

Get used to the increasing miles aiming to maintain your average speeds over the longer distances, or even notice small improvements

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WEEK 3 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY You should already start to notice it’s easier to hold a pace in steady sessions and gym training should be helping with strength on hills and speed work, especially in the pool Your first brick session will be a chance to feel what it's like to run off the bike. Leave your bike in an easy gear before you start as this makes setting off easier Keep track of your pace on runs and ride with tracking aps on your phone or fitness trackers and you can use this to monitor progress in speed and fitness

SESSION Swim Bike Run Rest Strength Swim Brick

DURATION 600 m 8 km 2.5 km 45-60 min 600 m 5 km/1.5 km

INTENSITY Drills/Intervals Steady State Steady Strength Drills/Intervals Tempo

SESSION DETAILS

Swim: Warm up 1 x 100 m RPE 4 2 x 150 m RPE 6 2 x 100 m RPE 7

Either outside or on a turbo trainer; allow for a few minutes to warm up: RPE 5 Then complete the rest of the session playing around with your speed between; RPE 6-8 If there’s natural undulation in your route then use hills as efforts

Run: Maintain a steady (below threshold) pace of around RPE 5-6

Strength: Base Phase

Swim: Warm up 100m RPE 4 Kicking w/kickboard 2 x 25 m 1 x 200 m RPE 6 1 x 150m RPE 7 50 m cool down RPE 4

Complete your bike/run brick in a tempo/race pace format, holding a firm but slightly below threshold pace on the bike and then running hard off the bike Bike RPE 6-7 Run RPE 7-8 Complete the run straight after the bike with as little break as possible

KEY FOCUS Leg position high in the water, speed judgement on intervals

Pace control & variation Getting comfortable on the bike

Steady pace & good form. Try to match speed from previous week


Consistency in pacing & leg position in water

Learning to run off a hard bike and pace control

WEEKLY DISTANCE: 18.2 KM

NOTES Head position when breathing; aim to keep one eye in the water when breathing Keep sets of the same distance similar times

Using turbo sessions to focus on harder efforts and maintaining a good pace. Indoor training is also useful if the times of day you train in the week are not suitable for outside riding

Make sure your running shoes fit well, and are in good condition. The support they provide can help reduce your injury risk

Working on strength will improve your ability to hold technique for longer as well as help avoid injury. Focus on technique before increasing resistance and repetitions

Make sure to continuously breath out under water, avoid holding your breath. You can take a rest between kick lengths if you need to

Practice with gearing to find and maintain a steady cadence/rhythm so you can control your effort. Settle into a run pace quickly Practice set up in transition so you can save valuable time

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WEEK 4 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY One month in you'll be able to maintain harder efforts for longer and more consistently If you've not already; start thinking about hydration when cycling, as come race day this will also be preparing you for the following run Day-to-day as well as recovery nutrition may be worth considering to ensure you’re recovered fully from each session. Going into a training session still dehydrated or fatigued from a previous session will mean you won’t perform as well as you could

SESSION Swim Rest Run Rest Strength Swim & Run Bike

DURATION 750 m 3 km 60 min 750 m/2.5 km 10 km


Swim: Warm up 100m easy effort RPE 4 2 x 25 m kicking w/kickboard 1 x 50 m FS RPE 6 2 x 25 m kicking w/kickboard 200 m FS Pull buoy RPE 6 200 m FS RPE 6 100 m FS RPE 5

Try to maintain a smooth pace and finish at the same speed you started. RPE 6-7 If you like this can be an off-road run. It adds variety and increases run strength over uneven terrain


Swim: Warm up 1 x 50 m RPE 4 1 x 50 m Catch-up drill 1 x 200 m Pull buoy RPE 6 4 x 100 m RPE 7 50 m cool down Run: Tempo run at above comfortable pace RPE 7-8

Ride over flat or undulating terrain aiming to keep a steady pace RPE 5-8

KEY FOCUS Body position, hip rotation, breathing smoothly



Consistent pace over similar intervals

Smooth pedal stroke, using gears to keep your leg speed efficient


NOTES Think about your body position in the water, the flatter you are the more streamlined and easier it is to swim. When using the pull buoy, think about your hip rotation

As the distance increases, if you struggle then consider a ‘run/walk’' tactic where you alternate between the two over a fixed time e.g. 3 min run 1min walk. This may pace you better

Working on strength will improve your ability to hold technique for longer as well as help avoid injury

Working above your comfortable pace will help improve strength & speed


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WEEK 5 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Any new kit you're planning to use should be use in training to test it; new goggles (tinted for open water), trainers, elastic laces, bike shoes, tri suit etc. You need to make sure it all fits and works where you need it As the distances increase, ensure you’re getting enough rest, and look at what you’re eating to make sure you’re fuelled and recovered from each session


DURATION 700 m 12 km 3.5 km 45-60 min 800 m 7 km/2 km

INTENSITY Drills/Intervals Steady State Int./Steady Strength Steady State Tempo SESSION DETAILS

Swim: 100m warm up RPE 4 Kicking 4 x 25 m Rest in between each effort 1 x 200 m FS RPE 6 2 x 100m FS RPE 7 100 m cool down

Either outside or on a turbo trainer; allow for 5 minutes to warm up RPE 4 Then increase your effort to RPE 6 For the last 2 km work RPE 8

Run: Maintain a steady (below threshold) pace of around RPE 5-6 Every 4 minutes add in 30-45 seconds of hard effort running, faster than you can sustain, before returning to your steady pace


Swim: Warm up 100m easy effort RPE4 2 x 25 m kicking with rest in between 200 m FS Pull buoy RPE 6 50 m Catch-up drill 2 x 150 m FS RPE 7 100 m Easy FS RPE 4-5

Complete your bike/run brick in a tempo/race pace format; holding a firm but slightly below threshold pace on the bike and then running hard off the bike Bike RPE 6-7 Run RPE 7-8 Complete the run straight after the bike with as little break as possible

KEY FOCUS Consistency in pacing & leg position in water

Pace control & variation

Pace variation and working at harder intervals


Body position, hip rotation, breathing smoothly

Learning to run hard off a hard bike, Pace control


NOTES Make sure to continuously breath out under water, avoid holding your breath Remember low head position; eyes down

Using turbo sessions to focus on harder efforts and maintaining a good pace (without traffic interruption). If you have a flat, fairly traffic free loop to ride on this session can be done outside easily

Intervals training and time spent above threshold heart rate helps to improve fitness as well as mentally preparing you for harder sessions


Think about your body position in the water, remember to use breathing to dictate your pace. Relaxed breathing, means relaxed swimming

Practice with gearing to find and maintain a steady cadence and rhythm so you can control your effort Settle into a run pace quickly Practice set up in transition so you can save valuable time

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WEEK 6 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Half way into the plan you should have an idea of how you’re coping with the distances etc. If you feel you’re stronger at one sports, then you can up the distances of that sport a little Alternatively, if you feel there is one sport you need to work on more, i.e. swimming, you could switch out one of your stronger disciplines for an extra session on your weaker sport If you’re planning to buy/use a trisuit, it’s a good idea to wear it a few times in training so you can get used to how it fits and feels to swim/bike/run in

SESSION Swim Run Rest Strength Swim & Run Bike

DURATION 800 m 4 km 60 min 750 m/2.5 km 15 km


Swim: Warm up 100m easy effort RPE4 4 x 25 m kicking with rest in between 200 m Pull buoy RPE 6 200 m RPE 6 150 m RPE 7 50 m cool down

Try to maintain a smooth pace and finish at the same speed you started If you’re feeling up to it, you can speed up slightly towards the end of the run to test out a little speed work RPE 6-7


Swim: Warm up; 1 x 100 m RPE 4 2 x 150 m RPE 6 2 x 100 m RPE 7 2 x 50 m RPE 8 50 m cool down Run: Tempo RPE 7-8

Ride over undulating terrain aiming to keep a steady pace RPE 5-8 If you’re feeling up to it, you can have some fun pushing up the hills and challenging yourself

KEY FOCUS







NOTES Think about your body position in the water, the flatter you are the more streamlined and easier it is to swim. Use floats and pull buoys where you need to



Think about your body position in the water, the flatter you are the more streamlined and easier it is to swim. Use floats and pull Buoys where you need to


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WEEK 7 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY As the volume reaches this level you should really feel the endurance improvements Focus on your ability to repeat intervals efforts, this requires pace judgment not to go too hard Use hills/interval sessions to focus on power and control You should be able to predict a target race time from your speed in sessions. Use this as a bench mark when training


DURATION 900 m 15 km 3.5 km 45-60 min 800 m 10 km/2 km

INTENSITY Drills/Intervals Intervals Fartlek Strength Intervals Tempo

SESSION DETAILS

Swim: 150 m FS warm up RPE 4 2 x 25 m Fist drill 100 m FS RPE 6 2 x 25 m kicking 50 m FS RPE 7 200 m Pull buoy RPE 6 2 x 100 m FS RPE 7 100 m Cool down

Either outside or on a turbo trainer; allow for 5 minutes to warm up RPE 4 Then complete the rest of the session playing around with your speed between 3 min RPE 5 2 min RPE 8 If outside you can add in some hill work for variety and strength

Run: After a brief warm up, run the rest of your distance with random changes in intensity and speed based on your environment; running between lamp posts, up hills etc If running with a friend you can take turns to nominate efforts


Swim: 100 m warm up RPE 4 50 m kicking (Repeat x 3) 150 m Pull buoy RPE 6 50 m FS RPE 9 50 m cool down, mixed stroke RPE 4

Complete your bike/run brick in a tempo/race pace format, holding a firm but slightly below threshold pace on the bike and then running hard off the bike Bike RPE 6-7 Run RPE 7-8



Running at pace & good form. Recovery from harder efforts


Body position, hip rotation, breathing smoothly Consistent pace for each effort

Learning to run hard off a hard bike, pace control


NOTES Head position when breathing; keep your strokes smooth, & practice breathing to your weaker side, so that if you have to in a race you can breathe away from splashy swimmers, or sunlight

Using turbo or gym bike sessions to focus on harder efforts and maintaining a good pace (without traffic interruption)

The constant change in heart rate will teach you to adapt to different speeds, keep it interesting and improve your fitness


When we fatigue, technique is first to go. This makes us slower, and means we have to work hard. When you feel yourself tiring; swim smoother, not harder

Practice with gearing to find and maintain a steady cadence/rhythm so you can control your effort. Settle into a run pace quickly. Practice set up in transition so you can save valuable time

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WEEK 8 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY If you're considering things like elastic laces in your shoes, or perhaps running without socks to improve transition time, then practice this now to give you time to get used to it Stick to the increases in distances as best you can, and where it fits Remember to be flexible with the program, moving things around to work with your schedule. If you can train with friends or with a group this can help motivate you and develop skills

SESSION Swim Run Rest Strength Swim & Run Bike

DURATION 950 m 4.5 km 60 min 800 m/3 km 20 km


Swim: 100 m warm up RPE 4 100 m FS RPE 6 2 x 25 m Fist drill 100 m Freestyle RPE 7 2 x 25 m kicking 300 m FS + Pull buoy RPE 6 200 m RPE 7 50 m Breaststroke RPE 4



Swim: 200 m Warm up RPE 4 Kicking 2 x 25 m 200 m RPE 6 2 x 150m RPE 7 50 m cool down Run: Tempo run at above comfortable pace RPE 7-8

Ride over flat or undulating terrain aiming to keep a steady pace RPE 6-8 If you like you can work harder for the last 5 km to build strength and speed into the later part of your ride

KEY FOCUS




Breathing, pace control, technique



NOTES Use your breathing to dictate your pace. Relaxed controlled breathing for steady efforts, hard breathing and more frequent breaths for harder faster efforts


Working on strength will improve your ability to hold technique for longer as well as help avoid injury if you feel you’re able to; increase some of the weights or time accordingly

Working above your comfortable pace will help improve run strength & speed

Get used to the increasing miles aiming to maintain your average speed. Being able to finish strong will make running off the bike easier. Think about your body position on the bike, getting lower is more aero

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WEEK 9 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Start to think about how much fluid you're using in training as a predictor of what you'll need on race day If you've got any new shoes for race day, start to wear them in now Open water competency will be a massive factor in your comfort, confidence and will count come race day. The goal of this week is simply to get into the open water and feel what it’s like and build your confidence


DURATION 1 km 20 km 4.5 km 45-60 min 400 m 12 km/3 km

INTENSITY Drills/Intervals Fartlek Int./Steady Strength Open Water Tempo SESSION DETAILS

Swim: 100 m Warm up RPE 4 2 x 25 m Fist drill Repeat Twice: 200 m Pull buoy RPE 6 100 m FS RPE 8 150 m RPE 7 100 m RPE 5

Either outside or on a turbo trainer; allow for 5 minutes to warm up RPE 4 Then complete the rest of the session playing around with your speed between RPE 6-9 This could be to random points in music if training indoors, or along sections of road outside

Run: Maintain a steady (below threshold) pace, focusing on being consistent over the distance. Keep your breathing relaxed and focus on your posture and run form. RPE 6


Swim: First open water swim of the program You’re first goal is to ensure proper wetsuit fitting, and spend some time getting used to the water which may be colder earlier in the season Cover the distance aiming to swim smoothly, keeping a good technique

Complete your bike/run brick in a tempo/race pace format; holding a firm but slightly below threshold pace on the bike and then running hard off the bike Bike RPE 6-7 Run RPE 7-8

KEY FOCUS Holding a consistent pace over intervals. Use your breathing to control effort


Steady pace & good form


Water acclimatisation, stroke adaptation & breathing



NOTES Head position when breathing; aim to keep one eye in the water Remember that your stroke power comes from your hips. Relax your stroke and rotate through your hips

Fartlek training is unstructured or random intervals where you pick points on your route to perform efforts of varying length and intensity

Nearly up to race distance, and your focus should be consistency. The aim is to be more than comfortable over the eventual race distance, so that you find it easier when you run off the bike

Working on strength will improve your ability to hold technique for longer as well as help avoid injury. Focus on technique before increasing resistance or repetitions

Add in some sighting practice, getting better at this will pay off on race day. Practice breathing to your weaker side, in case you need to on race day

Practice with gearing to find and maintain a steady cadence/rhythm so you can control your effort. Settle into a run pace quickly. Practice set up in transition so you can save valuable time

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WEEK 10 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY By the end of this week you will have a good idea of your race plan and be able to set a realistic target and plans your pacing and nutrition strategy around this

Make sure you have all the equipment you need, and any last minute purchases are tested in training over race distance at least

If you haven’t already, complete some session in your race kit to check that it fits, and is comfortable

SESSION Swim Rest Run Rest Strength Swim & Run Bike

DURATION 1 km 5 km 60 min 600 m/4.5 km 25 km

INTENSITY Efforts Steady state Tempo Tempo Steady State SESSION DETAILS

Swim: 200 m Warm up RPE 4 2 x 25 m Fist drill 100 m Freestyle RPE 6 4 x 25 m kicking 200 m Pull buoy RPE 6 6 x 50 m RPE 9 100 m cool down RPE 5



Swim: Further developing open water confidence and skills Spend time fitting wetsuit properly Take time to acclimatise to the water. Then get a feel for what it’s like in the suit; allowing the buoyancy to assist you, relax your stroke Run RPE 7+

Ride over flat or undulating terrain aiming to keep a steady pace, add in some harder efforts to get your heart rate up; hills or fast flats RPE 5-8

KEY FOCUS




Open water confidence, breathing and sighting



NOTES Starting to work near your maximum in your shorter efforts will help improve your stroke power and speed in the water. Aim to be consistent though, don’t go too hard on the first effort


Working on strength will improve your ability to hold technique for longer as well as help avoid injury.

If you can join a group this may help you with confidence and receive some coaching points


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WEEK 11 GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY As the volume comes down, keep a focus on your race pace. Using speed work to make that final push as well as help you plan your race Any final equipment or hydration should be tested out in training NB: All plans need to be flexible, this is a critical stage in training and if you feel over fatigued you must rest


DURATION 1 km 20 km 5.5 km 45-60 min 600 m 7.5 km/4 km

INTENSITY Drills/Intervals Intervals Int./Steady Strength Open Water Tempo SESSION DETAILS

Swim: 200m Warm up RPE4 4 x 25 m kicking with rest in between 250 m Pull buoy RPE 6 200 m RPE 7 150 m RPE 8 100 m cool down, breast stroke

Either outside or on a turbo trainer, allow for 5 minutes to warm up RPE 4 Then complete the rest of the session at roughly the following intensities 2 min RPE 8+ 3 min RPE 6

Run: Maintain a steady (below threshold) pace of around RPE 6-7


Swim: Keeping with your acclimatisation; the more confidant you are in open water the better your race will be Getting more comfortable with the wetsuit and learning to use its buoyancy to your advantage Break this down into shorter efforts e.g. 3 x 200 m efforts at race pace

Complete your bike/run brick in a tempo/race pace format. Holding a firm but slightly below threshold pace on the bike and then running hard off the bike Bike RPE 6-7 Run RPE 7-8


Pace control & variation, recovery from harder efforts

Steady pace & good form, consistency is key, keep each km the same pace


Shorter intervals for more speed work. Practise wetsuit removal afterwards



NOTES Head position when breathing; aim to keep one eye in the water Keep sets of the same distance similar times

Using turbo sessions to focus on harder efforts and maintaining a good pace (without traffic interruption)

Your longest run, just to make sure you can cover the race distance easily

By this stage in the program you should be able to see changes your strength. Continue to be aware of any weak areas

Make sure to continuously breath out under water, avoid holding your breath. Remember head position, eyes down. Aim to sight every few breaths to ensure you’re swimming straight

Practice with gearing to find and maintain a steady cadence/rhythm so you can control your effort Settle into a run pace quickly Practice set up in transition so you can save valuable time

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WEEK 12 – RACE WEEK GOALS

DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY The hard work is done, nothing you can do now will make you fitter. The focus here is to maintain your peak while allowing recovery Keep the sessions high quality with good pace work Reduced volume and distance to allow for adaptation and recovery If you’ve travelled to an event having a run or swim when you get there can help you get over a journey At the beginning of the week look ahead at the weather to help you make any kit decisions

SESSION Swim Bike Strength (Mobility) Run Rest RACE DAY

DURATION 400 m 5 km 30 min 1.5 km 400m/10k/2.5k

INTENSITY Mixed Mixed efforts Easy Easy Race Pace SESSION DETAILS

Gentle swim with some shorter efforts added in Keep lose and practice sighting This can be open water or pool based

Final pre-race check; ride a steady effort bike in race set up, carry what you’re planning to carry in the race. Add in some bursts 2-4min efforts RPE 5-7

Just do the WARM-UP/flexibility part of your routine ONLY If you're feeling good head out for a gentle 1 km run RPE 5-6 to keep you lose (optional)

Still warming up beforehand this should be about keeping your legs moving. Still working at a good tempo, but not quite race pace You can add in a few burst efforts at race pace to stretch out RPE 7

The hard work is over, stick to what you know in training. Race hard, race well and enjoy it!

KEY FOCUS Speed, pacing, sighting, breathing

How the bike feels, gearing and cadence kept smooth

Flexibility, recovery Relaxed form, focus on your breathing and posture

Stick to your pace based on training. With 1km to go in the run, give it everything


NOTES With all the training under your belt, you shouldn't feel tired after this session

This is you pre-race bike check; is all in working order, do you have the spares you need. After the ride, clean the bike and give the tyres a once over

You can use this day to do some light mobility work, foam rolling etc. Especially if you’ve travelled to your race location

Do your best, and have fun!

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APPENDIX

RATE OF PERCIEVED EXERTION (RPE) We use the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale illustrated below to determine the intensity of your sessions. These will be highlighted in each session to make it clear as to what is expected. This table helps you understand exactly how you should feel when executing the training session. Due to the nature of the scale, it is subjective and requires you to feel how your body is responding to the exercise, when doing this consider how your heart is pumping, how quickly you are breathing, how much you are sweating and how much discomfort you are experiencing in your legs. Heart rate training – If you like to train to heart rate, where the RPE is 6-7 train to 65%-75% of your maximum heart rate, for and RPE of 7-8 aim for a range of 70-80% and for RPE 9 around 85-90% of your maximum heart rate. Please remember that everybody’s RPE figure could be different to yours when exercising at the same speed because we all respond differently to exercise.

RPE DESCRIPTION

0 Complete rest

1 Very Weak: I am just about moving

2 Weak: I am walking at a faster pace and can hold a conversation easily

3 Light: I am beginning to sweat a little, but can hold conversation throughout

4 Moderate: I am very happy at this effort

5 Somewhat Strong: I am sweating more heavily and starting to feel my breathing is becoming more stressed

6 Strong: I am beginning to feel more out of breath but could maintain this pace for a few hours

7 Very Strong: My breathing is very laboured, but I can still maintain pace for an hour without slowing

8 Hard: I am starting to struggle to hold this pace and my heart is racing and am sweating heavily

9 Very Hard: This is hurting and I can only hold this effort for up to 5mins

10 Extremely Hard: I am absolutely flat out and this is sprinting. I will need to stop after 30secs


APPENDIX

SWIM SESSIONS – Beginner Plan

These sessions are based on a 25m pool, if you swim in a pool of a different length, then aim to adapt and match the plan as near as you can. Sessions fall into three categories; technique, endurance and speed sessions.

Sessions are a guide and depending on your ability you can choose to increase or decrease the number of sets for a given session to match your ability level, a focused session with no distractions and strict rest times should be approximately 45-60mins in duration so the distance you complete will vary depending on your ability.

Rest times between sets should be minimal and depend on the effort level and length of the interval. Aim for between 20-45 seconds. On longer sets of similar intervals you can go off a fixed turnaround, e.g. 100 m off 2:15, so whatever time remains after your 100m is your rest.

Swim drills used in sessions Catch Up Kicking with board Pull / Pull Buoy Fist Drill

Single Arm Kicking on Side & Back Pull & Paddles Sighting (Open water)

Drills can be found on YouTube here: http://bit.ly/rga-swim-drills

FS = Freestyle/Front Crawl

https://youtu.be/grIX3u0zShg

https://youtu.be/NcBnd4l6Y9E

https://youtu.be/oHo8Ue7Enqo

https://youtu.be/e-iTcSNZtzU

https://youtu.be/ruemW-tN6QU

https://youtu.be/Nlzw4_FqFRI

https://youtu.be/qHmXxdsqcnk

https://youtu.be/FR2RdoW9w8I

https://youtu.be/wNpJyqIcS4A


APPENDIX

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

BASE PHASE SESSION

MOBILITY WORK/WARM-UP (YouTube link: http://bit.ly/RGA-Warmup-exercises) EXERCISE DEMO DURATION NOTES

Foam roller, back

30–45 sec Foam roll your back, especially lower, to ease off connective tissue & increase mobility

Foam roller, ITB

30–45 sec Roll ITBs to release tension in connective tissue that may inhibit knee/hip movement

Foam roller, calves

30–45 sec Rolling calves, especially Achilles, can aid ankle flexibility and recovery from training

Foam roll, feet

30–45 sec Using a lacrosse/hockey ball or rolling pin, roller your feet paying attention to arches

Kneeling hip flexor stretch

30–45 sec Gently driving hips into stretch, with arms overhead to feel stretch in hips & torso

Hamstring 'track stretch'

8-10 reps From "start" position to semi-standing while holding foot, until stretch it felt, in hamstring

MAIN SET (YouTube link: http://bit.ly/RGA-strength-exercises)

EXERCISE DEMO SETS REPS TEMPO REST WEIGHT

Side plank, from knees 2-3 each

side 45 sec Static 20 sec Body weight

Front plank on knees

2-3 45 sec Static 20 sec Body weight

Tube walking (band around ankles)

2-3 10 each side Slow 20 sec Resistance

band

Dead bug

2-3 12-16 Slow 30 sec Body weight

Two leg glute press with feet on step


Stability ball wall squat


Hamstring curl on stability ball


Forward lunge, alternating sides

2-3 20 Slow 30 sec Body weight

Laying over stability ball, arm raise


Kneeling press up


https://youtu.be/NEVhV81Mz1Y

https://youtu.be/vp8iXaj8ZMM

https://youtu.be/zlG8PLi1uuY

https://youtu.be/nd5_ozrDu8U

https://youtu.be/SA448CjlHfM

https://youtu.be/m-jyyNmFwc8

https://youtu.be/45yk5XbHmIw

https://youtu.be/UOBdlL3_qJs

https://youtu.be/7l663mc7zhM

https://youtu.be/3XCHaXN-Ss0

https://youtu.be/LqluCwMtWIs

https://youtu.be/ei5nU28QCek

https://youtu.be/MShLGI2-MnI

https://youtu.be/33pB0I06WBM

https://youtu.be/_nShzfXJxYU

https://youtu.be/RFmmUz39LXM


APPENDIX

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

CORE PHASE SESSION

MOBILITY WORK/WARM-UP (YouTube link: http://bit.ly/RGA-Warmup-exercises) EXERCISE DEMO DURATION NOTES

Foam roller, back

30–45 sec Foam roll your back, especially lower, to ease off connective tissue & increase mobility

Foam roller, ITB

30–45 sec Roll ITBs to release tension in connective tissue that may inhibit knee/hip movement

Foam roller, calves

30–45 sec Rolling calves, especially Achilles, can aid ankle flexibility and recovery from training

Foam roll, feet

30–45 sec Using a lacrosse/hockey ball or rolling pin, roller your feet paying attention to arches

Kneeling hip flexor stretch

30–45 sec Gently driving hips into stretch, with arms overhead to feel stretch in hips & torso

Hamstring 'track stretch'

8-10 reps From "start" position to semi-standing while holding foot, until stretch it felt, in hamstring

Side bends with arms overhead

10-12 reps Bend from side to side pushing hips one way & arms the

other overhead

MAIN SET (YouTube link: http://bit.ly/RGA-strength-exercises)

EXERCISE DEMO SETS REPS TEMPO REST WEIGHT

Side plank, from knees 2-3 each

side 45 sec Static 20 sec Body weight

Front plank on stability ball from knees or toes

2-3 45 sec Static 20 sec Body weight

Laying on side leg raises

2 20 each side Slow 20 sec Resistance

band

Laying on back alternating leg lowering


Single leg glute press with foot on step


Calf raises on step


Hamstring curl on stability ball


Lateral lunges, alternating sides 2-3 each

side 20 Active 30 sec Body weight

Split squat, repeat each side


Stability ball row

2-3 10-15 Slow 20 sec Suitable weight

Stability ball chest press

2-3 10-15 Slow 20 sec Suitable weight

https://youtu.be/jgEax6eb3j0

https://youtu.be/JScQ4pyWCMg

https://youtu.be/5oa-uJVPnJI

https://youtu.be/Lh-5PNTguE8

https://youtu.be/AEGPihz_6QQ

https://youtu.be/45yk5XbHmIw

https://youtu.be/TLLHZzM_RyM

https://youtu.be/GU2uceN9Ih8

https://youtu.be/svN6VSe6-zo

https://youtu.be/LqluCwMtWIs

https://youtu.be/ei5nU28QCek

https://youtu.be/MShLGI2-MnI

https://youtu.be/33pB0I06WBM

https://youtu.be/RFmmUz39LXM

https://youtu.be/_nShzfXJxYU

https://youtu.be/NEVhV81Mz1Y

https://youtu.be/vwSq7I5_UXA

https://youtu.be/2J-i0Kq3r-4

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