TRAINING SCHEDULES
ORIENTATION
Week 1
Week 2

PRE-SEASON
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19
Week 20
Week 21
Week 22

COMPETITIVE SEASON
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12

TAPER PERIOD
Week 1
Week 2
 

Ultra Distance Group

SWIM 0:45

WARM UP

2 x (100 Swim - 100 Kick - 100 Pull) -- continuous

MAIN SET

8 x 200 w/20 sec rest after each

(ALTERNATE MAIN SET: 9 x 100 w/10 sec rest)

-- hold every 200 even at 70% intensity, concentrating on minimizing your stroke count throughout the set

COOL DOWN

300 Pull, bringing your HR back under 60% by the end

BIKE 1:20

WARM UP

Easy, controlled spinning, increasing the intensity slowly:

8:00 @60% - 5:00@65% - 3:00 @70% (continuous)

MAIN SET

This is a low intensity interval set designed to help you establish a sense of pace at a lower, long-distance intensity.

3 x 5.0mi (8km) @75% w/2:00 recovery @60% after each

COOL DOWN

Control your HR carefully, all the way "back down"

6:00 @70% - 4:00 @65% - 2:00 @60%

RUN 0:30

Steady aerobic-paced distance run, holding your HR intensity between 60-70% throughout.

BIKE 1:05

WARM UP

10:00 easy spinning @60% intensity

DRILLS

3 x 3:00 ILT w/30 sec recovery after each

Each one should be done as 6 x (20 sec one leg/10 sec transition), continuous

MAIN SET

This is designed to help build general aerobic conditioning and to help you gain a sense of pace for longer distances.

4 x 7:00 @75% intensity w/3:00 @60% recovery after each

COOL DOWN

easy spinning, brining your HR back down below 60%

SWIM 0:45

WARM UP

600 easy swim, holding proper form and letting your HR rise to 70% by the end.

MAIN SET

Locomotive Swim: 3 x 500 Loco w/30 sec rest after each, building from

1 length easy/1 length fast up to 4 lengths easy/4 lengths fast

-- easy efforts should be done @60% intensity;

fast efforts are at roughly 75% intensity

(ALTERNATE SET: 2 x 500 w/30 sec rest)

COOL DOWN

4 x 75 @60% w/10 sec rest after each

RUN 0:40

10:00 easy jogging, allowing your HR to get up to 60% gradually

24:00 "tempo run" -- performed as follows:

6:00 @75% -- 2:00 @60% -- straight into

2:00 @84% with fast foot speed -- 6:00 @60% -- straight into

6:00 @75% -- 2:00 @60%

Continue cooling down until your HR is back under 60%

SWIM 1:00

WARM UP

400 Swim - 200 Kick - 200 Pull

(ALTERNATE SET: 500 Swim only)

MAIN SET

During this week filled with aerobic focus, we'll concentrate here on longer distance swimming. The idea is to hold the intensity constant at 75% (not higher), and try to minimize the strokes per length throughout each swim.

1200 Swim - 800 Swim, w/60 seconds rest in between

(ALTERNATE SET: 1200 Swim - 400 Swim)

COOL DOWN

4 x 50 @60% w/10 sec rest after each

BIKE 2:15

WARM UP

20:00 gearing pyramid

-- begin with 6:00 @60% in your easiest gear, then adjust to one gear harder for 5:00, then 4:00, 3:00, and finish with 2:00 @75%

MAIN SET

This main set should help demonstrate how much more smoothly you can pedal with some focus on spinning smooth circles. The target time trial distance is 11.2 miles (18.1km), which is exactly 1/10 of the Ironman ultra distance bike ride.

2 x 3:00 ILT w/30 sec recovery after each

Each one should be done as 6 x (20 sec one leg/10 sec transition), continuous

1 x 11.2 miles (18.1 km) time trial @75% -- record your time

2 x 3:00 ILT w/30 sec recovery after each -- right into

1 x 11.2 miles (18.1 km) time trial @75% -- compare to the first time trial -- should be slightly faster at the same HR intensity

2 x 3:00 ILT w/30 sec recovery after each -- your abs (stomach muscles) will probably be throbbing a bit here, but relax your mid-section and concentrate on smooth pedaling throughout the cycle

COOL DOWN

20:00 reverse gearing pyramid: 6:00 in "hard" gear @75%, followed by 5:00 in next easier gear, then 4:00, 3:00, and then 2:00 @60% intensity by the end.

RUN 0:30

This run should be done immediately after your bike ride, maintaining a steady aerobic pace (60-70% intensity) throughout.

RUN 1:10

Begin with a 20:00 jog, getting into it very gradually,

bringing the intensity up to 65% by the end.

Big Target: 3-Mile MAF Test

Here's the drill: Either perform this at a local track (preferably one you can run to), or use a familiar portion of a local course that you know to be roughly three miles in length. Begin by gradually increasing your HR up to 75% intensity -- beginning this directly after the warm up would work best -- and then, when you are at a known starting point, start your watch!

Be sure to hold your HR right at 75% throughout the test run -- no more! -- and stop your watch after reaching the three-mile point. Record your time for future comparison.

Be sure to cool down completely, immediately after your run. Your HR should be at or under 60% before you come to a close.

BIKE 0:50

This bike ride can be done indoors or outside, making sure to hold the intensity level in the aerobic zone throughout (60-70% intensity). For those inside, we can do a "mini-MAF" test here as well, after a 20:00 warm up spin:

2 x 3.1 miles (5 km) @75% intensity w/3:00 @60% recovery after each

-- record your times for future comparison, again remaining careful to keep the intensity below 75% at all times.

Cool down completely, bringing your HR down to 60% by the end.