1 Year Training Plan - 70.3 Needed

Triathlon Forum
1

Hey guys.

Well, last year in December I did 70.3 Cartagena in 4:55 (30 Min Swim, 2:26 Bike, 1:50 Run), due to my work I was living in another state so suddenly my life changed.

I was going to South Africa 140.6 cause of my honeymoon, but my life changed, a lot, I had some troubles that affected me and I got a very strong depression, I decided to move the date of my marriage.

Now Im back to my city, with my future wife, I talked to my Psychiatrist and told him my desire to get back in shape, and that triathlon could really help me with this depression, so I signed for Panama 70.3 in March 2023.

I am now unemployed, I hope I can get a job soon, so getting a coach right now is not in my plan atm, so I was looking for a training plan that could help me at the moment, if I get fit again I think I can get a slot for the 70.3 WC, that would be my desire and my focus and that can help me to have my mind occuped.

ATM im doing a lot of strenght workout 2x-3x per week, deadlift, back squat, to stay injury free in the race season, meanwhile I swim/bike/run mostly in z2 all the time.

I can train up to 15 hours weekly, if any of you have a training plan that can help me, I will appreciate it.

Please, always check your mental health, depression is a sickness and is really hard to deal with it.

2

A 30 minute swim & 2:26 bike is solid enough for Worlds. What’s your running background? The 1:50 is the outlier. But the question, for me, is if you need more running off of the bike in training or more running volume in general or both. What are your open running bests?

15 hours/week is great. I would swim 3-4 days/week and get ~3 hours there. Your biggest bang for your buck is going to be biking + running. You can do the training to turn 2:26 into sub-2:20. But the run should be sub-90 with those swim/bike times. I would ride 4-5 days/week & run 4-5 days/week. Maybe 7 hours biking & 5 running for now. Once your running better, bike 8-10 & run 3-4.

The running should be 1 or 2 workouts/week (15k-20k+ total), 1 long run (90 minutes-2 hours), and easy mileage (make sure these days are at least 10k, build to 15k). Be in that 40-55 miles/week range. You could also do more than that if you really want a run focused block. Something that has worked well for me is running after your weekly bike workout & weekly long ride. If you have 10:00 intervals @ 70.3 mid-week, do a short brick, even 20:00-30:00, to get in the routine of running off of the bike. You shouldn’t be hammering. Keep it easy & soon enough it’ll feel routine to run on tired legs. On the weekends, work up to an easy hour off of your 3-4 hour long rides. Every now & then, do some faster running in those brick sessions – tempos, broken threshold reps, etc. When you have your weekly running workout, swim or bike before it – whatever your other activity of the day is supposed to be. In triathlon, we never run fresh in a race. Train for that.

As far as structuring a year of training goes, just think about when you want to be doing VO2 max work. You shouldn’t be hammering like that year round. Maybe take a good while & get in a good base block. Keep workouts in every discipline at threshold. Build the volume. Maybe race some shorter distances this summer/fall. Do some VO2/race specific prep before that. Then get into a base build again late fall/early winter, before getting into a 12-16 week specific build for your 70.3.

3

If you just need a cookie cutter plan then I like to recommend Your Best Triathlon by Joe Friel and 80/20 Triathlon by Fitzgerald and Warden. You can get a used copy of each book on amazon for under $10.

As mentioned above you will want to tailor your training to improve your weakness. If your goal is 70.3 worlds qualification then do a gap analysis and look at what splits each person in your age group is putting out that has qualified. Then look at your times and see what you need to improve.

4

Tnks!

Actually you gave me a great starting point idea.

I looked at this video, Triathlon Taren - Triathlong with Strenght Training Plan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cBhGkdTLcY

Taren says that actually I can start doing the 10% volume formula up to 6 months formula, 3 Volume Weeks w/ 1 Rest Week (60% Volume)

My week would look like this, at the Base period:

3x Strenght & Conditioning
3x Swim Session: 1x Rest focused Technique, 1x Intense, 1x Long z2
2x Bike: 1x Intense, 1x z2 60 min (Thursday)
2x Running: 1x Track, 1x Long & Hills (Sunday)
1x Brick (Saturday)

I would focus on the Track Series, I think I can get enough base in 6 months with this base period, following your idea, I think Strenght can give me the core stability for the running at the race season period.

When I finish the 6 months base period, I would add 1 more running session or 2

5

Thanks!

I have the book, I will check the running series specially the main intense running, to do them at the intense day.

6

I wouldn’t listen to anything TT says about triathlon.

7

Damn

Now im more confused than ever, after searching threads about him
.

8

Hey guys.

Well, last year in December I did 70.3 Cartagena in 4:55 (30 Min Swim, 2:26 Bike, 1:50 Run), due to my work I was living in another state so suddenly my life changed.

I was going to South Africa 140.6 cause of my honeymoon, but my life changed, a lot, I had some troubles that affected me and I got a very strong depression, I decided to move the date of my marriage.

Now Im back to my city, with my future wife, I talked to my Psychiatrist and told him my desire to get back in shape, and that triathlon could really help me with this depression, so I signed for Panama 70.3 in March 2023.

I am now unemployed, I hope I can get a job soon, so getting a coach right now is not in my plan atm, so I was looking for a training plan that could help me at the moment, if I get fit again I think I can get a slot for the 70.3 WC, that would be my desire and my focus and that can help me to have my mind occuped.

ATM im doing a lot of strenght workout 2x-3x per week, deadlift, back squat, to stay injury free in the race season, meanwhile I swim/bike/run mostly in z2 all the time.

I can train up to 15 hours weekly, if any of you have a training plan that can help me, I will appreciate it.

Please, always check your mental health, depression is a sickness and is really hard to deal with it.

my suggestion: matt dixon plan. I really love his philosofy, dividing the year en in three parts: post season (4-8weeks to start the season), the pre-season (almost all the year if you only do one A race) and the 14 weeks plan for your 70.3 or IM.

9

You can try a plan from 2PEAK. Our plans our individually built for your goals and dynamically adjust as you train. This will allow you to improve your weakness (running obviously as others mentioned) and account for if you miss a session, how your strength sessions impact recovery, etc.

First 21 days are free and to continue for a year is really affordable given the value you get.
It is definitely better than a cookie cuter plan from a book or any advice from triathlon Tarren

2peak.com

10

The best I could describe from his is that he tells “truths”

Part of what he say is good but others are BS and it’s hard for some people to distinguish what is BS. I’d even pick what Joe Friel says over him, it may be outdated but not wrong.

If you are truly looking for a cheap plan, buy Matt Fitzgerald’s book: 80/20 Triathlon. $15 is not a lot of money, it’s not individualized but will get you going.

https://www.amazon.com/80-Triathlon-Breakthrough-Elite-Training-Performance/dp/0738234680/ref=asc_df_0738234680/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312114710380&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17498185699479497103&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016873&hvtargid=pla-523804436766&psc=1

Read through that, use the cookie cutter plans until you find your biggest weaknesses, then adjust. There are other good suggestions on this thread as well.

11

If you have 15 hours per week I would definitely be looking to get at least 3 sessions of each discipline each week. I would focus less on strength and conditioning. It doesn’t hurt to lift weights but spending more time in the weight room than running is not the best route to a faster race time.

My recommendation for a weekly template is:
-3 swims of 3-4k each, 1 with short fast reps 50-100’s, 1 with race pace reps 100-300’s, 1 with endurance reps 300-500’s.
-3 rides: 1 ride of 1:00-1:30 with intervals (threshold or vo2max or tempo depending on time of year), 1 aerobic/z2 ride for an hour, 1 longer ride 2-4 hours depending on the time of year.
-4 runs: 1 long run 1:00-1:30 easy pace, 1 run 40-60 mins with tempo or threshold intervals, 2 easy runs 30-45 mins
-strength training: 2 short sessions after a hard run or ride is a quick way to get it in. Pick a couple key exercises (lunges, deadlift, pull ups, overhead press, etc.) and you can do the strength session in 20 mins total

This gives you a basic and balanced starting point to shoot for. With your running weakness it wouldn’t hurt to try to run more frequently, even short runs of 20 mins will help.

Also my experience with training and mental health is that an outdoor session in the sunshine and vitamin D will always boosts my mental health more than a dark trainer ride.

12

This is pretty solid advice for a basic week.

13

Yo Yo Yo haha

Finally I saw the light, and started my mission as self coached athlete based on the 70.3 - Advanced 80/20 Matt Fitzgerald Book

My first week is like this:

Please let me know any comments I would appreciate it
.
Training Plan.PNG
Training Plan.PNG

14

That B/R training looks extremely light for someone trying for a 70.3 WC slot, especially if you are trying to drop from a 1:50 13.1 run. I would look elsewhere for a training plan.

15

Thanks

Well I think is the first week of the pre season, I think it will get harder and harder every week (I Guess)
.

16

I am very familiar with the 80/20 plans. I think it is a good starting point with where you are at now. I would bump up those swim sets though. Getting in the pool for 2k with a main set of 5x100 is just not worth the time. I would add more reps so the main set is 2,000 yards of reps.

On the bike and run I would settle into the plan for 4-8 weeks and at that time see if you are able to fit in more time in the saddle or running.

17

Great

Thanks
.

18

I’d even pick what Joe Friel says over him, it may be outdated but not wrong.

If you are truly looking for a cheap plan, buy Matt Fitzgerald’s book: 80/20 Triathlon. $15 is not a lot of money, it’s not individualized but will get you going.

Yup - sound solid advice, typically backed by science and honed with experience.

Also read anything and everything that Alex Hutchinson writes about in Outside and elsewhere - he does often talk about cutting edge training and nutrition, but it is almost always fact based peer reviewed research.

To keep everything reasonable, realistic and grounded follow Brad Stuhlberg and Steve Magness and anything they write about.

19

Thnks, I’ll follow them,

Cartagena was my first 70.3, I did a great bike but my position was horrible, with a better position and pushing the same watts (198-W; 69 kg), I will drop some minutes.

The heat in Cartagena is intense, I hope Panama isnt as humid as Cartagena.

I visited your blog, great athlete background.

20

After using 80/20 book as my outline for the past two years I’d tell you to be prepared to add some other runs on some weeks, especially given the 1:50 you mentioned. I filled mine with some Zone 2 runs.