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This sprint training plan for beginners is perfect for the athlete who only has time for seven hours or less of training a week and one workout per day. Given the amount of time and mileage, the triathlete who completes this plan should expect to finish comfortably but will have room to improve with a more advanced program.
Adam Zucco is the head coach of SuperFly Coaching and is a nine-time Kona finisher. Zucco coached American Ben Kanute to the Rio Olympics and has helped dozens of athletes qualify for Kona.
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SR: Seconds Rest
MS: Main Set
REST DAY
SWIM
45 mins
MS: 50 15 SR, 100 15 SR, 200 40 SR 300 60 SR, 200 30 SR 100
Even: Race pace
Odd: Easy
RUN
30 mins
Hilly course w/moderate-effort uphills
Easy everything else
BIKE
40 mins
MS: 15 x (30 secs. at 90% effort, 30 secs. easy)
REST DAY
SWIM
45 mins
MS: 3 x 100 moderate 10 SR
1 min. rest
3 x 100 moderate 10 SR
BIKE
60 mins, moderate
REST DAY
BIKE
45 mins FTP Test
SWIM
30 mins
Swim test 15-20 mins. warm-up 3×300 for time, 30 SR
Average 100 pace is threshold pace
RUN
45 mins. run test
MS: 30 mins. best possible distance
REST DAY
BIKE
60 mins. endurance
RUN
45 mins. aerobic
REST DAY
SWIM
45 mins. intervals
MS:
5 x 100 20 SR descend each one
1 min. rest
2 x 100 20 SR same pace as #5 above
RUN
40 mins. tempo feel
BIKE
45 mins. strength
8-12 x (90 sec. @ 85-100% effort on heavy gear 90 sec. easy spin)
REST DAY
BRICK
1:15 total
BIKE
60 mins. aerobic to moderate
RUN OFF THE BIKE
15 mins. on feel
RUN
45 mins. aerobic
SWIM
45 mins. speed
MS:
4 x 75 10 SR as 25 fast, 25 slow, 25 fast 1 min. rest
4 x 75 10 SR as 25 fast, 25 slow, 25 fast
6 x 25 fast 30 SR 4 x 50 fast 30 SR
BIKE
60 mins. tempo
MS: 20-40mins. @ 75-85% effort
REST DAY
RUN
45 mins. speed endurance
MS: 3 x (1 min. at 85%, 1 min. rest)
REST DAY
BRICK
1:15 total
BIKE
60 mins. aerobic to moderate
RUN OFF THE BIKE
15 mins. on feel
SWIM
45 mins. tempo
MS:
300 mod pace 1 min. rest
3 x 100 20 SR, build by 100
200 moderate pace 1 min. rest
2 x 100 20 SR, build by 100
RUN
45 mins. aerobic max
80% effort, push uphills
SWIM
30 mins. endurance
continuous, steady
BIKE
40 mins. technique
MS:
5 x (1min. at high cadence, 1 min. easy)
SWIM
45 mins. threshold
MS:
8 x 100 20 SR moderate
6 x 50 kick 20 SR moderate
REST DAY
BRICK
1:20 total
BIKE
1:05 speed strength
MS: 5 x (5 mins. @ race effort, 2 mins. easy)
RUN OFF THE BIKE
15 mins.
Build by 5 mins.
BIKE
60 mins. easy spin
RUN
45 mins. aerobic
MS: 12 x (15 secs. fast, 2 mins. rest)
REST DAY
BIKE
50 mins. strength
Hilly ride, big gear, seated, moderate effort
SWIM
45 mins. speed threshold
MS: 6 x 100 @ T-pace from week 2, 10 SR
4 x 50 @ T-pace, 10 SR
REST DAY
BRICK
1:45 total
BIKE
1:15 steady
RUN OFF THE BIKE
30 mins. steady
SWIM
30 mins., endurance
Continuous, steady
RUN
30 mins. easy
RUN
45 mins. fartlek
MS: 5 x 1-2 mins. faster than 5K pace
BRICK
1:15, tempo
BIKE
60 mins. building effort with 10K final time trial
RUN OFF THE BIKE
15 mins. at 10K pace
SWIM
45 mins. speed threshold
MS: 6 x 100 @ T-pace 10 SR 8 x 50 @ T-pace 10 SR
REST DAY
BIKE
1:30, aerobic
RUN
50 mins. build to moderate effort
Build by 5 mins., moderate for last 20 minutes
SWIM
45 mins. aerobic
MS: 4 x 100 10 SR 2 mins. rest 300 steady kick 6 x 25 relaxed speed 15 SR
BIKE
60 mins. intervals
MS: 4 x (8 mins. race effort, 1min. easy)
RUN
45 mins. recovery run as you feel
SWIM
45 mins. speed threshold
MS: 6 x 100 @ T-pace 10 SR 4 x 50 @ T-pace 10 SR
REST DAY
BRICK
1:30 track intervals
MS:
20 mins. bike moderate
400m run at 10K pace
4 x (BIKE: 2 mins. easy, 3 mins. hard RUN: 800m at 5K race pace)
20 mins. easy bike
RUN
60 mins. aerobic
45 mins. aerobic, 15 mins. hard
SWIM
45 mins. threshold
MS: 10 x 100 at threshold 10 SR
BIKE
60 mins. easy
RUN
45 mins. build
Last 20 mins. faster than beginning
SWIM
45 mins. speed
MS: 100 easy, 50 mod, 50 fast 10 SR; 50 easy, 100 mod, 50 fast 20 SR; 50 easy, 50 mod, 100 fast 30 SR; 100 fast, 50 easy, 50 mod 20 SR; 50 fast, 100 easy, 50 mod 10 SR; 50 fast, 50 easy, 100 mod
REST DAY
BRICK
1:15 tempo
BIKE
60 mins. building effort with 10K final time trial
RUN OFF THE BIKE
15 mins. at 10K race effort
RUN
45 mins. recovery run as you feel
SWIM
45 mins. threshold
MS:
Even intervals 5 secs. slower than T-pace
50 15 SR, 100 15 SR, 200 40 SR 300 60 SR, 200 30 SR, 100
RUN
45 mins. recovery run as you feel
BIKE
30 mins. race feel
MS: 4 x (90 secs. at race pace, 3 mins. easy)
RUN
20 mins. race feel
MS: 4 x (90 secs. at race pace, 3 mins. easy)
SWIM
20 mins. continuous
OR DAY OFF
BRICK
45 mins. pre-race
BIKE
30 mins.
MS: 4 x 30 secs. race-pace efforts, full rest
RUN
15 mins.
MS: 4 x 30 secs. race- pace efforts, full rest
RACE DAY! Congrats on completing this Sprint Training Plan for Beginners. Go get ’em!