The following program is designed for the individual who would like to complete or finish his or her first Olympic distance triathlon with no regard to time. This also takes into consideration that the individual can run 3 miles, three times per week and cycle a minimum of 8-10 miles (about 60 minutes) regardless of speed.

The entire program should be completed at an easy, aerobic pace. If you own a heart rate monitor and are familiar with aerobic heart rate training, than train at the lower end of your aerobic zone. I subscribe to the 180-method of determining your aerobic heart rate zone. This is just one method and certainly not the only one

Olympic Distance Training Plan Chart

Date Swim Bike Run Week 1 Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 300 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m. Wednesday 8 miles Thursday 300 yds a.m. 2 miles p.m. Friday Saturday 3 miles a.m. Sunday 10 miles a.m. Week 2 Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 300 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m. Wednesday 10 miles Thursday 500 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m. Friday 8 miles Saturday 4 miles a.m. Sunday 10 miles a.m. Week 3 Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 500 yds a.m. 3.5 miles p.m. Wednesday 10 miles Thursday 500 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m. Friday 10 miles Saturday 5 miles a.m. Sunday 12 miles a.m. Week 4 Recovery Week Recovery Week Recovery Week Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 300 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m. Wednesday 8 miles Thursday 300 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m. Friday 8 miles Saturday 3 miles a.m. Sunday 10 miles a.m. Week 5 Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 500 yds a.m. 4 miles p.m. Wednesday 10 miles Thursday 750 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m. Friday 10 miles Saturday 5 miles a.m. Sunday 15 miles a.m. Week 6 Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 750 yds a.m. 4 miles p.m. Wednesday 15 miles Thursday 750 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m. Friday 10 miles Saturday 6 miles a.m. Sunday 15 miles a.m. Week 7 Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 750 yds a.m. 4 miles p.m. Wednesday 15 miles Thursday 1000 yds a.m. 3.5 miles p.m. Friday 10 miles Saturday 6 miles a.m. Sunday 20 miles a.m. Week 8 Recovery Week Recovery Week Recovery Week Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 500 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m Wednesday 10 miles Thursday 500 yds a.m. 3 miles p.m Friday 10 miles Saturday 1000 yds optional p.m 5 miles a.m Sunday 15 miles a.m. Week 9 Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 1000 yds a.m. 4 miles p.m Wednesday 15 miles Thursday 1250 yds a.m. 4 miles p.m Friday 15 miles Saturday 1000 yds optional p.m 6 miles a.m Sunday 25 miles a.m. Week 10 Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 1250 yds a.m 5 miles p.m Wednesday 20 miles Thursday 1500 yds a.m 4 miles p.m Friday 15 miles Saturday 1000 yds optional p.m 7 miles a.m Sunday 30 miles a.m. Week 11 Race Week Race Week Race Week Monday Rest Rest Rest Tuesday 1500 yds 6 miles Wednesday 30 miles Thursday 1000 yds 3 miles Friday Rest Rest Rest Saturday Race Day! Race Day! Race Day! Sunday Race Day! Race Day! Race Day!

Olympic Distance Training Plan Details by Week

Week 1

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 300 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 8 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 300 yds am

Run: 2 miles pm

Friday

Rest

Saturday

Run: 3 miles am

Sunday

Bike 10 miles am

Finally, your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 2

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 300 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 10 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 500 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 8 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 5 miles am

Sunday

Bike 12 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 3

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 500 yards am

Run: 3.5 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 10 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 500 yards am

Run: 3 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 10 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 5 miles am

Sunday

Bike 12 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 4 – Recovery Week

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 300 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 8 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 300 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 8 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 3 miles am

Sunday

Bike 10 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 5

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 500 yds am

Run: 4 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 15 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 750 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 10 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 5 miles am

Sunday

Bike 15 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 6

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 750 yds am

Run: 4 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 15 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 750 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 10 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 6 miles am

Sunday

Bike 15 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 7

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 750 yds am

Run: 4 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 15 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 1000 yds am

Run: 3.5 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 10 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 6 miles am

Sunday

Bike 20 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 8 – Recovery Week

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 500 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 10 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 500 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 10 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 5 miles am

Swim 1000 yds optional pm

Sunday

Bike 15 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 9

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 1000 yds am

Run: 4 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 15 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 1250 yds am

Run: 4 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 15 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 6 miles am

Swim 1000 yds optional pm

Sunday

Bike 25 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 10

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 1250 yds am

Run: 5 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 30 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 1500 yds am

Run: 4 miles pm

Friday

Bike: 15 miles

For Friday rides, treat each one as an easy, easy spinning day. It will be a nice warm-up for your Saturday long run. Keep your heart rate well below the zone throughout the entire ride.

Saturday

Run: 7 miles am

Swim 1000 yds optional pm

Sunday

Bike 30 miles am

Your Sunday ride will be the most important. This is where you will practice your eating and drinking. Begin the ride with a 20 minute warm-up. For the bulk of the ride keep your HR at the low end of the zone for as long as possible. As you increase your distance, you will begin to see your endurance fall off as your heart rate will climb just a bit toward the end of the ride. In fact you will probably be riding slower than when you began. Do not worry, just keep your HR in the zone. Eventually, you will see your endurance increase. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a cool down

Week 11

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Swim: 1500 yds am

Run: 6 miles pm

Wednesday

Bike: 30 miles

Your ride should be treated as somewhat of a recovery/aerobic ride after your long Sunday ride. Warm up for 15 minutes keeping your heart rate (HR) below your training zone. For the bulk of you ride, keep your HR at the lower end of your training zone. Finally, leave yourself enough time for a good cool-down. On all cool downs, wait until your HR drops as close to or below 100 bpm before stopping.

Thursday

Swim: 1000 yds am

Run: 3 miles pm

Friday

Rest

Saturday

Race Day!

Sunday

Race Day!