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12
TRAINING PLAN
Race Your First
Sprint Triathlon
Fancy trying a tri? Well it’s not as hard as you
think with coach Phil Mosley’s training plan
T
Photo: AJ Bell London Triathlon
his six week training plan
is for anyone who’s aiming
to complete their first
sprint triathlon. It includes
all the key workouts you’ll
need, such as open water swims
and bike to run “brick” sessions. So
by the time you get to race day you’ll
be fully prepared for what lies ahead.
Before you start there are a few
acronyms you’ll need to know about,
which you can decode using the key
below. The plan also features
training zones (see box below) that
help you train at the right intensities.
6 WEEK PLAN
To use these zones correctly it is
useful if you have a heart rate
monitor watch – a cheap one is fine.
Failing that, you can use the
perceived exertion scores out of 10.
The third and sixth weeks are
active recovery periods to give your
body a chance to adapt before you
hit the training again. Each week
there are two pool swims, which
increase in distance and difficulty
over the six weeks. If you’re new to
swimming you’d be advised to get
some swim lessons or a video
coaching session in addition to the
TRAINING ZONES GUIDE
DESCRIPTION HEART RATE RPE
(%MAX)
1-10
ACCUMULATED INTENSITY
Z1 Recovery
55-70
<2
1-6hrs
Easy
Z2 Endurance
70-75
2-3
1-3hrs
Steady
Z3 Tempo
75-80
3-4
50-90mins
Comfortable
Z4 Threshold
80-88
4-6
10-60mins
Uncomfortable
Z5 Vo2 max
89-100
>7
12-30mins
Hard to very hard
KEY
FC Front crawl, PULL Front crawl with a pullbuoy float between thighs, KICK Kick with
float held in front, SECS seconds, BACK Backstroke, BREAST Breaststroke, BILATERAL
FC breathing every 3 strokes, FISTS FC with
fists clenched, HEAD UP FC facing forwards
eyes above surface, Z1 Training zone 1
IS THIS PLAN
FOR YOU?
Goal
Complete a
sprint triathlon
(750m swim,
20km bike,
5km run)
Time scale
Six weeks
Start point
You should be
able to swim
400m, ride 40
minutes, run
25 minutes
Level
Beginner
training. Swimming requires fitness
and a good technique. As well as the
pool workouts, there are open water
swims at weekends. These are set
for Saturdays but there’s no reason
you couldn’t do them on a Sunday.
Just make sure you swim with other
people and in a safe environment.
You’ll notice the pool swims are all
mid-week, while the bike sessions
are at weekends. This makes sense
for most people who work or have
children. It means you can get out
on your bike for a good hour or
90-minutes without interruption as
not all training is effective. Don’t
assume a 20-minute spin through
constant traffic is going to make you
an awesome rider.
As for the running, there are two
mid-week sessions – one fast and
one easy. Plus a brick session on
Saturdays, which involves cycling,
immediately followed by some
running. This helps you get used to
the jelly-legs feeling you’ll
experience on race day after you
climb off your bike. Lastly, make sure
you listen to your body and if you
feel excessively fatigued or sore,
take two days off completely and
then reassess before you resume
any training.
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TrainingZone
ESSENTIAL WORKOUT
WEEK 2
WEEK 1
DAY
Mon
Swim
WARM UP 4x50KICK alternating 25 easy, 25 hard
+30secs rests MAIN SET 10 x 50 alternating 25FC
hard, 25PULL easy +20secs rests WARM DOWN
200FC easy
Tue
Run
25 mins steady/easy run in Zone 2. On soft ground
preferably
Wed
Swim
WARM UP 10x50 easy, alternating 25FC,
25BILATERAL+30secs rests MAIN SET 6x50
alternating 50PULL easy, 50FC hard +30secs rests
WARM DOWN 100KICK with float
RECOVERY
Thur
Run
WARM UP 10mins in Zone 2 MAIN SET 2x4mins
hard in Zone 4 +2mins walk/jog rests WARM
DOWN 5mins walk/jog in Zone 2
RECOVERY
Fri
RECOVERY
RECOVERY
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
Yoga
Yoga class or home DVD
Swim
20 mins easy open water swim, try sighting using
static landmarks
Sat
Bike To Run
WARM UP Cycle 10mins in Z2 MAIN SET
Cycle 3x6mins in Z3 to Z4 (+2mins recovery in Z1)
Run 15mins as (3mins in Z4, 12mins easy in Z2)
Sun
Bike
75mins steady ride, road or MTB. Zone 2
RECOVERY
Mon
Swim
WU 8 x 50: ( FC , PULL, FC FISTS, FC).MAIN 200FC Z4 .
100 easy: 25FC/25 BACK/ 25PULL / 25FC +30sec rest.
2x100 Z4 +20secs rest WD 4 x 50KICK
RECOVERY
Tue
Run
25 mins steady/easy run in Zone 2. On soft ground
preferably
Wed
Swim
Thur
Run
Fri
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
WU 6x50 (50FC, 50BREAST) +20secs rests MAIN
6x50 ( 50PULL easy/50FC hard )+20secs rest.
4x50FC in Z4 +20secs rest.WD200KICK easy float
RECOVERY
WARM UP 10mins in Zone 2 MAIN SET 10mins
hard, in Zone 4 WARM DOWN 5mins walk/jog in
Zone 2
RECOVERY
RECOVERY
Sat
Bike To Run
WARM UP Cycle 15mins in Z2 MAIN SET
Cycle 15mins in Z 3 to Z4 STRAIGHT INTO
Run 15mins as (3mins in Z 4, 12mins easy in Z 2)
Sun
Bike
75 mins steady ride, road or MTB. Zone 2
Mon
Swim
WARM UP 10x25 alternating 25FC, 25BILATERAL
+10secs rests MAIN 300FC in Z3 WARM DOWN
2x100 as (25FC/BACK/BREAST/FC) +30secs rest
Tue
WEEK 3
OPTIONAL WORKOUT
RECOVERY
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
Swim
25 mins easy open water swim, try some deep
water starts
RECOVERY
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
Wed
Swim
WARM UP 300FC easy, rest 60secs MAIN SET
400FC non-stop, Zone 4, timed WARM DOWN
200BREAST/BACK/FC easy
RECOVERY
Thur
Run
30mins easy/Steady run in Zone 2. On soft ground
preferably
RECOVERY
Fri
RECOVERY
Sat
Bike To Run
Cycle 1hour in Zone 2 STRAIGHT INTO Run 20mins
in Zone 2
Sun
Bike
60mins steady ride, road or MTB. Zone 2
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13
Yoga
Pilates class or home DVD
Swim
20 mins easy open water swim, but include
4x30secs hard
RECOVERY
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TrainingZone
ESSENTIAL WORKOUT
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14
WEEK 5
WEEK 4
DAY
Mon
Swim
WU 2x100KICK 25 easy,/25 hard +20secs rests
MAIN 8x100 alternating 50FC hard, 25BREAST
easy 25FC hard +30secs rest WD200FC/BACK
Tue
Run
30 mins steady/easy run in Zone 2. On soft ground
preferably
Wed
Swim
WU 6x50 (50PULL,/25 BACK/ 25 BREAST easy
+15secs rests MAIN 200FC hard. 8x50 (50PULL
easy/50FC hard +20sec rest WD200FC/PULL easy
RECOVERY
Thur
Run
WARM UP 10mins in Zone 2 MAIN SET 5x2mins
hard in Zone 4 +60secs walk/jog rests WARM
DOWN 5mins walk/jog in Zone 2
RECOVERY
RECOVERY
Fri
RECOVERY
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
Swim
30 mins easy open water swim. Try swimming
beside or behind other swimmers
Sat
Bike To Run
WU Cycle 10mins in Z2 MAINCycle 2x10mins in
Z3 to Z4 (+2mins recoveries in Z1) INTO Run
15mins as (5mins in Z 4, 10mins easy in Z2)
Sun
Bike
90 mins steady ride, road or MTB. Zone 2
Mon
Swim
WU 8x50 as (1-2 FC head up, 3-4 FC PULL, 5-6 FC
FISTS, 7-8FC) +10secs rests MAIN3x200FC hard
+30secs rests WD 100KICK easy, 200 FC/BACK easy
Tue
Run
30mins steady/easy run in Zone 2. On soft
ground preferably
Wed
Swim
WU 4x100 easy as (50PULL, 25BACK ,25 BREAST)
+15secs rests MAIN 400FC hard, 100KICK easy,
200PULL hard WD100 KICK/ 200FC easy
RECOVERY
Thur
Run
WARM UP 15mins in Zone 2 MAIN SET 2x5mins hard
in Zone 4 +2mins walk/jog rest WARM DOWN 5mins
walk/jog in Zone 2
RECOVERY
RECOVERY
Fri
Sat
Bike To Run
WU Cycle 15mins in Z2 MAIN Cycle 25mins in Z3
to Z4 INTO Run 15mins as (5mins in Z4, 10mins
easy in Z2)
Sun
Bike
90mins steady ride, road or MTB. Zone 2
Mon
WEEK 6
OPTIONAL WORKOUT
RECOVERY
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
Swim
30mins easy Z2 outdoor swim
RECOVERY
RECOVERY
RECOVERY
Tue
Run
25 mins easy Zone 2 run, soft ground
Wed
Swim
Pool or Open Water. 750 non-stop, at race pace
RECOVERY
Thur
Bike
60mins Zone 2 ride on race-day bike. Try out your
race day kit/equipment/drinks etc
RECOVERY
Fri
Run
20mins easy Z2 run, soft ground
Sat
Sun
RECOVERY
Race day
Sprint triathlon
Pilates
Pilates
Pilates class or home DVD
Pilates class or home DVD
RECOVERY
RECOVERY
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