TRAINING OFF-SEASON PLAN
I
TRAINING PLAN t’s that time of year again. energy, there’s less need to over-
COACH DERMOTT HAYES
You’ve had your break, eat with energy products and
NAIL YOUR
maybe your body shape has potentially cause GI-distress.
changed a little after some Finally, if you can turn your
post-season recovery, but body into a fat-burning machine,
you’re full of ambition for 2019. it has long-term health benefits.
Perhaps you’re a returning So it’s okay to back off and not
triathlete looking to better your feel completely spent at the end
WINTER TRAINING
previous seasons, or a newbie of every session. You’ll also find
looking for a challenge next year. that working at lower intensities
Either way, it’s key that you get is more sociable, as you actually
the fundamentals of triathlon have the energy to speak.
training correct, and this starts The 12-week plan over the
with rebuilding your fitness with following pages is based on an
some base training. athlete racing Olympic-distance
12-WEEK PLAN!
As with any aspect of fitness triathlon. It has two rest days per
it’s necessary for the individual week and is fairly evenly split
to find what’s right for them, but between disciplines. If you did
we all benefit by laying down feel a need to increase the
strong fitness foundations over training time in any discipline,
the winter months. A well- then try to juggle it around by
structured base phase should taking time out from the other
more advice? ensure that the bulk – around sports. The plan begins with
Turn to p43 for the 70-80% of training time – is endurance sessions that are close
ultimate rest and spent within an easy-to-moderate to Olympic-tri racing and
recovery tips from the intensity. This allows for a gradually builds to long weekend
world’s greatest gradual increase in duration or sessions at 140-150% of the
Ironman athletes. distance, without fear of injury by racing distance.
jumping in too quickly. The Remember, you’re not racing
additional benefit of training at tri over the winter so take it
lower intensities is that it allows steady and put miles into your
your body to adapt to using fat as legs. But to stop you getting
its primary fuel source, which sluggish and one-paced, there
helps to either lose or manage are intervals to keep you thinking
weight. When our bodies become about race speed. Remember,
better at utilising fat to provide winter miles = summer smiles.
COACH’S TIPS MAXIMISE THE OFF-SEASON
Don’t rush it Keep a log
Let your fitness return at a sensible Record what you’re doing and make
pace and keep the intensity notes on performance in a training
moderate for the vast majority diary. Use this to create a picture of
of sessions. your efforts.
Start building a
solid base in
training now and
have your best race
season ever in 2019. Have goals Train rain or shine
Over to Dermott If you’ve not yet chosen your
target multisport events for next
Get outdoors and train even if it’s a
bit chilly. Don’t become a hermit
Hayes and his year, do it soon so you have a clear
focus to your training.
over winter and top up those
vitamin-D levels when you can.
three-month plan…
90 / / November 2018 November 2018 / / 91
TRAINING OFF-SEASON PLAN
TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 1 TO 4 TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 5 TO 8
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
WEEK 1 – OUR WEEKLY PLAN BEGINS ON A MONDAY, BUT YOU CAN START ANY DAY OF THE WEEK WEEK5–THELONGWEEKENDBIKESESSIONWILLHAVEYOUPREPPEDFOROLYMPIC-DISTANCERACINGIN2019
SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN
200m drill 3 x [1min 4 x [6mins 40km 8-10km 200m drill 4 x [1min 3 x [8mins 60km 10-12km
• sprint/4mins moderate; • • choice; 200m hard;2mins moderate; • •
2 x 400m easy; 2mins 2mins hard; On an On a flat route pull buoy; easy]; 4mins 2mins easy; On an On a flat route
increasing pace hard/3mins 2mins easy] undulating at moderate 100m paddles; moderate 2mins hard; undulating at moderate
each 100m easy; 3mins route intensity 5 x 100m hard; • 2mins easy] route with hard intensity
• hard/2mins • 200m drill 10 x [30secs climbs
200m drill easy] Focus on a choice; 200m sprint; 1:30min •
• consistent, pull buoy; easy]; 4mins Focus on
4 x 100m hard moderate 100m paddles; moderate climbing
intensity 5 x 100m hard • efficiently
•
30secs RI • 4 x [1min hard;
between sets 30secs RI 2mins easy]
between sets
WEEK 2 – DON’T FORGET, RP = TARGET RACE PACE; RI = REST INTERVAL WEEK6–IT’SNOTALLLOW-INTENSITYWORKINTHEWINTER,WITHFASTERINTERVALSHERETOKEEPYOURRACESPEED
SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN
2 x [400m; 5 x [4mins 4 x 1.8km hard 45km 8-10km 1 x 400m 4 x [8mins 6 x 1.2km hard 65km 12km
300m; 200m; moderate big • • • moderate; 8 x moderate aero; • • •
100m] gear; 1min 400m easy jog On a flat route On an 50m hard; 2 x 2mins easy; 300m easy jog On a flat route On a hilly
• easy; 3mins recovery • undulating 200m 2mins hard recovery • route at easy-
Aim to moderate high between sets Focus on route at moderate; 8 x seated climb; between sets Focus on moderate
maintain rpm; 2mins consistent moderate 50m hard; 1 x 3mins easy] • consistent intensity
consistent easy] moderate intensity 400m Complete on a moderate
pace all sets intensity moderate small incline if intensity
• • possible
40secs RI 40secs RI
between sets between sets
WEEK3–ALWAYSINCLUDEAWARM-UPTOEACHSESSION–5-8MINS,BUILDINGINTENSITYFROMEASYTOVIGOROUS WEEK7–THECHOICEOFSWIMDRILLSCANINCLUDEROTATORKICKS,SINGLEARMS,SCULLING,KICKSANDPULLS
SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN
200m drill 3 x [1min 4 x [6mins 50km 10km 200m drill 4 x [1min 3 x [8mins 60km 12-13km
• sprint/4mins moderate; • • choice; 200m hard;2mins moderate; • •
2 x 400m easy; 2mins 2mins hard; On an On a flat route pull buoy; easy]; 4mins 2mins easy; On an On a flat route
increasing pace hard/3mins 2mins easy] undulating at moderate 100m paddles; moderate 2mins hard; undulating at moderate
each 100m easy; 3mins route intensity 5 x 100m hard; • 2mins easy] route with hard intensity
• hard/2mins • 200m drill 10 x [30secs climbs
200m drill easy] Focus on a choice; 200m sprint; 1:30min •
• consistent, pull buoy; easy]; 4mins Focus on
4 x 100m hard moderate 100m paddles; moderate climbing
intensity 5 x 100m hard • efficiently
•
30secs RI • 4 x [1min hard;
between sets 30secs RI 2mins easy]
between sets
WEEK4–ANDALWAYSINCLUDEACOOL-DOWNTOEACHSESSION–3-5MINSOFEASYCARDIOFOLLOWEDBYSTRETCHES WEEK8–USEYOURRESTDAYSFORTHEOCCASIONALSPORTSMASSAGEANDUPDATINGYOURTRAININGDIARY
SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN
2 x [400m; 5 x [4mins 4 x 1.8km hard 50km 8km 1 x 400m 4 x [8mins 6 x 1.2km hard 50km 10km
300m; 200m; moderate big • • • moderate; 8 x moderate aero; • • •
100m] gear; 1min 400m easy jog On a flat route On an 50m hard; 2 x 2mins easy; 300m easy jog On a flat route On a hilly
• easy; 3mins recovery • undulating 200m 2mins hard recovery • route at easy-
Aim to moderate high between sets Focus on route at moderate; 8 x seated climb; between sets Focus on moderate
maintain rpm; 2mins consistent moderate 50m hard; 1 x 3mins easy] • consistent intensity
consistent easy] moderate intensity 400m Complete on a moderate
pace all sets intensity moderate small incline if intensity
• • possible
40secs RI 40secs RI
between sets between sets
92 / / November 2018 November 2018 / / 93
TRAINING
TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 9 TO 12
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
WEEK9–USETHELONGWEEKENDBIKEANDRUNSETSTOPINDOWNYOURRACINGNUTRITIONSTRATEGY
SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN
200m drill 4 x [8mins 3 x [9mins 65km 14km
choice; 200m increasing moderate; 1min • •
pull buoy; 4 x effort each easy; 2mins On an On a flat route
150m hard; 2mins to finish hard; 3mins undulating at moderate
150m easy; 4 x very easy] route intensity
150m hard; hard/4mins •
150m easy; easy] Include 2 x
200m pull 10km efforts
buoy hard
•
30secs RI
between sets
WEEK10–IFYOUHAVEACCESSTOONE,YOUCANPERFORMTHEMID-WEEKRUNSESSIONATATRACK
SWIM REST DAY BRICK RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN
6 x 50m hard 3x 8 x 800m hard 60km 10km
• • • • •
2 x 800m 12min bike 200m easy jog On a flat route On a hilly
moderate moderate recovery • route at easy-
• • between sets Focus on bike moderate
100m easy 4min run handling and intensity
• moderate control
40secs RI •
between sets 90secs RI
between sets
WEEK11–PREPAREYOURKITFOREVERYTYPEOFWEATHEREVENTUALITYONTHEWEEKENDSESSIONS
SWIM REST DAY BIKE BRICK REST DAY BIKE RUN
200m drill 4 x [8mins 3x 65km 14km
choice; 200m increasing 8min bike • •
pull buoy; 4 x effort each moderate On an On a flat route
150m hard; 2mins to finish • undulating at moderate
150m easy; 4 x very 8min run route intensity
150m hard; hard/4mins moderate •
150m easy; easy] • Include 2 x
200m pull 90secs RI 10km efforts
buoy between sets hard
•
30secs RI
between sets
WEEK12–ADDINSOMESTRENGTHANDCONDITIONINGWORKANDYOU’LLFINISHTHEPLANAFITTERANDSTRONGERATHLETE
SWIM REST DAY BIKE RUN REST DAY BIKE RUN
6 x 50m hard 3 x [10mins 8 x 800m hard 50km 10km
• moderate aero; • • •
2 x 800m 2mins easy; 200m easy jog On a flat route On a hilly
moderate 4mins hard recovery • route at easy-
• high rpm; between sets Focus on bike moderate
100m easy 4mins easy] handling and intensity
• control
40secs RI
between sets
94 / / November 2018
