Lucy Gossage 12 Week. Desirable Triathlon Training Plan

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1 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan

2 Key points This is a 12 week training program aimed at novices working towards their first Olympic distance triathlon (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km ). It assumes a basic level of fitness before starting; namely the ability to swim basic front crawl for 30 minutes, cycle at an easy pace for around an hour, and at an easy pace for minutes. The desirable triathlon training plan is targeted at those with a little more time, incorporating two sessions of each discipline each week. The plan includes a weekly session. This is where you include a short after a bike ride to mimic the sensation of ning off the bike that you will experience in the race. Though the sessions are fairly specific I can t emphasise how beneficial it is to join a club or find training partners who will push you physically and make training more fun. Speaking from experience it is always better to do a slightly less specific session with friends who push you and make it fun than dragging yourself through a solo session you hate. Remember, triathlon is a hobby and hobbies are meant to be fun! Within the plan you ll find 3 four week blocks. Block 1: Building basic fitness. Block 2: Improving speed and endurance. Block 3: Getting ready to race. Remember consistency is key. And try to enjoy the process as much as. After all, if you re not enjoying it why do it?! Training zones The plan is based around training zones, detailed in the table below. If you want to be scientific and accurate you can calculate your training zones by undertaking a three minute Wattbike test to find your maximum heart rate and maximum minute power: wattbike.com/uk/heart-rate-and-power-training-zones For those of you working with heart rate monitors, Wattbikes or power meters, the relevant numbers for each training zone as percentage of maximum heart rate or maximum minute power are detailed in table 1. Alternatively, and more simply, you can use Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) to estimate training zones. The scale of perceived exertion is how hard you feel your body is working and therefore is a subjective measurement. It is detailed in Table 2 below. Each training zone has a different purpose as defined in Table 1. For reference, in general most people will race an Olympic distance triathlon at upper Z3 or Z4. The first two blocks entail an initial 3 weeks where training volume and intensity increases gradually week on week, followed by a recovery week where the focus is on rest and recovery and allowing your body to absorb all the hard work it s done to date. The final week aims to get you as fit, fast and fresh as before your Olympic distance debut. In the final two weeks you gradually taper down; the volume of your training decreases while retaining a bit of intensity, as you aim to get to the start line like a coiled spring ready to unleash your bottled energy. The mid-week bike sessions are best done on a Wattbike, but could be done on the road a Wattbike isn t accessible. The weekend rides should be done on the road, ideally on your race bike, so you get used to the position and how the bike handles. Obviously you can change the days around to fix your schedule and pool availability. Ideally aim to take a rest-day on the same day each week. If you have to miss a session for whatever reason don t beat yourself up too much. 2 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan 03/2016

3 Zone Description Purpose HR (% max) % MMP RPE (1-10) Intensity Accumulated time 1 Recovery Established base endurance Improve efficiency Tempo Improve sustainable power Threshold Push threshold up VO2 Max Sustain a high percentage of maximal aerobic power EASY. Relaxed. Able to carry on a conversation. STEADY. Working. Feel warmer. Heart rate and respiration up. May sweat. COMFORTABLY UNCOMFORTABLE. Hard work. Heart rate and respiration up. Sweating. Breathing hard. UNCOMFORTABLE. Stressed. Panting. Sweating freely. HARD TO VERY HARD. Very stressed. Gasping. Sweating heavily. 1-6 hours 1-3 hours mins mins mins Abbreviations: HR: heart rate. MMP: maximum minute power. RPE: rating of perceived exertion Rating Description 0 Nothing 1 Very light 2 Fairly light 3 Moderate 4 Somewhat hard 5 Hard 6 7 Very hard Very very hard (maximal) /wattbike

4 Always listen to your body If you feel excessively fatigued or sore, take two days off and then reassess. If you develop any niggles don t train through them. Get examined by an expert before it develops into a more serious injury. Keep it fun! Remember you re doing the race because you want to be doing it. Try to enjoy the training and the fitness and sense of achievement and satisfaction it will bring! Key BACK Backstroke, BREAST Breaststroke, FC front crawl. KICK Kick with a float held in front, PULL Frontcrawl with a pull-buoy between thighs, RPM revolutions per minute (i.e. pedal strokes per minute or cadence) seconds Z1-5 zone 1-5 Main main set WD warm down WU warm up 4 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan 03/2016

5 Weeks 1-4: Building Basic Fitness Week m total WU: 4 x 50m FC Z2 +15 recovery 50m back Z1 +30 recovery Main: 4 x 50m FC Z recovery 50 m breast Z recovery 4 x 50m FC pull Z recovery 50m back Z1 +30 recovery 4 x 50m FC Z recovery 50 m breast Z1 +30 recovery Tuesday Run : 40 mins Wednesday Swim : 1200m total WU: 200m FC Z2 Main: 5 x 200m FC Z Use pull buoy on numbers 2 and 4 Thursday Indoor bike : Bike: 60 mins Z3 Run: 10 mins Z2 Sunday Run 40 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if Main: 20 mins Z3 3 X 30 Z4, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 5 x (4 mins Z3, 2 mins Z1) /wattbike

6 Week m total WU: 4 x 50m FC Z recovery 50m back Z recovery Main: 4 x 50m FC Z recovery 50 m breast Z1 +30 recovery 4 x 50m FC pull Z recovery 50m back Z recovery 4 x 50m FC Z recovery 50 m breast Z recovery 4 x 50m FC pull Z recovery 50 m breast Z recovery Tuesday Run Speed: 40 mins Wednesday Swim : 1400m total WU: 200m FC Z2 Main: 6 x 200m FC Z recovery Use pull buoy on numbers 2, 4 and 6 Thursday Indoor bike Speed: 50 mins Bike: 70 mins Z3 Run: 15 mins Z2 Sunday Run Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if Main: 15 mins Z3, 5 mins Z4 WD: 5 mins Z2 3 X 30 Z4, 30 Z1 recovery. Main: 5 x (5 mins Z3, 2 mins Z1) 6 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan 03/2016

7 Week m total WU: 4 x 100m as 75 FC Z2, 25 back +15 recovery Main: 16 x 50m FC +15. Odds Z4. Evens Z2. 4 x 50m kick +15. Bike Strength: 60 mins Tuesday Run : Wednesday Swim : 1600m total WU: 2 x (150m FC + 20 recovery 150m as 25m back/25m breast + 20 recovery) Main: 10 x 100m FC Z recovery. Use pull buoy on numbers 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 Thursday Indoor bike : 50 mins Bike: 80 mins Z3 Run: 20 mins Z2 Sunday Run 50 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if 60 mins Z2 Include 4 x 5min big gear efforts with high resistance and cadence around 60 (Z3) Can be done on road or indoors. Main: 25 mins Z3. Every 5th minute for 1 minute with high cadence (>100 steps/minute) 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 3 x (10 mins Z3, 2 mins Z1) /wattbike

8 Week 4 (Recovery) 1250m total WU: 4 x 50m FC Z2 +15 recovery 2 x 50m kick + 20 recovery 50m back Main: 6 x 150m Z recovery Odds FC Evens with pull buoy Sprint the 4th length within each 150m Bike Easy: mins Tuesday Run : 30 mins Wednesday Swim : 1200m total WU: 200m FC Z2 Main: 5 x 200m FC Z recovery Use pull buoy on numbers 2 and 4 Thursday Indoor bike Speed: Bike: 60 mins Z3 Run: 10 mins Z2 Sunday Run 40 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if min Z2. Include 1 min spin ups (cadence > 105) every 5 minutes. Can be done on road or indoors. Main: 10 mins as 5 mins Z3, 5 mins Z4 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 5 x (3 mins Z3, 1 min Z4, 2 mins Z1) 8 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan 03/2016

9 Block 2 Improving Speed and Week m total WU: 4 x 100m as 75m FC, 25m kick on back + 20 recovery Main: 2 x (5 x 100m FC). Go off the time it took for the first 100m + 10 recovery Each 100m should get quicker so number 4 is your target race pace and number 5 is flat out Bike Strength: 60 mins Tuesday Run Speed: 40 mins Wednesday Swim Open water 40 mins. 10 min warm up. Then 5 x (1 min hard, 2 min race pace, 2 min very easy). 5 min easy. Thursday Indoor bike Speed: Bike: 80 mins Z3 with 2 x 10 mins Z4 at some point Run: 15 mins with 5 mins Z2, 5 mins Z4, 5 mins Z2 Sunday Run 50 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if 60 mins Z2 Include 4 x 5min big gear efforts with high resistance and cadence around 60 (Z3). Can be done on road or indoors Main: 20 mins alternating 1 min Z4 1 min Z1 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery. Main: 5 x (1 min Z3, 3 mins Z4, 2 mins Z1) /wattbike

10 Week m total WU: 400m continuous as 50m swim, 25m back, 25m breast Main: Repeat the following 3x: (20 x 25m +10 as 3 Z5, 1 Z Z1 FC. 50 Z2 kick) Tuesday Run Speed: Wednesday Swim : 2200m total WU: 200m FC Z2 Main: 5*400m + 45 recovery 1st: FC Z3 2nd: FC pull Z3 3rd: FC alternating 50m Z3, 50m Z4 4th: FC as 200m Z4, 200m Z3 Thursday Indoor bike Speed: 50 mins Bike: 90 mins Z2-Z3, with 3 x 8 mins Z4 Run: 20 mins as 10 mins Z4, 10 mins Z2 Sunday Run 40 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if Main: 25 mins alternating 1.5 min Z4 1 min Z1 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 5 x (1 min Z3, 4 mins Z4, 2 mins Z1) 10 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan 03/2016

11 Week m total WU: 2 X 200m as 150m FC, 25m back, 25m breast +20 recovery 100m kick Main: 15 X 100m FC as 25m Z5, 25m Z4, 50m Z3 Tuesday Run Speed: Wednesday Swim : 2100m total WU: 3 X 100m + 15 as 50m free, 25m back, 25m breast Main: 6 X 300m ,3 and 5 FC Z4. 2 and 4 FC pull Z3 Thursday Indoor bike Speed: 60 mins Bike: 100 mins Z2-Z3 with 4 x 5 mins Z4 (>3 mins recovery between each Z4 effort) Run: 25 mins Z2 alternating 5 mins Z3, 5 mins Z4 Sunday Run 60 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if Main: 24 mins alternating 3 min Z4 1 min Z1 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 5 x (2 mins Z3, 4 mins Z4, 2 mins Z1) /wattbike

12 Week 8 (Recovery) 1800m total WU: 8 X 50m + 15 recovery Odds FC Z2 Evens kick Main: 4 x (4 X 25m +15 recovery alternating 1-3 as Z5, 4 as Z2) 10 X 50m + 20 recovery Odds as:1st 25 Z5, 2nd 25 Z2 Evens as:1st 25 Z2, 2nd 25 Z5 500m Z3 Tuesday Run Speed: 40 mins Wednesday Indoor bike Speed: Thursday Swim 40 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if Bike: 60 mins Z3 with 2 x 10 mins Z4 Run: 15 mins Z3 Sunday Run Open water: 40 mins Main: 20 mins alternating 30 Z4 30 Z1 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 5 x (2 mins Z3, 2 mins Z4, 2 mins Z1) 40 minute open water swim. Ideally find a buoy and do 5 efforts around the buoy, to practice sighting and turning. E.g. 2 mins to buoy, 2 mins back, 1 min rest. 12 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan 03/2016

13 Block 3 Getting Ready to Race Week m total WU: 8 X 50m + 15 recovery Odds FC Z2 Evens kick Main: 10 X 50m + 20 recovery Odds as: 1st 25 Z5, 2nd 25 Z2 Evens as: 1st 25 Z2,2nd 25 Z5 100m as 25m back/ 25m breast, Z1 5 x (4 *25m +15 alternating 1-3 as Z5, 4 as Z2) 100m as 25m back/ 25m breast, Z1. 400m Z3 pull Tuesday Run Speed: Wednesday Swim : 2100m total WU: 3 X 200m as 150m FC Z2, 50m back Main: 5 X FC Z3. Thursday Indoor bike Speed: 50 mins Bike: 120 mins Z3 with 2 x 10 mins Z4 Run: 15 mins Z3 Sunday Run 60 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if Main: 24 mins alternating 2 min Z4 1 min Z1 WD: 5 mins Z2 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 6 x (3 mins Z4, 1 min Z5, 2 mins Z1) /wattbike

14 Week 10 Monday Swim Open water. Speed: minutes minute easy 10 x 1 minute very hard, ideally around a buoy with 1 minute recovery minute easy Tuesday Run Speed: Wednesday Swim : 2100m total WU: 300m FC swim Z2 200m FC pull Z2 100m kick Main: 10 X 150m + 20 recovery as 100m FC Z3, 25m FC Z5, 25m back Z1 Thursday Indoor bike Speed: 50 mins Bike: 110 mins as 10 min Z1, 30 min Z2, 30 min Z3, 15 min Z4, 5 min Z2, 10 min Z4, 10 min Z2 Run: 20 mins alternating 5 mins Z4, 5 mins Z2 Sunday Run 60 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if Main: 25 mins alternating 3 min Z4 2 min Z1 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 8 x (1 min Z4, 1 min Z5, 2 mins Z1) 14 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan 03/2016

15 Week m total WU: 10 X 50m + 15 recovery Odds FC Z2 Evens kick Main: 4 x (4 X 25m +15 alternating 1-3 as Z5, 4 as Z2) 12 X 50m + 20 recovery Odds as: 1st 25 Z5, 2nd 25 Z2 Evens as: 1st 25 Z2, 2nd 25 Z5 Tuesday Run Speed: 40 mins Wednesday Swim : 1900m total WU: 2 x 200m as 150m FC Z2, 50m back Main: 5 x recovery FC Z3 Thursday Indoor bike Speed: 40 mins Bike: 75 mins Z3 with 2 x 10 mins Z4 Run: 15 mins as 5 min Z4, 10 min Z3 Sunday Run 30 mins Z2 to Z3 off road and hilly if Main: 20 mins alternating 1 min Z4 1 min Z1 3 X 30 Z5, 30 Z1 recovery Main: 4 x (1 min Z3, 2 mins Z4, 1 min Z5, 2 mins Z1) /wattbike

16 Week 12 (Race Week!) Monday Tuesday Run Leg loosener: 20 mins Wednesday Swim Keeping your feel for the water: 600m total WU: 3 X 200m as 150m FC Z2, 50m back Thursday Bike Spinning the legs: 20 mins Sunday RACE DAY Checking your equipment Bike: 20 mins Z1 Run: 10 mins Z1 Main: 5 x 20 Z5 with 40 walk recovery WD: 5 min Z2 3 X 30 Z4, 30 Z1 recovery 9 mins Z2 16 Lucy Gossage 12 Week Desirable Triathlon Training Plan 03/2016

RG Active 12 Week Olympic Triathlon Plan Page Week OLYMPIC INTERMEDIATE TRIATHLON TRAINING PLAN

RG Active 12 Week Olympic Triathlon Plan Page 1 12 Week OLYMPIC INTERMEDIATE TRIATHLON TRAINING PLAN RG Active 12 Week Olympic Triathlon Plan Page 2 Key Notes The NSPCC has teamed up with RG Active to