Basic Training Structure for the Triathlon

Video Transcript

"So the first thing we're going to begin with is setting up a year 'round training program. And every athlete needs an off season so you should probably take at the end of your competitive season four to six weeks to relax and train in an unstructured and fun manner for you to do other activities that you may enjoy or things that you don't get a chance to do during the racing season. The next phase is kind of the preparatory phase where you start easing your way back into structured workouts, going on runs that are a little bit longer, start to introduce work in the gym, and that probably will last four to six weeks. And the longest phase of training for most tri-athletes is the base training phase, and that needs to be at least eight weeks. And for athletes training for the iron man that might be 24 weeks of training. And during that time you gradually build mileage and the emphasis is on duration of the activities and not intensity. The next phase is what we call a pre-competitive phase of training, where you raise the intensity and get ready to race, maybe even doing some lower priority races during that time. That's usually going to be at least six weeks of training, at least a six week block of time and perhaps as long as 14 or 16 weeks. And there's the competitive phase of your season where you're emphasizing your races and recovering between those events. And that, depending on your goals might be anywhere from six weeks to 16, 18, 20 weeks long."