Plan Description: Hey, I'm Patrick McCrann, head coach and founder of Endurance Nation. I've been coaching endurance athletes for close to 20 years, and I've got the race resume to back it up: 30 Ironman finishes, a Big Buckle at Leadville, and a top 10 at Unbound 200. I've coached thousands of athletes through plans just like this one, and I build every block from the same methodology I use with my coached athletes. I know what 70.3 racing actually demands because I'm out there doing it. Enjoy the work!
This is the plan that gets you to the start line ready to race your first 70.3 — or ready to race again after time away. The EN Half Race Prep Beginner Bike-Focused plan is a 12-week block built for athletes who are newer to the distance and want to lean into the bike as their primary lever for race-day performance. At 70.3, the bike is the longest leg and the one where smart athletes bank the most time. This plan makes sure you show up with the cycling fitness to do exactly that.
Who This Plan Is For
You're preparing for your first 70.3 or coming back to the distance after injury or a long break. You have a base of consistent training behind you — ideally you've completed the EN Half Prep plan or a similar build phase. You want a structured, progressive plan that prioritizes cycling without neglecting the swim and run work you'll need on race day. This is a confidence-building plan: the goal is to get you to the finish line strong, not to bury you in volume.
What You'll Do
Over 12 weeks, you'll train across all three disciplines with a cycling emphasis. Swimming is scheduled three times per week, with the option to add an active recovery swim on Mondays if you want more water time. Cycling includes three to four rides per week: a weekday threshold interval session to build sustainable power, a Saturday long ride focused on endurance (some weeks include intervals), and a tempo ride when appropriate. This is where the bike-focused plan earns its name — the cycling volume and intensity are designed to make the bike leg your strength on race day.
Running is scheduled four to six times per week depending on the training week, with long runs on Thursday and Sunday. The Thursday long run starts as a split long run and transitions to a traditional long run in the later weeks. You'll hit race rehearsals in weeks 8 and 10 to practice putting all three disciplines together before race day.
The most valuable weeks of this plan are weeks six through eleven — that's where the real fitness gets built. Look ahead, prepare your schedule, and commit to getting the work done during that window. Maintain your running frequency as best you can throughout, because running durability is what separates a good race from a great one.
What's Included
All structured workouts are built in the TrainingPeaks Structured Workout Builder, so they export directly to Zwift, Garmin, and Wahoo — no guessing at intervals. Each week begins with a coaching note explaining the purpose of that week and what to pay attention to. A Quick Start guide is attached to Day 1 covering how to follow the plan, key terminology, and how to set your training zones.
Have a question before you start?
Email your #1 question to enation.admin@gmail.com and I'll get back to you within 48 hours.
👋 Hey, I'm Patrick McCrann, head coach at Endurance Nation. I've been coaching endurance athletes for 20+ years, and I race the same stuff you do: 30 Ironman finishes, a Big Buckle at Leadville, 5 BQs and a top 10 at Unbound 200. EN has helped 1000s of age-group athletes get faster with the time they actually have. Whether you're following one of our training plans or working with me directly, the approach is the same: smart structure, no junk miles, and coaching that respects your life.