A fast bike split won't save a run that falls apart.
Veracruz, Mexico, puts that truth to the test: 1.9 km in the Gulf of Mexico, a flat, two-loop 90 km bike course, then 21.1 km along the waterfront. For the advanced amateur chasing a standout age-group performance, the opportunity isn't simply to go harder. It's to sustain speed, resist costly surges, and still have the legs to compete on the run.
That's why this 36-week Half Distance Triathlon Training Plan starts long before the race-specific intensity. The first 12 weeks establish an aerobic and functional-strength foundation. The following 24 weeks build toward Veracruz with endurance, purposeful high-intensity sessions, and traditional strength work. You're giving your preparation room to develop rather than rushing the process.
The race-specific phase begins at approximately 9.5 hours per week and peaks at 14.5, with three progressive weeks followed by an active-recovery week. It's a demanding program with recovery planned into its architecture, not added as an afterthought.
Swim-technique sessions help you approach the Gulf swim efficiently. On the bike, aerobic mileage, VO2 max intervals, anaerobic threshold work, climbing accelerations, power sprints, and ATP-PC sessions develop different tools in your performance range. Veracruz's relatively flat course makes sustained, controlled effort especially valuable; the ability to produce power is only useful if you spend it wisely. That restraint creates an opportunity to execute the waterfront run instead of surviving it.
Your race strategy deserves the same attention as your fitness. Use the Race Predictor Calculator to estimate a performance range, the Race Pace Strategy Calculator to allocate effort, and the Triathlon Fueling Calculator to prepare nutrition for potentially warm, humid conditions. Personalized email coach support can help you interpret the intensity and progression as the work sharpens.
You already bring ambition and a willingness to train. Give them 36 weeks of direction. The real return comes when the bike ends and you're ready to race the final 21.1 km.
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Every level. Every Training Plan. One simple price: just $6 a week—and the plan is yours to keep and reuse forever. Welcome to the Andiamo²™ family, where your goals, lifestyle, and personal best come first. Based in Austin, Texas, we offer in-person and remote triathlon coaching plus structured training plans that give every workout a clear purpose. Whether you’re preparing for your first race or your next breakthrough, you’ll have experienced guidance every step of the way.