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 Ironman racing actually demands because I'm out there doing it. Enjoy the work!

You're not here to finish — you're here to compete. The EN Full Race Prep Advanced Run-Focused plan is 12 weeks of structured, progressive training designed for experienced Ironman athletes who want to use the run as their competitive edge. This plan pushes the running volume and intensity to the level required for age group podium contention, while maintaining the swim and bike fitness to set you up to deliver that marathon on race day. If you're ready to do the work, this plan will get you to the start line at the sharpest you've ever been.

WHO THIS PLAN IS FOR
You're chasing an age group podium, a Kona qualification, or a significant PR at the Ironman distance. You train at a high level, you've completed multiple full-distance races, and you know what it takes to absorb serious training load. You've identified the run as where you gain competitive advantage — either because it's your strongest discipline or because you know the Ironman marathon is where races are truly won and lost. You should have current run pace zones, train with pace or heart rate, and be coming off a structured prep or base phase.

WHAT YOU'LL DO
This plan trains all three disciplines at a high level with running as the clear priority. Swimming is scheduled up to three times per week, with the option to add an active recovery swim on Mondays. Cycling includes three to four rides per week: a weekday threshold interval session, a Saturday long ride that builds race-specific endurance (moving from Z1/Z2 steady state to Z3 and muscular endurance intervals as the plan progresses), and a Sunday ABP (Always Be Pushing) ride. The bike work is structured to deliver you to T2 with the legs to execute the marathon you've trained for.

Running is the centerpiece: five runs per week with a new interval progression specifically designed to target race day performance. Long runs are on Thursday and Sunday — the Thursday long run begins as a split long run and merges into a single, more traditional long run later in the plan. The running prescription in this plan reflects what it actually takes to be competitive on the Ironman marathon — sustained pace under deep fatigue, durability across a high-volume block, and the ability to execute when it counts. Race rehearsals in weeks 15 and 18 let you test your race execution under real fatigue.

Weeks six through eleven are where the magic happens. This is the highest-quality training in the block, and it's where you separate yourself from the competition. Guard these weeks. Manage your recovery, manage your life, and show up ready to execute. Running frequency is non-negotiable — consistency and durability are what carry a competitive Ironman marathon.

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 or paces. 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.