WHAT IS THIS PLAN ABOUT?

This is a TRIATHLON training plan for INTERMEDIATE athletes who are training for SPRINT or STANDARD distance triathlons.

The goal of this plan is to work in the way a triathlon club does to provide training every day of the year, 365 days.

The squad sessions included in this plan are the sessions that the PeteWilbyTriathlOn squad do. If you follow this plan you will perform best in September.

FOLLOWING THIS PLAN:

The training is split into five phases which merge into one another.

Phase One (P1) - The off season runs through November and December (eight weeks) and is designed to make significant gains in strength, muscle mass , control of movement and technique (in all three disciplines). P1 is mainly zones 1 & 2 but there is also one indoor bike and one pool swim session that is high intensity (MAX).

Phase Two (P2) - The preparation phase is to build overall muscular strength and readiness. The activation speed and load increases but only for very short bouts with plenty more training focused on endurance, easy, zones 1 & 2. This phase will help you become physically and mentally ready and prepared for more, hard, aerobic work to come. This phase runs through January ad February (eight weeks).

Phase Three (P3) - The pre-competition phase is 13 weeks (March to May) and designed to increase VO2max and max aerobic velocities in all three disciplines. The gold standard to measure aerobic fitness is by VO2max. In this phase you will become most fit. P3 exposes you to the really hard efforts which work to prepare you mentally for the demands of racing as well as physiologically opening up more capillaries and increasing the density of the mitochondria in the muscles to produce energy.

Phase Four (P4) - The competition phase is focused around the functional threshold. In this phase you replicate race intensity for long intervals. P4 allows you to 'tune in' to proper pacing, replicate race conditions, practice race specific skills and generally tune up ready for the start line. This phase is full of specificity.

Phase Five (P5) - The transition phase is designed to detrain you, gradually reduce your fitness and the amount of training stress. In this phase you regress from all high intensity training and lower the durations of all longer sessions. The goal is to recover the body and reset the mind ready to start focusing on a new off season phase.