Summit Olympic Triathlon Plan (Beginner), by Leighton Wells, PhD (Sport Science)
Summit Olympic Triathlon Plan (Beginner), by Leighton Wells, PhD (Sport Science)
Length
16 Weeks
Plan Description
Go to sample weeks and training-load structure ↓
New to the Olympic distance, or stepping up from a sprint? This is a 16-week build across swim, bike and run that brings you to the start line genuinely ready for the longer day: fit, durable and confident. The Olympic distance rewards patient aerobic endurance, not cramming.
WHAT'S IN EVERY SUMMIT PLAN
Coaching built in, not just a list of workouts.
Targets are set from your own heart rate, so they scale to you, not a generic chart.
Most of your running kept genuinely easy, with a smaller, sharper share of hard work. Endurance research links the fastest marathon and half-marathon times to more easy running, not more hard.
Every interval downloads to your device and guides you in real time.
Plain English, every Monday: what matters most and what to drop when life is loud.
Full, reduced and minimum, so a hard work or family week never derails the plan.
The reasoning behind every session, with every term defined in full.
THE INTENSITY THAT GETS YOU THERE
Most of your training, easy.
A big aerobic base across swim, bike and run, with a smaller, sharper dose of hard work. The distribution behind durable endurance.
Polarised training has the strongest evidence, so these plans are built that way. Pyramidal training is also effective, so in one-to-one coaching the balance is tailored to your stage of training and your life load.
Want to know where your training load sits in the typical age-group triathlon population? It is the focus of my PhD research (the TrainingPeaks Coach Blog I wrote →).
Dr Leighton Wells
PhD · MAppSpSci · TrainingPeaks Level 2 · 7× Ironman finisher · research on 34,731 training sessions
HOW IT IS BUILT
What it is built on
Built the way the Olympic distance should be: a patient, mostly-easy aerobic base across the three sports, the bike carrying the load and the run built protectively, with strength to keep you healthy.
Brick runs off the bike teach your race legs, and a measured dose of race-pace work late in the build rehearses race effort without overreaching.
It opens with an orientation week and a benchmark week (swim, bike and run tests), builds with deloads so the load becomes fitness, peaks about two weeks out and tapers in fresh. It is built to the same standards behind every Summit plan.
THE SUMMIT COACHING CYCLE
Coach yourself the way we would.
This is the rhythm we run in one-to-one coaching, and we encourage you to run it yourself when self-coaching. The plan prescribes the training; you measure, monitor and manage, week to week, and each step feeds the next.
The plan designs each week with intent, built on the method above.
Capture every session, and just as important, how it actually felt.
Watch the trends, your fatigue and your life load, not just one session.
Adjust, progress or back off, then it feeds into the next week.
THE AUTHORITY BEHIND YOUR PLAN
Published in leading sport-science journals.
Teaches coaching, training load and exercise science in university sport-science programs.
For AusTriathlon and TrainingPeaks.
Presented at the ECSS 2025 congress in Rimini, a leading global meeting.
ENDURANCE RESULTS FROM SUMMIT ATHLETES
Real results, from real endurance athletes.
“I reduced my Ironman 70.3 PB by 50 minutes in less than 12 months with Leighton, and he coached me to my first Ironman finish.”
Andrew Hyde · First Ironman finish“Exceptional, personalised service. Leighton provides great insights and really knows what endurance training is all about. I reduced my Ironman 70.3 time by 40 minutes.”
Scott Hunter · Ironman 70.3 athleteBefore you start
You should be able to swim, bike and run a few times a week and be comfortable swimming continuously. The plan opens with an orientation week and a benchmark week that set your zones. Going long after this? The 70.3 Foundation plan is the next step. Swims are written for the pool; treat any open-water session as an optional extra and never swim alone.
FROM PLAN TO COACHING
A plan gives you the structure. Coaching adds the person reading the data.
Buy this plan, and if you later move to one-to-one coaching with Dr Leighton Wells, PhD (Sport Science), MAppSpSci, your first month is free. We pick up from where the plan has taken you, with your training built and adjusted around you, week to week.
Free email support, with every plan
Stuck on a session, or a term in the plan? Email leighton@summittriathloncoaching.com.au and ask. You get a real answer from a real coach, not a help desk.
GO DEEPER
Where your training load sits in the age-group triathlon population: the TrainingPeaks Coach Blog I wrote →
The science behind how I coach: the Summit method →
Delivered through TrainingPeaks and loads into your calendar from your chosen start date. Train to your own limits and seek medical advice before starting a new program.
How it Works
Load Your Plan
Quickly view upcoming workouts in the TrainingPeaks app.
Workout and Analyze
Upload completed workouts from your favorite tracking app or device.
Track Your Progress
Get feedback, stay on top of your training and perform at your best.
Training Plan Sample Week
Stats
Average Weekly Breakdown
| Workouts | Weekly Average | Longest Workout |
|---|---|---|
|
Bike
x3
|
02:54:00 | 01:50:00 |
|
Swim
x2
|
01:22:00 | 00:55:00 |
|
Run
x2
|
01:40:00 | 01:07:00 |
|
Strength
x1
|
00:32:00 | 00:40:00 |
| Workouts Per Week | Weekly Average | Longest Workout | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
02:54:00 | 01:50:00 | |
|
|
01:22:00 | 00:55:00 | |
|
|
01:40:00 | 01:07:00 | |
|
|
00:32:00 | 00:40:00 |
Training Load By Week
- This plan includes a Free Basic TrainingPeaks Account.
- Access your training plan anywhere on the TrainingPeaks mobile and desktop apps.
- Track your performance with robust data tracking and detailed graphs.
- Plan for your event in the TrainingPeaks calendar.
- Track your weight, sleep, hours, fatigue and stress while you train.
- Completed workouts sync with popular apps like Garmin and Wahoo. Learn More
- If plan includes Structured Workouts, then planned workouts sync to compatible devices and guide you through workouts in real time. Learn More
Refund Policy
This plan is protected by our Refund Policy and may, with the author's approval, be exchanged for a plan of equal value from the same author.
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Premium unlocks smarter training with advanced analytics, TrainingPeaks Virtual, and Structured Strength to give you deeper insights and data-backed results.
$107.99 USD for the first year, billed yearly.