Plan Overview
This 12-week plan prepares you for the specific demands of full distance triathlon — a 3.8km swim, 180km bike, and 42.2km run. Built around Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), every session is guided by how your body actually feels on the day, making this plan accessible regardless of the equipment you have available. The plan guides you through the final stages of your preparation and delivers you to the start line feeling fresh, sharp, and ready to race.
Who This Plan Is For
This plan assumes a solid aerobic foundation already in place. You should be comfortable swimming continuously for 45 minutes, sustaining 3–4 hours on the bike, and running long for at least 90 minutes. If you are not yet at this point, we recommend building through our Sprint or Olympic plans first. Beginning full distance training without adequate base fitness significantly increases your risk of injury, illness, and arriving under-prepared on race day.
What the Plan Covers
Your base and build phases have been established through your 12-month plan. This plan picks up from there, focusing exclusively on the final two phases of preparation:
Competition — race-pace efforts, nutrition and pacing strategy, transition practice, and discipline-specific work targeted at full distance demands. RPE targets keep every session purposeful while allowing you to respond intelligently to how your body is feeling on any given day.
Taper — a carefully managed volume reduction allowing your body to absorb months of training. The taper is not rest — it is a precision tool. Follow it faithfully. Doing too much in the final two weeks is one of the most common race-day mistakes.
These 12 weeks are about converting your fitness into race-readiness. Trust the work, respect the taper, execute with confidence.
Understanding RPE
RPE is a simple but powerful tool that measures exercise intensity on a scale of 1 to 10 — from complete rest at 1 through to maximum effort at 10. Throughout this plan, each session will carry an RPE target that tells you how hard the effort should feel. Learning to tune into your body and match effort to the prescribed RPE is a skill that will serve you well across every discipline on race day, particularly when conditions, fatigue, or nutrition don't go to plan.
Medical Disclaimer
This plan is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Full distance triathlon places significant demands on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Consult a qualified medical professional before beginning this or any high-intensity training programme, particularly if you have pre-existing health conditions. The Tri Project accepts no liability for injury or adverse health outcomes. You train at your own risk. If you experience chest pain, dizziness, or disproportionate breathlessness during training, stop immediately and seek medical attention.
A Final Word
Twelve weeks is enough — but only if you are consistent, honest with your body, and willing to follow the plan rather than your ego. We will see you at the finish line.
Hello! I’m Bex, an endurance coach specialising in triathlon, with over a decade of experience coaching in high performance environments.
During my years at British and Triathlon Scotland I coached multiple athletes and teams to Paralympic and Commonwealth medals. Alongside that I have coached multiple pro and age group athletes to 70.3 and Ironman podiums. My mission is to support endurance athletes to reach their physical potential in sport and enjoy the process along the way.