Long Course Triathlon Event Training (8 weeks)

VO2max intervals to develop your your aerobic capacity.

If you begin this workout and don't feel recovered enough to do it, switch to the default option of either an endurance run at your AeT or an easy recovery run well below your AeT (in Zone 1). If you choose a recovery run, shorten the duration of the workout as needed (e.g., 20-30 minutes).

Focus on keeping cadence between 168-190 steps per minute. If you count single steps, that's 28-30 left foot strikes per 20 seconds or 80-90 per minute.

When finished, hold each of these stretches for 30 seconds each:
1. Wall Bent Knee Calf Stretch
2. Wall Straight Leg Calf Stretch
3. Standing Quadriceps Stretch
4. Standing Forward Bend
5. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
6. Groin Stretch
7. Squat
For instructions, see https://www.alpfitness.com/six-essential-post-run-stretches/

In your post-workout comments, indicate how you felt with a letter grade:

A. Felt amazing; superhuman
B. Felt fairly good; decent workout
C. Felt a bit flat or off (e.g., heavy legs)
D. Had to stop early; didn't have it today
F. Could not train due to illness or fatigue

Write down any factors that may account for your rating above (e.g., took a nap yesterday, motivated by nice weather, had poor night's sleep, working longer hours this week).

VO2max intervals at T-pace - 5 sec to develop your your aerobic capacity.

In your post-workout comments, indicate how you felt with a letter grade:

A. Felt amazing; superhuman
B. Felt fairly good; decent workout
C. Felt a bit flat or off (e.g., heavy legs)
D. Had to stop early; didn't have it today
F. Could not train due to illness or fatigue

Write down any factors that may account for your rating above (e.g., took a nap yesterday, motivated by nice weather, had poor night's sleep, working longer hours this week).

----------------------------
Zones based on T-Pace*
----------------------------
Zone 1 = Very easy
Zone 2 = T-pace + 10 sec
Zone 3 = T-pace + 5 sec
Zone 4 = T-pace
Zone 5a = T-pace
Zone 5b = T-pace – 5 sec
Zone 5c = Maximal effort

*T-pace is your lactate threshold pace.
See https://www.alpfitness.com/how-to-determine-your-swimming-pace-zones/

--------------------------
**The workout builder doesn't have an option for T-pace zones. The"RPE" number is intended to be read as T-pace zone (not RPE).
--------------------------

--------------------------
SEND-OFF TIMES
--------------------------
If you'd like, you can set a "send-off time." This is your target swim time plus rest time. No matter when you arrive at the wall, you begin the next interval when the pace clock hits your next send-off time. For example, if you swim a 100 in 1:15 with a rest interval of 15 seconds, your send-off time would be 1:30.
--------------------------



--------------------------
ALTERNATIVE SETS
--------------------------
100s with 50 easy swim plus 5 seconds rest
200s with 50 easy swim plus 15 seconds rest
300s with 50 easy swim plus 30 seconds rest

Swimming Drills:
https://www.alpfitness.com/tag/swimming-drills/

Easy recovery bike to loosen you up for the key workouts of the week.

Bike at a very comfortable, conversational pace while breathing easily through your nose (no mouth breathing). This will correspond to Zone 1.

Focus on keeping your cadence at 90-110 throughout the ride.

When finished, hold each of these stretches for 30 seconds each:
1. Wall Bent Knee Calf Stretch
2. Wall Straight Leg Calf Stretch
3. Standing Quadriceps Stretch
4. Standing Forward Bend
5. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
6. Groin Stretch
7. Squat
For instructions, see https://www.alpfitness.com/six-essential-post-run-stretches/

In your post-workout comments, indicate how you felt with a letter grade:

A. Felt amazing; superhuman
B. Felt fairly good; decent workout
C. Felt a bit flat or off (e.g., heavy legs)
D. Had to stop early; didn't have it today
F. Could not train due to illness or fatigue

Write down any factors that may account for your rating above (e.g., took a nap yesterday, motivated by nice weather, had poor night's sleep, working longer hours this week).

Do 1-3 sets of 1-4 reps with 3-5 min between sets. Weight should be about 85-90% of one rep max. Do not go to failure, but keep it challenging.

Rotate through the exercises as a circuit. This will allow for the required recovery between sets of a particular exercise while providing for a more efficient and beneficial workout.

Always maintain perfect form with attention to safety. If in doubt on how to do an exercise, consult a trainer in the gym or choose an alternate exercise.

1. Cable twist up-down
2. Dumbbell bench press
3. Dumbbell single leg split squat
4. Pull-ups
5. Power clean

When finished, spend some time stretching. Hold each stretch for 3 minutes.

STRETCHES
a. Seated hamstring stretch
b. Groin stretch
c. Standing Quadriceps Stretch
d. Calf stretch

================
NON-GYM OPTIONS
================
If you don’t have access to a gym, you can do alternative exercises with equipment at home like stretch cords, a TRX, and a stability ball. These options are provided below.

GROUP 1
a. Front/side planks (do sets of 30 seconds)
b. Good morning (use body weight)
c. Single Leg Split Squat (use body weight or water jugs using a bench or stairs)

GROUP 2
a. TRX high row
b. TRX chest press or push-ups*
c. TRX low row
*Push-ups can be done with feet on a stability ball for more resistance

GROUP 3
a. Body squats
b. Hitchiker (prone position with thumbs up)
c. Lateral raises (stand on stretch cord)

For descriptions and demos of alternative non-gym exercises, see https://www.alpfitness.com/category/functional-strength-videos/.

====================
LINKS TO GYM DEMOS
====================

1. https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Obliques/CBUpDownTwist
2. https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/DBBenchPress
3. https://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBSingleLegSplitSquat
4. Pull-ups
5. https://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/PowerClean

STRETCHES
a. https://exrx.net/Stretches/Hamstrings/Seated
b. https://www.exrx.net/Stretches/HipAdductors/LyingGroin
c. https://www.exrx.net/Stretches/Quadriceps/Standing
d. https://exrx.net/Stretches/Gastrocnemius/Wall

Perform 1-3 sets of 8-12 reps (or 30 second intervals) as a circuit—that is, rotating from one exercise to the next. Always perform exercises with perfect form. Add/subtract reps or time as needed to keep it challenging.

Add additional core exercises or make changes to this routine based on your needs and preferences.

For descriptions and demos of exercises, see https://www.alpfitness.com/category/functional-strength-videos/.

1. Superman
2. Front plank
3. Glute bridge
4. Side plank
5. Donkey kicks
6. Lying hip abductions

==================
ADVANCED ROUTINE
==================

1. Superman
2. Front plank with straight leg hip extension
3. Glute bridge
4. Side plank with hip abduction
5. Donkey kicks

VO2max intervals to develop your your aerobic capacity.

When finished, hold each of these stretches for 30 seconds each:
1. Wall Bent Knee Calf Stretch
2. Wall Straight Leg Calf Stretch
3. Standing Quadriceps Stretch
4. Standing Forward Bend
5. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
6. Groin Stretch
7. Squat
For instructions, see https://www.alpfitness.com/six-essential-post-run-stretches/

If you begin this workout and don't feel recovered enough to do it, switch to the default option of either a Z2 endurance bike or Z1 easy bike (shorten duration as needed).

In your post-workout comments, indicate how you felt with a letter grade:

A. Felt amazing; superhuman
B. Felt fairly good; decent workout
C. Felt a bit flat or off (e.g., heavy legs)
D. Had to stop early; didn't have it today
F. Could not train due to illness or fatigue

Write down any factors that may account for your rating above (e.g., took a nap yesterday, motivated by nice weather, had poor night's sleep, working longer hours this week).

Easy recovery run to loosen you up for the key workouts of the week.

Run at a very comfortable, conversational pace while breathing easily through your nose (no mouth breathing). This will correspond to Zone 1.

Focus on keeping cadence between 168-190 steps per minute. If you count single steps, that's 28-30 left foot strikes per 20 seconds or 80-90 per minute.

When finished, hold each of these stretches for 30 seconds each:
1. Wall Bent Knee Calf Stretch
2. Wall Straight Leg Calf Stretch
3. Standing Quadriceps Stretch
4. Standing Forward Bend
5. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
6. Groin Stretch
7. Squat
For instructions, see https://www.alpfitness.com/six-essential-post-run-stretches/

In your post-workout comments, indicate how you felt with a letter grade:

A. Felt amazing; superhuman
B. Felt fairly good; decent workout
C. Felt a bit flat or off (e.g., heavy legs)
D. Had to stop early; didn't have it today
F. Could not train due to illness or fatigue

Write down any factors that may account for your rating above (e.g., took a nap yesterday, motivated by nice weather, had poor night's sleep, working longer hours this week).