Kirsten Sweetland’s Olympic distance triathlon training plan
Get that Olympic distance PB with this training plan from Olympian Kirsten Sweetland.
Got your eye on an early season Olympic distance race? Get race ready with a race plan from ITU star and Olympian Kirsten Sweetland. Sweetland’s plan builds on a good base of fitness with race-specific workouts for four weeks leading up to your race, so this plan is for people who already have a regular swim, bike and run mileage in the week and used to performing drill workouts in each of the disciplines.
Check out her popular sprint distance training plan here.
Week 1
Monday
Swim – endurance
4km as
600 as 150 fr/50 bk
400 drill/swim by 50m
200 kick/swim by 50m
800m steady
4×100 fast/easy by 50m
600 steady
3×100 fast/easy by 50m
400 steady
4×100 fast/easy by 50m
Bike – strength
90min-2hrs with 6x5min big gear on low gradient hill
Tuesday
Run – quality
1hr with 2min fast then settle in to 8min steady. Repeat 2-3 times.
Swim-
2km easy choice including 500m easy kick
Wednesday
Bike- Indoor Quality
90min with 10x 3min at 40km race effort with 2min easy between
Run- Optional
30min jog
Thursday-
Swim- Speed
3km as
1000 SKIDS (200 swim, 200, kick, 200 IM, 200 drill, 200 swim)
2x (4×50 fast, 200 race pace, 200 easy)
600 pull steady
200 easy
Run- Quality
1hr Fartlek
3x (3min, 2min, 1min race pace with 1’ steady between)
Friday
Rest Day
1hr active recovery IE yoga, hike etc
Saturday
Bike
Long ride 2.5-3hrs steady with rolling hills.
Sunday
Run- Long
1:15-1:30 easy over rolling hills.
Swim- Optional 2km choice
Week 2
Monday
Swim- Endurance
4km as 1000 SKIDS
2x( 2×200 short rest interval 600 strong pace)
(Short rest is challenging to make within 5-10 seconds rest)
6×50 dr/sw
6×50 kick
200 easy
Bike-
90min-2hrs
6x5min on a low gradient hill
#1- 3x (30 second sprint, 90 second steady)
#2- 50-70 rpm big gear
#3- Race Pace
Repeat 1,2,3
Tuesday
Run- Quality
1hr with
2x ( 90sec fast/ 90sec easy)
4x (60sec fast/ 60sec easy)
4x (30sec fast/ 30sec easy)
4x (15sec fast/15sec easy)
Swim
Easy choice 2-3km including 500m easy kick
Wednesday
Bike- Indoor Quality
90min as
20min warm up
5x1min High Cadence/ 1min easy
3x 10min tempo (just below race pace) 30sec standing effort every 2min with 5min
recovery between
15min easy
Thursday
Swim- Speed
3km as
600 as 150 free/50back
200 kick
16×50 as 3 fast/1 easy on an interval that gives you about 5-10sec rest
12×50 as 2 fast/1 easy on and interval that gives you about 15sec rest
8×50 as 1 fast/ 1 easy on an interval that gives you about 20sec rest
4×50 FAST 30 sec rest
200 easy
Run- Treadmill or Outside
1hr with 12x90sec above race pace with 30sec easy. If on treadmill stand on side for
30sec.
Friday
Rest
1hr active recovery
Saturday
Bike- Endurance
3hrs easy/steady over rolling hills
Sunday
Run- Endurance
1:15-1:30 easy over rolling hills
Week 3: Recovery
Monday
Swim- Easy
2km choice easy with drills
Bike-
60-90min spin
Tuesday
Run
45min easy with 10x30sec floaty strides
Wednesday
Bike
60min easy with 5x1min high cadence
Thursday
Swim
3km easy with 8×50 25 fast/25 easy
Run- 45min easy
Friday
OFF
Saturday
Bike
2hrs easy over hills
Sunday
Run
1hr- 1:15 easy
Week 4
Monday
Swim- Endurance
4km as
1000 SKIDS
16×100 as 4x( 4×100 short rest (5sec) 100 easy 20sec rest)
2x (4×50 drill, 400 pull)
200 easy
Bike- Strength
90min-2hrs including
6x6min hills
#1- 2x(30sec fast, 2:30 steady)
#2- 50-70 rpm big gear
#3- Build
#4- 50-70 rpm big gear
#5- 3x(15sec sprint, 1:45 steady)
#6- Best Effort
Tuesday
Run- Quality
1hr with 8km as
1km at 1/2 marathon pace/ 1km at 10km pace
Swim-
3km as
600 as 150 free/50 back
400 drill/swim by 50m
200 kick
2x (400 pull, 4×25 sprint, 100 back/free)
200 mix
Wednesday
Bike- Indoor Quality
90min as
20min warm up
Cadence pyramid as
1’ @ 100rpm
1’ @ 110rpm
1’ @ 120rpm
1’ @ 130rpm
1’ @ 120rpm
1’ @ 110rpm
1’ @ 100rpm
5min easy
4x (1min sprint, 1min easy, 5min hard, 2min easy)
10min 50-70rpm
12min easy
Run
30min Jog
Thursday
Swim
4km as
1000 SKIDS
4×50 drill
4×50 25 fast/25 easy
12x150m as 3 short rest 10sec, 1 with 30sec rest
600 pull
200 easy
Run- Quality
1hr with 20min as 30sec @ 10km pace, 30sec @5km pace
Friday
Rest Day
1hr active recovery
Saturday
Bike- Endurance
3 hours with 3x10min Steady with 5min recovery
Sunday
Run- Endurance
90min easy over rolling hills