140 triathlete-europe.

com | January 2011

 Throughout the 1980s a certain triathlete trained
hard but with incredible monotony. He completed
the same rides and runs on the same routes day
after day after day. The only real variation in his
training was that he tried to go faster and faster
over those same routes as race day drew nearer.
That triathlete was none other than Dave Scott,
and the repetitiveness of his training did not stop
him from winning the Hawaii Ironman six times.

Super Simple
Ironman
Training Plan
Guess what: Ironman training can be
both uncomplicated and effective.
By Matt Fitzgerald

January 2011 | triathlete-europe.com 141

 Simplicity is a virtue in Ironman
training (and in triathlon training
generally) because it minimises the
mental stress of the training process and
makes it easy to chart and track progress.
When youre doing the same types of
workouts over and over, its plain to see
when your performance is improving.
Naturally, there must be some
variation in your Ironman training, but
not as much as many athletes might
believe. First, the overall volume of
training and the duration of the longest
swims, rides and runs must increase as

the plan unfolds. After all, an Ironman is
an extreme endurance test and increasing
training volume and workout duration is
how you build endurance. Second, there
should be some variation in the intensity
of your training, with moderate-intensity,
moderately high-intensity, and high-
intensity workouts regularly performed
in each discipline. This is because
different training intensities build fitness
in different and complementary ways,
so that a multi-intensity programme
builds greater fitness with a smaller
time commitment than an all-moderate-
intensity training plan would. Finally, like
your long, endurance-building workouts,
your higher-intensity workouts should
become increasingly race-specific as you
go along, specifically by demanding that
you sustain relatively high speeds for
longer periods of time.
Heres a 20-week Ironman training
plan based on the principle of simplicity.
Its a relatively low-volume plan that
is appropriate for less experienced
and competitive athletes and for
athletes of any level of experience and
competitiveness who dont have a lot
of time to train. The plan prescribes
three swims, three rides and three runs
(plus one or two short transition runs
in the latter part of the schedule) per
week. Monday is always a rest day and
every fourth week is a reduced-volume
recovery week. There is only a handful
of different types of workouts, each of
which has a simple format and is simple
to execute.

142 triathlete-europe.com | January 2011

 highest intensity level you can
Training sustain through the end of the
Plan Key last interval without bonking.
Recover after each interval
with easy spinning or jogging
Easy ride/run for a duration equal to twice
Ride or run the designated that of the hard interval. Warm
d u r a t i o n a t a s t e a d y, up with at least 10 minutes of
comfortable pace. easy riding or running and cool
down long enough to reach
Endurance ride/run/swim the designated total workout
Ride, run or swim the duration.
designated duration at a
steady, moderate pace. Interval swim
Swim the designated number
Interval ride/run of intervals in the main set
Per form the designated (MS) at the highest speed you
number of intervals at the can sustain through the end
of the last interval without
bonking. Rest on the wall
for 10 seconds after 25- to
75-metre intervals, rest 15
seconds after 100- to 200-
metre intervals, and rest
20 seconds after intervals
longer than 200 metres.
Apportion the remainder of
the prescribed total workout
distance to warm-up and cool-
down metres and to drill, kick
and pull sets.
Swim time trial
Swim the designated time-trial
distance as though it were a
race. Apportion the remainder
of the designated total workout
distance to a warm-up and a
cool-down.
Tempo ride/run
Ride or run the first part of the
total duration at a comfortable
pace. Ride or run the last part
at an effort level that feels
challenging yet still relatively
comfortable.
Transition run
Immediately after you complete
the prescribed bike workout,
put on your running shoes and
run the designated duration at
a comfortable pace.

Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Interval Bike: 40 min. w/ 6 Interval Swim: Endurance

Interval Run:
Easy Run: 6 miles
Week 1

x 20 sec. sprints MS: 4 x 100m (1,000m

40 min. w/ 6 x Endurance
Run: total)
20 sec. relaxed Bike: 25 miles
Interval Swim: MS: 8 x 5 miles Endurance
sprints
25m (1,000m total) Easy Bike: 40 min. Swim: 1,000m

Interval Bike: 40 min. w/ Endurance

Interval Swim: MS: Interval Run:
Easy
Week 2

8 x 20 sec. sprints Run: 7 miles

5 x 100m (1,100m total) 40 min. w/ 8 x Endurance
Run:
20 sec. relaxed Bike: 30 miles
Interval Swim: MS: 10 x 5 miles Endurance
Easy Bike: 45 min. sprints
25m (1,100m total) Swim: 1,250m

Interval Bike: 40 min. w/ Endurance

Interval Swim: MS: Interval Run:
Easy
Week 3

10 x 20 sec. sprints Run: 8 miles

6 x 100m (1,200m total) 45 min. w/ 8 x Endurance
Run:
20 sec. relaxed Bike: 35 miles
Interval Swim: MS: 12 x 5 miles Endurance
Easy Bike: 45 min. sprints
25m (1,200m total) Swim: 1,500m

Interval Bike: 40 min. w/ Endurance

Interval Swim: MS: Interval Run:
Recovery

Easy
Week 4

6 x 20 sec. sprints Run: 6 miles

5 x 100m (1,200m total) 40 min. w/ 6 x Endurance
Run:
20 sec. relaxed Bike: 30 miles
Interval Swim: MS: 10 x 5 miles Endurance
Easy Bike: 45 min. sprints
25m (1,200m total) Swim: 1,200m

Tempo Bike: 45 min. w/ Endurance

Interval Swim: MS:
Easy Interval Run:
Week 5

last 15 min. comfortably hard Run: 9 miles

4 x 150m (1,500m total) Endurance
Run: 40 min. w/ 6 x 1
Bike: 40 miles
Interval Swim: MS: 10 x 5.5 miles min. fast Endurance
Easy Bike: 45 min.
50m (1,500m total) Swim: 1,700m

Endurance
Interval Bike: 45 min. w/ 8 Interval Swim: Run: 10 miles
Tempo Run:
Week 6

x 1 min. fast uphill Easy MS: 4 x 200m (1,600m

45 min. w/ last 15 Endurance
Run: total) Swim Time
min. comfortably Bike: 45 miles
Interval Swim: MS: 8 x 6 miles Trial: MS:
hard
50m, 8 x 25m (1,600m total) Easy Bike: 45 min. 800m time trial
(1,800m total)

Note: Mondays are rest days.

January 2011 | triathlete-europe.com 143

 Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Endurance
Tempo Bike: 50 min. w/ Endurance
Interval Swim: MS: Bike +
Easy Interval Run: Run: 11 miles
Week7

last 20 min. comfortably hard

5 x 150m (1,700m total) Transition
Run: 40 min. w/ 10 x 1
Run: 50 miles
Interval Swim: MS: 12 x 6 miles min. fast uphill Endurance
Easy Bike: 50 min. easy bike + 10-
50m (1,700m total) Swim: 2,100m
min. easy run

Endurance
Interval Bike: 45 min. w/ 6 Run: 8 miles
Interval Swim: MS: Tempo Run:
Recovery
Week 8

x 90 sec. fast Easy

8 x 100m (1,500m total) 45 min. w/ last 15 Endurance
Run: Endurance
min. comfortably Bike: 40 miles
Interval Swim: MS: 16 x 6 miles Swim: MS:
Easy Bike: 45 min. hard
50m (1,500m total) 1,600m steady
(1,800m total)

Tempo Bike + Endurance

Transition Run: 55 min. Interval Swim: Endurance
Bike +
Week 9

bike w/ last 20 min. comfortably Easy MS: 4 x 250m (1,900m Interval Run: Run: 12 miles
Transition
hard + 10-min. easy run Run: total) 45 min. w/ 8 x 2
Run: 55 miles
6 miles min. fast Endurance
easy bike + 10-
Interval Swim: MS: 8 x Easy Bike: 50 min. Swim: 2,400m
min. easy run
75m (1,900m total)

Interval Bike + Endurance

Transition Run: 55 min. Endurance
Interval Swim: MS: Tempo Run: Bike +
Week 10

bike w/ 8 x 2 min. fast + 10-min. Easy Run: 10 miles

6 x 150m (2,100m total) 50 min. w/ last 20 Transition
easy run Run:
min. comfortably Run: 60 miles
6 miles Endurance
Easy Bike: 55 min. hard easy bike + 15-
Interval Swim: MS: 10 x Swim: 2,700m
min. easy run
50m, 10 x 25m (2,100m total)

Tempo Bike + Endurance

Transition Run: 1 hr. bike Interval Swim: Endurance
Bike +
Week 11

w/ last 20 min. comfortably Easy MS: 5 x 200m (2,300m Interval Run: Run: 13 miles
Transition
hard + 10-min. easy run Run: total) 45 min. w/ 8 x 2
Run: 65 miles
6 miles min. fast Endurance
easy bike + 10-
Interval Swim: MS: 10 x Easy Bike: 1 hr. Swim: 3,000m
min. easy run
75m, 10 x 25m (2,300m total)

Interval Bike + Endurance

Transition Run: 50 min. Interval Swim: Endurance
Tempo Run: Bike +
Recovery
Week 12

bike w/ 8 x 1 min. fast + 10-min. Easy MS: 12 x 100m (1,800m Run: 10 miles
40 min. w/ last 12 Transition
easy run Run: total)
min. comfortably Run: 50 miles
6 miles Endurance
hard easy bike + 15-
Interval Swim: MS: 15 x Easy Bike: 50 min. Swim: 2,400m
min. easy run
50m (1,800m total)

Tempo Bike + Endurance

Transition Run: 1 hr. 10 min. Interval Swim: Endurance
Bike +
Week 13

bike w/ last 20 min. comfortably Easy MS: 4 x 300m (2,500m Interval Run: Run: 14 miles
Transition
hard + 10-min. easy run Run: total) 50 min. w/ 10 x 2
Run: 70 miles
6.5 miles min. fast Endurance
easy bike + 10-
Interval Swim: MS: 18 x Easy Bike: 1 hr. Swim: 3,000m
min. easy run
50m (,500m total)

Note: Mondays are rest days.

144 triathlete-europe.com | January 2011

 Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

Interval Bike +
Interval Swim: Endurance
Transition Run: 1 hr. 10 Endurance
MS: 2 x 400m, 4 x 100m Bike +
Week 14

min. bike w/ 10 x 2 min. hard + Easy Tempo Run: Run: 11 miles

(2,600m total) Transition
10-min. easy run Run: 1 hr. w/ last 20 min.
Run: 55 miles
6.5 miles comfortably hard Endurance
Easy Bike: 1 hr. 15 easy bike + 20-
Interval Swim: MS: 8 x Swim: 3,300m
min. min. easy run
100m, 8 x 25 m (2,600m total)

Tempo Bike +
Interval Swim: Endurance
Transition Run: 1 hr. 15 min. Endurance
MS: 4 x 300m, 4 x 100m Bike +
Week 15

bike w/ last 25 min. comfortably Easy Interval Run: Run: 16 miles

(2,800m total) Transition
hard + 10-min. easy run Run: 55 min. w/ 5 x 3
Run: 85 miles
7 miles min. fast Endurance
Easy Bike: 1 hr. 15 easy bike + 10-
Interval Swim: MS: 6 x Swim: 3,800m
min. min. easy run
75m, 6 x 50m (2,800m total)

Endurance
Interval Bike + Endurance Run: 10 miles
Transition Run: 1 hr. bike Interval Swim: Tempo Run: Bike +
Recovery
Week 16

w/ 10 x 2 min. hard + 10-min. Easy MS: 2 x 400m, 4 x 100m

50 min. w/ last 15 Transition Swim Time
easy run Run: (2,300m total)
min. comfortably Run: 50 miles Trial: MS:
6 miles
hard easy bike + 15- 1,650m as fastest
Interval Swim: MS: 16 x Easy Bike: 1 hr.
min. easy run as possible
50m (2,300m total)
(2,400m total)

Tempo Bike +
Interval Swim: Endurance
Transition Run: 1 hr. 20 min. Endurance
MS: 4 x 400m (3,000m Bike +
Week 17

bike w/ last 30 min. comfortably Easy Interval Run: Run: 18 miles

total) Transition
hard + 10-min. easy run Run: 1 hr. w/ 3 x 5 min.
Run: 100 miles
7 miles fast Endurance
Easy Bike: 1 hr. 20 easy bike + 10-
Interval Swim: MS: 10 x Swim: 4,000m
min. min. easy run
100m, 10 x 50m (3,000m total)

Interval Bike +
Transition Run: 1 hr. 20 Interval Swim: Endurance
Easy Run:
min. bike w/ 3 x 5 min. hard + MS: 4 x 300m, 4 x 100m Bike +
Week 18

Easy Tempo Run: 5 miles

10-min. easy run (3,000m total) Transition
Run: 1 hr. w/ last 25 min.
Run: 70 miles
7 miles comfortably hard Endurance
Interval Swim: MS: 8 x Easy Bike: 1 hr. 30 easy bike + 1-hour
Swim: 4,000m
75m, 8 x 50m, 8 x 25m (3,000m min. easy run
total)

Tempo Bike + Endurance

Transition Run: 1 hr. bike Interval Swim: Endurance
Bike +
Week 19

w/ last 20 min. comfortably Easy MS: 4 x 400m (2,600m Interval Run: Run: 10 miles
Transition
hard + 10-min. easy run Run: total) 45 min. w/ 6 x 2
Run: 50 miles
7 miles min. fast Endurance
easy bike + 10-
Interval Swim: MS: 10 x Easy Bike: 1 hr. Swim: 4,000m
min. easy run
100m, 10 x 50m (2,600m total)

Interval Bike: 45 min. w/ 6 Interval Swim:

Week 20

x 1 min. hard Easy MS: 4 x 300m (1,600m

Easy Run: Easy Bike:
Run: total)
30 min. 20 min.
Ironman!
Interval Swim: MS: 10 x 5 miles
50m (2,200m total) Easy Bike: 30 min.
Note: Mondays are rest days.

January 2011 | triathlete-europe.com 145