Sprint Triathlon Training Plan

8 weeks·sprint·intermediate

FREEEvery week of this plan is free while PlanByWeek is in beta— including PDF, calendar and Garmin export.

ExportPDF CalendarMissed a key session? Mark it and the plan re-balances.

Weeks: 8
Sessions: 68
Peak week: 6h 55; week 7
Long ride: 1h 30; week 6
Taper: 1 wk

BaseBuildCutbackPeakRace

Heart-rate zones use the Karvonen formula from max HR 185 and resting HR 55. Enter yours to recalculate.

Week-by-week training plan
Wk	Focus	Sessions	Volume	Biggest session
01	Base: technique + aerobicLong ride 1 h	9 · 4 key	4h 40	Long ride 1 h
Tue Oct 6 Swim technique + aerobic 20 min 8 × 50 drill/swim 4 × 100 @ 1:52/100 yd, 15 s rest Wed Oct 7 Bike intervals 40 min 10–15 min warm-up 3 × 5 min Zone 3 (146–159 bpm), 3 min easy 10 min easy Thu Oct 8 Swim endurance 20 min continuous or broken 400s @ 1:54/100 yd · bilateral breathing, sighting every 6–8 strokes Thu Oct 8 Run + strides 30 min easy with 6 × 20 s strides Fri Oct 9 Endurance ride 25 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · high cadence, flat route or trainer Fri Oct 9 Easy run 20 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · about 10:25/mi Sat Oct 10 Long ride 60 min Long ride, Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · fuel 60–80 g carbs per hour Sun Oct 11 Swim speed 20 min 10 × 50 @ 1:41/100 yd · wetsuit if racing in one Sun Oct 11 Long run 45 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · flat to rolling route
02	Base: technique + aerobicLong ride 1 h 15 min	9 · 4 key	5h 05	Long ride 1 h 15 min
9 sessions Tue Oct 13 Swim technique + aerobic 25 min 8 × 50 drill/swim 5 × 100 @ 1:52/100 yd, 15 s rest Wed Oct 14 Bike intervals 45 min 10–15 min warm-up 4 × 5 min Zone 3 (146–159 bpm), 3 min easy 10 min easy Thu Oct 15 Swim endurance 20 min continuous or broken 400s @ 1:54/100 yd · bilateral breathing, sighting every 6–8 strokes Thu Oct 15 Run + strides 25 min easy with 6 × 20 s strides Fri Oct 16 Endurance ride 25 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · high cadence, flat route or trainer Fri Oct 16 Easy run 25 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · about 10:25/mi Sat Oct 17 Long ride 75 min Long ride, Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · fuel 60–80 g carbs per hour Sun Oct 18 Swim speed 20 min 10 × 50 @ 1:41/100 yd · wetsuit if racing in one Sun Oct 18 Long run 45 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · flat to rolling route
03	Build: threshold + weekly brickLong ride 1 h 15 min	9 · 5 key	5h 35	Long ride 1 h 15 min
9 sessions Tue Oct 20 Swim CSS intervals 25 min 10 × 100 @ CSS 1:45/100 yd, 10–15 s rest Wed Oct 21 Bike intervals 45 min 10–15 min warm-up 3 × 10 min sweet spot, high Zone 3 to low Zone 4 (159–172 bpm) 10 min easy Thu Oct 22 Swim endurance 25 min continuous or broken 400s @ 1:54/100 yd · bilateral breathing, sighting every 6–8 strokes Thu Oct 22 Run quality 30 min 4 × 5 min @ threshold 7:53/mi, 90 s jog Fri Oct 23 Endurance ride 30 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · high cadence, flat route or trainer Fri Oct 23 Easy run 20 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · about 10:25/mi Sat Oct 24 Brick: long ride + 20 min run 95 min Long ride, Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · fuel 60–80 g carbs per hour 20 min run off the bike · first 5 min at race pace 7:27/mi, then easy Sun Oct 25 Swim speed 25 min 10 × 50 @ 1:41/100 yd · wetsuit if racing in one Sun Oct 25 Long run 40 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · flat to rolling route
04	Recovery weekLong ride 1 h	9 · 2 key	4h 15	Long ride 1 h
9 sessions Tue Oct 27 Easy swim + drills 20 min drills and easy aerobic swimming, no clock Wed Oct 28 Easy spin 35 min 10–15 min warm-up Zone 2 (133–146 bpm), cadence 90+ 10 min easy Thu Oct 29 Swim endurance 20 min continuous or broken 400s @ 1:54/100 yd · bilateral breathing, sighting every 6–8 strokes Thu Oct 29 Easy run 25 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) Fri Oct 30 Endurance ride 20 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · high cadence, flat route or trainer Fri Oct 30 Easy run 20 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · about 10:25/mi Sat Oct 31 Long ride 60 min Long ride, Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · fuel 60–80 g carbs per hour Sun Nov 1 Swim speed 20 min 10 × 50 @ 1:41/100 yd · wetsuit if racing in one Sun Nov 1 Long run 35 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · flat to rolling route
05	Build: threshold + weekly brickLong ride 1 h 15 min	9 · 5 key	5h 55	Long ride 1 h 15 min
9 sessions Tue Nov 3 Swim CSS intervals 25 min 12 × 100 @ CSS 1:45/100 yd, 10–15 s rest Wed Nov 4 Bike intervals 50 min 10–15 min warm-up 3 × 10 min sweet spot, high Zone 3 to low Zone 4 (159–172 bpm) 10 min easy Thu Nov 5 Swim endurance 25 min continuous or broken 400s @ 1:54/100 yd · bilateral breathing, sighting every 6–8 strokes Thu Nov 5 Run quality 30 min 5 × 5 min @ threshold 7:53/mi, 90 s jog Fri Nov 6 Endurance ride 35 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · high cadence, flat route or trainer Fri Nov 6 Easy run 20 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · about 10:25/mi Sat Nov 7 Brick: long ride + 25 min run 100 min Long ride, Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · fuel 60–80 g carbs per hour 25 min run off the bike · first 5 min at race pace 7:27/mi, then easy Sun Nov 8 Swim speed 25 min 10 × 50 @ 1:41/100 yd · wetsuit if racing in one Sun Nov 8 Long run 45 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · flat to rolling route
06	Peak: race-specific bricksLong ride 1 h 30 min	9 · 5 key	6h 30	Long ride 1 h 30 min
9 sessions Tue Nov 10 Swim race-pace sets 30 min 5 × 400 @ 1:48/100 yd, 30 s rest Wed Nov 11 Bike intervals 55 min 10–15 min warm-up 5 × 5 min Zone 4–5 (159–172 bpm and up), 3 min easy 10 min easy Thu Nov 12 Swim endurance 25 min continuous or broken 400s @ 1:54/100 yd · bilateral breathing, sighting every 6–8 strokes Thu Nov 12 Run quality 35 min 4 × 10 min @ race pace 7:27/mi Fri Nov 13 Endurance ride 30 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · high cadence, flat route or trainer Fri Nov 13 Easy run 20 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · about 10:25/mi Sat Nov 14 Brick: long ride + 30 min run 120 min Long ride, Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · middle third at race effort, Zone 3 (146–159 bpm) 30 min run off the bike · first 5 min at race pace 7:27/mi, then easy Sun Nov 15 Swim speed 30 min 10 × 50 @ 1:41/100 yd · wetsuit if racing in one Sun Nov 15 Long run 45 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · last 15 min at race pace 7:27/mi
07	Peak: race-specific bricksLong ride 1 h 30 min	9 · 5 key	6h 55	Long ride 1 h 30 min
9 sessions Tue Nov 17 Swim race-pace sets 30 min 6 × 400 @ 1:48/100 yd, 30 s rest Wed Nov 18 Bike intervals 55 min 10–15 min warm-up 5 × 5 min Zone 4–5 (159–172 bpm and up), 3 min easy 10 min easy Thu Nov 19 Swim endurance 30 min continuous or broken 400s @ 1:54/100 yd · bilateral breathing, sighting every 6–8 strokes Thu Nov 19 Run quality 35 min 4 × 10 min @ race pace 7:27/mi Fri Nov 20 Endurance ride 40 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · high cadence, flat route or trainer Fri Nov 20 Easy run 25 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · about 10:25/mi Sat Nov 21 Brick: long ride + 35 min run 125 min Long ride, Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · middle third at race effort, Zone 3 (146–159 bpm) 35 min run off the bike · first 5 min at race pace 7:27/mi, then easy Sun Nov 22 Swim speed 30 min 10 × 50 @ 1:41/100 yd · wetsuit if racing in one Sun Nov 22 Long run 45 min Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) · last 15 min at race pace 7:27/mi
08	Race weekRace	5 · 1 key	2h 05	Race
5 sessions Tue Nov 24 Swim sharpening 30 min 6 × 50 fast @ 1:41/100 yd 200 easy Wed Nov 25 Bike intervals 40 min 10–15 min warm-up 3 × 3 min at race effort inside an easy spin 10 min easy Thu Nov 26 Swim endurance 30 min continuous or broken 400s @ 1:54/100 yd · bilateral breathing, sighting every 6–8 strokes Thu Nov 26 Run quality 25 min 4 × 3 min @ race pace, 2 min jog Sun Nov 29 Race day: sprint triathlon Swim 750 m · settle at 1:50/100 yd Bike 12 mi · Zone 4 (159–172 bpm) Run 3.1 mi · target 7:27/mi if the bike was controlled

Your paces

Swim CSS: 1:45/100 ydcritical swim speed
Run easy: 10:25/mi
Run threshold: 7:53/mi
Run race pace: 7:27/miopen-run pace; expect 3–8% slower off the bike

Heart-rate zones · Karvonen

Zone 1: 120–133 bpmrecovery
Zone 2: 133–146 bpmaerobic base
Zone 3: 146–159 bpmtempo
Zone 4: 159–172 bpmthreshold
Zone 5: 172–185 bpmVO2max

The numbers

About this plan

This sprint triathlon training plan runs 8 weeks for an intermediate athlete, from 4.7 hours in week 1 to 6.9 hours in week 7. Week 4 is 4.3 h, split about 22% swim, 45% bike and 33% run across 9 sessions. Over the plan that is 23 swims, 22 rides and 22 runs for a 750 m / 20 km / 5 km race.

Zone 2 (133–146 bpm) carries the 1 h 30 min long ride of week 6; Zone 4 (159–172 bpm) is for the sprint triathlon intervals. 23 swims use a 1:45/100 yd critical swim speed; 4 bricks follow long rides.

Recovery weeks: week 4 (4.3 h). The 1 taper week go from 6.9 h to 2.1 h; the 41-hour block ends with run race pace near 7:27/mi.

Week 1, shown in full above, is 4.7 hours: Tuesday — swim technique + aerobic, 20 min; Wednesday — bike intervals, 40 min; Saturday — long ride, 60 min; Sunday — long run, 45 min; plus 5 easier sessions.

The phases run base weeks 1–2 (4.7–5.1 h), build weeks 3–5 (5.6–5.9 h), peak weeks 6–7 (6.5–6.9 h) and race week 8 (2.1 h).

Questions

FAQ

How many hours a week is this sprint triathlon training plan?

4.7 hours in week 1, 4.3 h in week 4, 6.9 hours in week 7; 41 hours in all.

What heart-rate zones does the sprint triathlon training plan use?

Karvonen zones: Zone 2 133–146 bpm for 4.3 h weeks like week 4, Zone 4 159–172 bpm for the 31 key sessions.

How many brick workouts are in the sprint triathlon training plan?

4 bricks across 8 weeks, the longest behind a 1 h 30 min ride.

How long do rides get on the sprint triathlon training plan?

1 h 30 min, in week 6, before a 1-week taper to 2.1 h.

Keep exploring

All triathlon plans