You’ve signed up. The entry fee is paid. The date is circled. And now the question every first-time 70.3 athlete faces: how do I actually prepare for this thing?

This is the most complete free 20-week 70.3 training plan on the internet. No paywall. No “premium access” required. Every single workout, every recovery week, every brick session — laid out week by week, with the nutrition, gear, pacing, and mental frameworks that most other sites either hide behind a subscription or simply don’t include.

Swim 1.2 miles. Bike 56 miles. Run 13.1 miles. Brag for the rest of your life. Let’s get you there.

20
Total training weeks
9–12
Hours per week at peak
5
Recovery weeks built in
100%
Free — no paywall

1. Plan Overview — What to Expect

This plan is built for first-time 70.3 athletes whose primary goal is to cross the finish line feeling strong — not just survive it. It follows a proven periodization structure used by professional coaches:

  • Weeks 1–8: Base Phase — Build aerobic capacity, technique, and injury resilience
  • Weeks 9–14: Build Phase — Increase intensity with threshold and race-pace training
  • Weeks 15–18: Peak Phase — Race-specific long efforts and brick sessions
  • Weeks 19–20: Taper — Shed fatigue, sharpen fitness, arrive race-ready

Training volume starts at roughly 5–6 hours per week and peaks at 9–12 hours in weeks 15–17. Every 4th week is a recovery week with reduced volume. Two optional tune-up races are scheduled — a sprint triathlon around Week 10 and an Olympic distance around Week 14.

Important: This plan is a framework, not a rigid script. Life happens. If you miss a session, don’t try to make it up. If you miss an entire week, resume where you left off. Consistency over months matters infinitely more than any single workout.

2. Are You Ready? Prerequisites Checklist

Before starting this plan, you should be able to comfortably check these boxes. If you can’t, spend 4–6 weeks building up to them first.

🏊 Swim
  • Swim 400m continuously without stopping
  • Comfortable in open water (or willing to train there)
  • Basic freestyle technique in place
🚴 Bike
  • Comfortably ride 30+ miles outdoors
  • Able to ride 2+ hours without major discomfort
  • Bike fit completed or scheduled
🏃 Run
  • Run 30 minutes continuously
  • Long run of 5+ miles in recent weeks
  • No current running injuries
📅 Schedule
  • 6–8 hours per week available in early weeks
  • Weekend mornings free for long sessions
  • Race date 20+ weeks away

3. Training Zones — What the Labels Mean

Every session in this plan is assigned an intensity zone. Heart rate zones are the most reliable method — get a chest strap if possible. RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion on a 1–10 scale) works if you don’t have a HR monitor.

Z1
Recovery
Very easy. Conversational. RPE 2–3. <65% max HR.
Z2
Aerobic
Comfortable. Full sentences. RPE 4–5. 65–75% max HR.
Z3
Tempo
Comfortably hard. Short sentences. RPE 6–7. 75–85%.
Z4
Threshold
Hard. 1–2 words only. RPE 7–8. 85–92% max HR.
Z5
VO₂ Max
Very hard. Can’t speak. RPE 9–10. >92% max HR.

Your 70.3 race pace will be approximately Zone 3 on the bike and Zone 3–4 on the run. At least 80% of your total training volume should be at Zone 1–2. This is the evidence-backed “80/20 rule” used by the world’s best endurance coaches.

Base Phase

Weeks 1–8 — Building Your Engine

Focus: Aerobic base, technique, durability. Low intensity, rising volume. Every 4th week is a recovery week.

The base phase is where most athletes go wrong — they train too hard, too soon. Resist the urge. These 8 weeks are about building the aerobic infrastructure that everything else sits on. Zone 2 should feel almost embarrassingly easy. That’s correct.

Week 1 Foundation — Getting Your Legs Under You ~5h 30min
Mon
Rest Full rest. Monday is always your recovery anchor throughout this plan.
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,500m WU 300m easy · MS: 8×100m Z2 (15s rest) · CD 300m easy 🏃 Run 30min Z2 Easy aerobic pace. Focus on relaxed form. Don’t check your pace — go by feel.
Wed
🚴 Bike 45min Z2 Steady aerobic effort on the trainer or road. Target cadence 85–95rpm. Keep HR solidly in Z2.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,200m WU 200m · MS: 6×100m alternating drill + swim (20s rest) · CD 200m 🏃 Run 25min Z2 Shake-out run. Legs may feel heavy from Tuesday. That’s normal — keep it easy.
Fri
Rest or light stretching Prepare mentally and physically for Saturday’s longer ride. Hydrate well tonight.
Sat
🚴 Long Ride 1h15min Z2 Steady aerobic ride. Keep HR in Z2 throughout. Practice taking on nutrition every 45min — this is a habit you’re building for race day.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 45min Z2 Easy pace. This should feel comfortable. No ego today — the purpose is time on feet, not speed.
Swim
~3,500m
Bike
~2h
Run
~1h 40min
Week 2 Adding Brick Work — Your First Bike-Run Combo ~6h
Mon
Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,700m WU 300m · MS: 10×100m Z2 (15s rest) · CD 400m easy 🏃 Run 30min Z2 Steady aerobic run. Start your warm-up walk for 2 minutes before your run.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h Z2 with Tempo Touches WU 15min Z2 · Include 3×5min at Z3 (tempo) with 5min Z2 recovery between · CD 15min Z2. This is your first taste of intensity — keep the effort honest but controlled.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,500m Technique focus: catch-up drill, fingertip drag, high-elbow catch. No rush. 🏃 Run 30min Z2 Easy aerobic run. Notice how your body responds to back-to-back swim and run.
Fri
Rest
Sat
🔥 Brick: Bike 1h15 + Run 15min Bike at Z2 throughout. The moment you dismount, rack your bike and immediately start running for 15 minutes at Z2. The goal isn’t pace — it’s learning what your legs feel like after cycling. Practice T2: rack bike, swap shoes, go. This sensation is called “brick legs” and it fades with training.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 50min Z2 Easy and conversational. Focus on smooth, relaxed running mechanics.
Swim
~4,200m
Bike
~2h 15min
Run
~1h 55min
Week 3 Building Confidence — Longest Efforts Yet ~6h 45min
Mon
Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 2,000m WU 400m · MS: 5×200m Z2 (20s rest) + 5×100m Z3 (20s rest) · CD 300m. First time mixing Z2 and Z3 in the pool — Z3 should feel like purposeful effort, not maximal. 🏃 Run 35min Z2 Easy run. Don’t let the swim fatigue push your run harder — stay in Zone 2.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h15 Z2 Steady aerobic ride. Focus on smooth pedal stroke and consistent cadence throughout. Drink every 20 minutes.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,700m — Open Water if Possible If you have access to open water, use it. Practice sighting every 6 strokes: lift your head, spot a landmark, return your face to the water. In a pool: sighting drill — swim 4 strokes then head-up sight, repeat. 🏃 Run 35min Z2
Fri
Rest or 20min easy walk Light movement is fine. Stay off your feet for any long periods today.
Sat
🚴 Long Ride 2h Z2 Your longest ride to date. This is a milestone. Fuel every 45 minutes — eat before you feel hungry. Bring more water than you think you need. If you start to feel empty, that’s too late. Practice your race day nutrition strategy today.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h Z2 Keep it genuinely easy — the purpose is time on feet off accumulated weekly fatigue. Walk 60 seconds every 15 minutes if needed.
Swim
~4,900m
Bike
~2h 45min
Run
~2h 25min
Week 4 ⚡ Recovery Week — Absorb & Adapt ~4h 30min
Mon
Full Rest Do nothing. You’ve earned it. Your body is adapting right now.
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,500m Z1 Easy All easy. Technique only. No intensity. Think of it as active recovery — you’re flushing the legs, not building fitness.
Wed
🚴 Bike 45min Z1–Z2 Spin easy. Just turn the legs and enjoy it. 🏃 Run 25min Z1 Very easy jog. If you feel the urge to push, resist it. Recovery weeks only work if you actually recover.
Thu
Rest or Light Yoga / Stretching Hip flexors, hamstrings, shoulders. 20–30 minutes of intentional mobility work.
Fri
🏊 Swim 1,200m Easy Z1 Short and easy. Focus on feel for the water.
Sat
🚴 Ride 1h15 Z2 Easy aerobic ride. No intensity. Enjoy the scenery.
Sun
🏃 Run 40min Z1–Z2 Easy, relaxed run. By the end of this week you should feel fresher than Week 3. That’s the adaptation working.
Swim
~2,700m
Bike
~2h
Run
~1h 5min
Week 5 Back to Business — Open Water & First Real Brick ~7h
Mon
Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,900m WU 400m · MS: 5×200m Z2 (20s rest) + 4×100m Z3 (15s rest) · CD 300m. Notice how your body feels back at normal training load after the recovery week. 🏃 Run 30min Z2 Steady aerobic run. You should feel noticeably fresher than at the end of Week 3.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h15 with Tempo Intervals WU 15min Z2 · MS: 3×8min at Z3 (5min Z2 recovery between) · CD 15min Z2. Your first proper tempo bike session — the Z3 efforts should feel purposeful but controlled, like you could hold this for 20 minutes if you had to.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,700m — Open Water Recommended If you have a lake, reservoir, or ocean nearby — use it today. Practice without lane lines. Sight every 6–8 strokes to a fixed landmark. Swim with a buddy for safety. If pool only: do sighting drills every 4th length. 🏃 Run 30min Z2
Fri
Rest
Sat
🚴 Long Ride 2h15min Z2 Steady aerobic ride. This is your longest ride yet — 15 minutes longer than Week 3’s long effort. The goal remains Z2 throughout. Fuel every 40–45 minutes. If you have a cycling computer, check your average HR at the end to confirm you stayed in zone.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h10min Z2 Easy. Walk 60 seconds every 15 minutes if needed. These long Sunday runs off Saturday’s long ride train your legs to handle the cumulative fatigue of a full race day.
Swim
~5,500m
Bike
~3h 15min
Run
~2h 30min
Week 6 Brick Focus — Bike-Run Transitions Getting Longer ~7h 30min
Mon
Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 2,000m WU 400m · MS: 6×200m at Z2–Z3 alternating (20s rest) · CD 400m. The alternating pace teaches your body to shift gears — useful for open water racing. 🏃 Tempo Run 35min WU 10min Z2 · MS: 15min at comfortable Z3 · CD 10min Z2. First proper tempo run of the plan. Keep the tempo section conversational-hard — you shouldn’t be able to speak in full sentences, but you’re not sprinting.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h15 — Tempo Intervals WU 15min Z2 · MS: 3×10min Z3 (7min Z2 recovery between) · CD 15min Z2. Slightly longer tempo intervals than last week — you should feel the fitness improvement from your base work.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,800m Mixed pace: WU 300m · 4×150m at tempo Z3 (20s rest) · 4×100m easy Z2 (15s rest) · CD 300m 🏃 Run 30min Z2 Easy recovery run. Shake out the legs after Wednesday’s bike.
Fri
Rest
Sat
🔥 Brick: Bike 1h45 + Run 20min Bike at Z2 throughout the 1h45. The moment you finish, transition immediately and run 20 minutes at Z2–Z3. Your brick legs will feel more familiar now than Week 2. Time your T2 transition — you’re building race-day habits. Fuel during the bike exactly as you plan to on race day.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h20min Z2 Easy run off Saturday’s brick. Some leg fatigue is expected — that’s training. If it feels too heavy, take 2 minutes walking every 10 minutes of running.
Swim
~6,000m
Bike
~3h 30min
Run
~2h 45min
Week 7 Peak Base Week — Your Longest Base Efforts ~8h 30min
Mon
Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 2,200m WU 400m · MS: 3×400m Z2 (30s rest) + 4×100m Z3 (15s rest) · CD 400m. The 400m efforts at Z2 build your open water pace — this is closer to actual race distance per effort. 🏃 Tempo Run 40min WU 10min Z2 · MS: 20min at comfortable Z3 (race-pace feel) · CD 10min Z2. You’re now doing 20 full minutes at tempo pace — this is a real workout. Stay controlled.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h30 — Sustained Tempo WU 20min Z2 · MS: 2×15min Z3 (10min Z2 between) · CD 20min Z2. The two 15-minute tempo blocks are significant. Keep your cadence high (90+ rpm) during the tempo efforts.
Thu
🏊 Swim 2,000m — Open Water Strongly Recommended By now, you should be getting comfortable sighting and swimming without lane lines. If pool: 10×200m alternating drill and swim at Z2. 🏃 Run 35min Z2
Fri
Rest or 25min light stretching / yoga This is your pre-long-weekend rest. Prioritize sleep tonight — aim for 8+ hours before Saturday’s big ride.
Sat
🚴 Long Ride 2h45min Z2 Your biggest ride yet. Keep your HR solidly in Z2 even on hills — if a hill pushes you to Z3, let your speed drop rather than chasing the zone. This teaches pacing discipline for race day. Fuel every 40 minutes. Drink to thirst. This session should feel manageable, not brutal.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h25min Z2 Easy and intentional. You’re building serious run durability now. Walk 60–90 seconds every 20 minutes if needed. Legs will be tired — that’s the point. Arriving at race day with this base underneath you is everything.
Swim
~6,500m
Bike
~4h 15min
Run
~3h
Week 8 ⚡ Recovery Week — Base Phase Complete ~4h 45min
Mon
Full Rest You’ve completed the base phase. Your aerobic engine is built. Rest fully today.
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,500m Easy Z1 All easy. Slow, deliberate technique work. No intensity at all.
Wed
🚴 Bike 50min Z1–Z2 Easy spin. No intervals, no intensity. Just move. 🏃 Run 25min Z1 Very easy jog. Almost walking pace is fine.
Thu
Rest or Yoga Focus on hip flexors, thoracic spine, and ankle mobility — all areas that tighten up from triathlon training.
Fri
🏊 Swim 1,200m Easy Z1 Short and easy. Just keep a feel for the water before the build phase begins.
Sat
🚴 Ride 1h20 Z2 Easy aerobic ride. No intensity. You should feel fresh and ready to start the build phase next week.
Sun
🏃 Run 40min Z1–Z2 Easy, relaxed run. By now you’ve built a real base. Next week, we turn up the dial.
Swim
~2,700m
Bike
~2h 10min
Run
~1h 5min
Build Phase

Weeks 9–14 — Adding Intensity & Race Specificity

Focus: Threshold training, lactate tolerance, race-pace exposure. Volume stays high, quality increases sharply.

The build phase is where you stop just surviving workouts and start training to race. Threshold intervals, tempo runs, and longer brick sessions become the weekly anchor points. An optional sprint triathlon fits naturally around Week 10 as a dress rehearsal.

Week 9 Build Begins — First Threshold Work ~7h 30min
Mon
Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 2,200m — Threshold Sets WU 400m easy · MS: 4×400m at Z3 (30s rest) · CD 400m easy. The 400m sets at Z3 are your bread-and-butter build-phase swim sessions. Keep each rep consistent — your last rep should be as strong as your first. 🏃 Tempo Run 35min WU 10min Z2 · MS: 15min at Z3 · CD 10min Z2. Same structure as Week 6 — but you should feel stronger and more controlled at Z3 pace now.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h15 — Threshold Intervals WU 20min Z2 · MS: 2×15min at Z3–Z4 threshold effort (10min Z2 between) · CD 20min Z2. These are harder than your base phase tempo intervals — you should feel like you’re working at 80–85% of your max. Hold the effort steady, don’t fade in the second half.
Thu
🏊 Swim 2,000m Mixed Pace WU 300m · MS: 6×200m (alternating Z2 and Z3 every rep, 20s rest) · 4×50m fast (15s rest) · CD 300m 🏃 Easy Run 30min Z2 Flush the legs from Wednesday. Stay easy — the quality comes Tuesday.
Fri
Rest or 20min yoga
Sat
🔥 Long Brick: Bike 2h30 + Run 25min Bike Z2 for 2h30, making the final 30 minutes at race-pace Z3 effort. Immediately transition and run 25 minutes at Z3–Z4 (race run pace). This is your first real race-simulation effort. Use exactly the nutrition you plan to use on race day. Time your T2. Practice grabbing your race belt while walking.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h15 Z2 Easy recovery run from yesterday. Running off accumulated fatigue is race-specific training — this is exactly what your legs will feel like at mile 3 of your half marathon after the bike. Embrace it.
Swim
~6,200m
Bike
~4h
Run
~3h 5min
Week 10 🏁 Optional Sprint Triathlon Tune-Up Race ~6h + race
Mon
Full Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,800m — Easy to Moderate WU 400m · MS: 4×200m Z2 (20s rest) + 4×50m strong (15s rest) · CD 400m. Short race-prep swim — the sprints wake up your fast-twitch without accumulating fatigue. 🏃 Run 30min Z2
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h — Easy with Race-Pace Surges WU 20min Z2 · 4×5min at Z3 race pace (5min Z2 between) · CD 20min Z2. Keep the legs sharp without accumulating fatigue before the weekend race.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,200m Very Easy Just loosen up. Optional. 🏃 Run 20min Easy Z1 Shakeout. Keep it light — nothing that creates fatigue.
Fri
Rest — Race Registration & Logistics Collect your race kit. Rack your bike if pre-race racking is required. Set up your transition area mentally. Pack your transition bag the night before. Eat a solid, familiar dinner — nothing new.
Sat
🏁 Sprint Triathlon — Race Hard Treat this as a quality training day in race conditions, not an A-race. Push the swim and bike hard. Race the run at full effort. Learn: your open water start, how to navigate T1 and T2, what fueling feels like at race pace, how your kit performs. Every sprint triathlon you do makes your 70.3 less intimidating.
Sun
🚴 Easy Ride 1h Z1–Z2 Active recovery from race day. Flush the legs. Reflect on what you learned — transition efficiency, pacing, nutrition. These are lessons for your 70.3. 🏃 Easy Run 25min Z1
Swim
~3,000m + race
Bike
~2h + race
Run
~1h 15min + race
Week 11 Big Build Week — Longest Brick Yet ~8h 30min
Mon
Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 2,400m — Threshold Sets WU 500m · MS: 5×400m at Z3 (30s rest) · CD 400m. Five sets of 400m at threshold pace is a serious pool session. Aim for consistent splits across all five reps. 🏃 Tempo Run 40min WU 10min Z2 · MS: 20min at Z3 (race pace feel) · CD 10min Z2. Your tempo blocks are getting longer — this is good.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h30 — Two Threshold Blocks WU 20min Z2 · MS: 2×20min at Z3–Z4 threshold (10min Z2 between) · CD 20min Z2. Two 20-minute threshold efforts is a landmark bike session. Don’t go too hard in the first rep — your second rep should be equal in pace or stronger than your first.
Thu
🏊 Swim 2,000m Mixed WU 400m · MS: 8×200m (alternating drills Z1 and hard Z3 each set, 20s rest) · CD 400m 🏃 Easy Run 35min Z2
Fri
💪 Core & Strength 30min Glute bridges, single-leg deadlifts, planks, hip flexor stretching, shoulder stability work. Triathlon-specific strength — no heavy lifting.
Sat
🔥 Long Brick: Bike 3h + Run 30min Bike at Z2 for first 2h, then Z3 for final 1h. Immediately transition and run 30 minutes at Z3 (race run pace). This is your biggest training effort yet. Your nutrition protocol needs to be dialed in: gel or bar every 30 minutes on the bike, drink every 20 minutes, take a gel in T2 before the run. This is also when you identify any kit discomfort — chafing, saddle issues — so you have time to fix it before race day.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h30 Z2 Easy. Your legs will be heavy after Saturday’s brick. Walk breaks are not weakness — they are smart pacing. These Sunday runs are the engine room of your run fitness off the bike.
Swim
~7,000m
Bike
~4h 30min
Run
~3h 15min
Week 12 ⚡ Recovery Week — Midway Through the Plan ~5h
Mon
Full Rest You are halfway through your 70.3 journey. Rest fully and reflect on how far your fitness has come since Week 1.
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,500m Easy Z1 All easy. Focus on long, smooth strokes. No intensity. 🏃 Run 25min Very Easy Z1
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h Z2 Easy aerobic spin. Absolutely no intensity. Enjoy the movement.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,200m Easy Z1 Short and restorative. Technique focus only.
Fri
Rest or Light Yoga This is the week your body goes from fatigued to fast. You will come out of this recovery week feeling noticeably stronger. Trust the process.
Sat
🚴 Bike 1h15 Z2 Easy aerobic ride. No intensity. Legs should feel fresher than last week. 🏃 Run 20min Easy Z2
Sun
🏃 Run 40min Easy Z2 Easy and enjoyable. You should finish this run feeling like you could have done more — that’s exactly where you want to be heading into Week 13.
Swim
~2,700m
Bike
~2h 15min
Run
~1h 25min
Week 13 Highest Build Intensity — Peak Threshold Training ~9h 30min
Mon
Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 2,800m — Race-Pace Sets WU 500m · MS: 3×600m at Z3 (45s rest) + 4×100m fast Z4 (20s rest) · CD 500m. The 600m sets are your longest sustained swim intervals in the plan. They simulate the effort of a continuous open water swim. The 100m fast efforts add speed at the end — just like a race finish. 🏃 Tempo Run 45min WU 10min Z2 · MS: 3×8min at Z3–Z4 (3min Z2 jog between) · CD 10min Z2. Interval format now — harder efforts with recovery between. This is race-pace training.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h45 — Three Threshold Blocks WU 20min Z2 · MS: 3×15min at Z3–Z4 threshold (8min Z2 between) · CD 20min Z2. Three sets of 15 minutes at threshold is your most demanding bike session yet. The third set will be hard — that’s the adaptation stimulus. Stay consistent — don’t fade on the last set.
Thu
🏊 Swim 2,200m — Open Water Open water session — practice drafting behind another swimmer, mass-start positioning, and sustained effort without walls to push off. These skills are worth minutes on race day. 🏃 Easy Run 35min Z2
Fri
💪 Core & Strength 30min Same routine as Week 11. Consistency in strength work builds the injury resilience to survive your biggest training weeks ahead.
Sat
🔥 Long Brick: Bike 3h15 + Run 35min Bike: Z2 for 2h, Z3 for 1h, Z3–Z4 for final 15 minutes. Immediate transition and run 35 minutes at Z3 race pace. This is your most race-specific session to date. Your legs will feel the full weight of 13 weeks of training — and they should still carry you through. Use exactly your planned race nutrition. Practice the run mental game: when it gets hard at minute 20, remind yourself this is the dark patch, and it passes.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h40 Z2 Easy. The longest Sunday run in this plan. Your longest long run is not about pace — it’s about time on feet and building the mental fortitude to keep moving when your body says it’s done. Walk breaks are part of the protocol today.
Swim
~7,500m
Bike
~5h
Run
~3h 30min
Week 14 🏁 Optional Olympic Triathlon — Full Race Rehearsal ~7h + race
Mon
Full Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,800m — Easy with Race-Prep Efforts WU 400m · MS: 4×200m Z2 (20s rest) + 4×50m strong (15s rest) · CD 400m. Keep the body sharp without accumulating fatigue before the weekend race. 🏃 Run 30min Easy Z2
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h — Easy with Race-Pace Feels WU 20min · 3×5min at race pace Z3 (5min Z2 between) · CD 20min. Light pre-race sharpener — just enough to remind your legs what fast feels like.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,000m Very Easy Shakeout. 15 minutes of easy swimming — no effort. 🏃 Run 20min Easy Z1
Fri
Rest — Race Eve Preparation Lay out all race gear. Prepare transition bag. Eat your practiced pre-race dinner. Set alarms. Visualize your race start, transitions, and how you’ll feel in the final stretch of the run.
Sat
🏁 Olympic Triathlon — Race at Full Effort This is your most important training event before race day. Race it hard and race it smart. Practice every element of your 70.3 race-day strategy: pre-race breakfast, warm-up routine, T1 and T2 mechanics, nutrition timing on the bike, run pacing, mental management. Analyze what worked and what needs to change for your 70.3.
Sun
🚴 Easy Ride 1h Z1 Active recovery. Gentle spin to flush race-day legs. 🏃 Easy Run 20min Z1 Very easy. This week’s job is done — you’ve just completed your most race-specific training week yet.
Swim
~2,800m + race
Bike
~2h + race
Run
~1h 10min + race
Peak Phase

Weeks 15–18 — Your Biggest Training Weeks

Focus: Race-distance simulation, confidence-building, peak fitness. This is where the race is won in training.

This is the block that separates confident finishers from survivors. Your longest swims, rides, and runs happen here. The brick sessions reach race-distance proportions. Week 16 is a critical recovery week — do not skip it or reduce it further.

Week 15 Peak Week 1 — Race Simulations Begin ~10h 30min
Mon
Full Rest
Tue
🏊 Swim 3,000m — Race-Pace Sustained Efforts WU 600m · MS: 3×600m at Z3 race pace (45s rest) + 6×50m sprint Z4 (20s rest) · CD 600m. The 600m sets are your race-simulation engine. Focus on pacing them evenly — don’t go out fast. Your sprints at the end build finishing speed. 🏃 Tempo Run 45min WU 10min Z2 · MS: 25min at Z3 race pace · CD 10min Z2. Twenty-five continuous minutes at race pace. This is the longest tempo block of the plan.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h30 — Race Pace Blocks WU 20min Z2 · MS: 3×20min at Z3 race pace (10min Z2 between) · CD 20min Z2. Three 20-minute race-pace blocks simulate the sustained effort of the 70.3 bike leg. By the third block your legs will be working for it — that’s correct. Hold your pace.
Thu
🏊 Swim 2,500m — Open Water Full open water session. Practice the mass-start: swim hard for the first 200m as a group would, then settle. Practice drafting directly behind another swimmer. Sight aggressively. This session needs to make race-day open water feel familiar. 🏃 Easy Run 35min Z2
Fri
💪 Strength 30min + Mobility Glutes, core, hip stability. Longer stretching today — thoracic, hip flexors, calves. Your body will thank you during the long efforts this weekend.
Sat
🔥 Race Rehearsal Brick: Bike 4h + Run 45min This is the workout that makes you believe you can finish your 70.3. Bike 4 hours at Z2–Z3 (the same effort level you’ll use on race day). Immediately transition and run 45 minutes at race pace Z3. Wear your exact race kit. Use your exact race nutrition: gel every 30min on bike, hydrate every 20min, gel in T2 before the run. Time your transition. The goal: exit this session having executed your race-day plan flawlessly. Make notes on anything that needs adjusting.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h30 Z2 Easy and proud. You just survived your biggest training day of the plan. Today’s run off Saturday’s brick builds the specific race fatigue adaptation that will make mile 10 of your race manageable. Walk when you need to. Keep moving.
Swim
~8,500m
Bike
~5h 45min
Run
~3h 35min
Week 16 ⚡ Critical Recovery Week — Do Not Skip This ~5h 30min
Mon
Full Rest Week 15 broke you down in the best possible way. Week 16 is where the adaptation happens. This is not optional rest — it is mandatory training.
Tue
🏊 Swim 1,500m Easy Z1 All easy, all technique. No intensity. Your body is rebuilding. 🏃 Run 25min Very Easy Z1
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h Easy Z2 Easy aerobic spin. No intervals. No effort spikes. Just movement.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,200m Easy Z1 Short and restorative. Focus on feel.
Fri
Rest or Gentle Yoga Sleep 9+ hours tonight if possible. Sleep is the most powerful recovery tool available to you. No training session is as valuable as consistent deep sleep during a recovery week.
Sat
🚴 Bike 1h30 Z2 Easy aerobic ride. By today you should feel noticeably fresher than last Saturday. That’s the adaptation working. Enjoy it. 🏃 Run 20min Easy Z2
Sun
🏃 Run 45min Easy Z2 Easy and controlled. By Friday of this week you should feel fast, fresh, and hungry to train. If you don’t, sleep more and eat more. You’re about to enter your two biggest training weeks of the entire plan.
Swim
~2,700m
Bike
~2h 30min
Run
~1h 30min
Week 17 Your Biggest Training Week — Everything You’ve Got ~12h
Mon
Full Rest The biggest week of the plan starts tomorrow. Rest fully today. Eat well. Sleep early.
Tue
🏊 Swim 3,200m — Race-Distance Time Trial WU 600m · MS: 1,900m continuous at race pace Z3 (this is your 70.3 swim distance — time it and use it as your race-day pacing reference) · CD 700m easy. This swim will tell you your realistic race pace. Don’t go out too fast. Negative-split it: first 950m slightly conservative, second 950m slightly stronger. 🏃 Tempo Run 50min WU 10min · MS: 3×10min at Z3–Z4 race pace (3min Z2 jog between) · CD 10min. Hard workout after a big swim. This is intentional — the fatigue teaches you to run when you’re already tired.
Wed
🚴 Bike 2h — Full Race-Pace Session WU 20min Z2 · MS: 4×20min at Z3 race pace (8min Z2 between) · CD 20min Z2. Four 20-minute race-pace blocks. This is the single most demanding bike session in the plan. The fourth set is a test of character. Keep it together — this is your breakthrough workout.
Thu
🏊 Swim 2,800m Open Water Open water session. Swim continuous efforts with sighting. Practice swimming in a pack with training partners if possible. Race conditions as close as you can create them. 🏃 Easy Run 40min Z2 Easy flush run. This is your last easy day before the weekend monster session.
Fri
Rest — Eat, Sleep, Prepare Full rest. Eat high-quality carbs tonight. Lay out all gear for Saturday. Get to bed early. You are about to do the hardest training session of your life.
Sat
🔥 Race Simulation Brick: Bike 4h30 + Run 1h This is it. Your ultimate training session. Bike 4h30 at race effort Z2–Z3 (with the last hour at sustained Z3). Immediately transition and run 1 hour at race pace Z3. Use exactly your race-day nutrition plan. Wear your exact race kit. This session will tell you if your nutrition works, if your kit chafes, if your pacing is sustainable, and how your mind handles discomfort. Pay attention to everything. You will finish this and know — with certainty — that you can complete your 70.3. That knowledge is worth more than any fitness gain.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h45 Z2 Your longest run. Easy, easy, easy. Walk for 2 minutes every 20 minutes if needed. This run is entirely about time on feet off the biggest brick of your life. When your legs say stop, your mind says one more step. This is your race finish training.
Swim
~9,000m
Bike
~6h 30min
Run
~4h
Week 18 Final Hard Week — Begin the Wind-Down ~9h 30min
Mon
Full Rest After Week 17, full rest Monday is absolutely non-negotiable. You’ve earned it.
Tue
🏊 Swim 2,500m — Race-Pace Sets WU 500m · MS: 3×500m at Z3 race pace (40s rest) + 4×100m strong Z4 (20s rest) · CD 500m. Volume slightly down from Week 17, quality maintained. Your swimming should feel efficient and controlled now — 18 weeks of pool and open water work is in the bank. 🏃 Tempo Run 45min WU 10min · MS: 2×10min at Z3–Z4 with 3min Z2 between · CD 10min. Slightly shorter than last week — still quality, beginning to wind down volume.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h30 — Race-Pace Maintained WU 20min Z2 · MS: 2×20min at Z3 race pace (10min Z2 between) + 1×10min at Z3 · CD 20min Z2. Two long race-pace blocks plus a shorter one. Volume down, intensity sharp.
Thu
🏊 Swim 2,000m Mixed WU 400m · MS: 6×200m alternating Z2 and Z3 (20s rest) + 4×50m fast (15s rest) · CD 400m 🏃 Easy Run 35min Z2 Easy aerobic run. No pressure. Enjoy the movement.
Fri
💪 Short Strength & Mobility 20min Light core work only. Longer stretching and rolling — this is injury prevention, not training.
Sat
🔥 Final Long Brick: Bike 3h30 + Run 45min Bike 3h30 at race effort Z2–Z3, including 45 minutes at race pace in the middle. Immediate transition and run 45 minutes at race pace Z3. This is your final race simulation. Volume is slightly down from Week 17 by design — you want to go into taper feeling strong, not emptied out. Execute your nutrition plan one final time. Note any last adjustments needed.
Sun
🏃 Long Run 1h30 Z2 Easy and deliberate. This is the last long run of your training plan. The next time you run this far, it will be on race day — and you will have a crowd cheering you on. Let that sink in today.
Swim
~7,000m
Bike
~5h
Run
~3h 35min
Taper

Weeks 19–20 — Trust the Process

Volume drops 40–60%. Intensity maintained. Arrive to the start line fresh, sharp, and confident.

The hay is in the barn. The taper is not the time to add fitness — it’s the time to let the fitness you’ve built show up on race day.

— Classic endurance coaching wisdom
Week 19 Taper Week 1 — Volume Down, Feel Fast ~6h
Mon
Full Rest The taper begins. You may feel anxious about doing less — this is taper madness, and it is completely normal. Trust the science: your body is absorbing 18 weeks of training right now.
Tue
🏊 Swim 2,000m — Mix of Pace WU 400m · MS: 4×300m Z2–Z3 (25s rest) + 4×50m fast (15s rest) · CD 400m. Keep some sharpness without accumulating fatigue. The fast 50s remind your fast-twitch fibers they exist. 🏃 Run 35min — Include 3×3min at Race Pace WU 12min Z2 · 3×3min at race pace Z3 (2min Z2 between) · CD 12min Z2. Short, sharp, purposeful. Keep the legs remembering what fast feels like.
Wed
🚴 Bike 1h — Include 3×8min at Race Effort WU 15min · 3×8min at race pace Z3 (6min Z2 between) · CD 15min. Short and punchy. Remind your legs what race pace feels like. Don’t add more — resist the taper anxiety urge.
Thu
🏊 Swim 1,500m Easy Easy throughout. Technique and rhythm. This is the last meaningful swim session before race day. 🏃 Run 25min Easy Z2
Fri
Rest — Logistics & Visualization Begin final race prep: check your kit list, confirm your equipment is race-ready, plan your drive to the venue. Spend 10 minutes visualizing your race from start to finish — swim, T1, bike, T2, run, finish line. See it clearly. Feel it.
Sat
🚴 Short Confidence Brick: Bike 1h + Run 20min Bike: mostly Z2 with 15 minutes at race pace in the middle to stay sharp. Run: 10 minutes at race pace off the bike, then easy. This session should feel easy and fast — that’s the taper working. End it feeling like you could have done more. That’s exactly right.
Sun
🏃 Easy Run 45min Z1–Z2 Easy, relaxed, and deliberate. Next Sunday is race day. This run is your last chance to visualize your finish-line moment. Let yourself feel it.
Swim
~4,500m
Bike
~2h
Run
~2h 5min
Week 20 🏁 Race Week — Everything You’ve Worked For Race Day!
Mon
🏊 Swim 20–30min Easy Z1 Very easy. Just loosen up. No intensity, no effort. Keep the body moving.
Tue
🚴 Bike 45min — 3×5min at Race Pace WU 15min · 3×5min at race pace Z3 (5min Z2 between) · CD 15min. Short and sharp. This is your final quality session of the entire training plan. Finish it feeling crisp, not tired. 🏃 Run 20min Easy Easy 20-minute shakeout run after the bike. Legs should feel sharp and bouncy.
Wed
🏊 Swim 1,000m Easy Short and easy. Keep a feel for the water. Pack your transition bag tonight — lay out everything in order: wetsuit, goggles, bike kit, run kit, nutrition. 🏃 Run 20min Easy
Thu
Rest — Travel & Race Registration Optional: 15min easy spin to shake out legs if you’ve been driving. Register. Collect your race kit and timing chip. Walk your transition area if you can access it. Know where to enter from the swim, where your bike is, and which way to exit to the run.
Fri
Shake-Out — 20min Easy Optional: 300m easy swim in race water — get a feel for the temperature, the depth, the sighting landmarks. Short 10min easy jog. Walk transition. This is your last chance to familiarize yourself with the course. Eat your practiced pre-race dinner: pasta, rice, familiar carbs. No experimenting. Be in bed by 9pm.
Sat
Full Rest — Race Eve Set two alarms. Lay out every piece of race equipment in the order you will need it. Double-check your transition bag against your checklist. Eat your exact race-eve dinner — you’ve practiced this. Be in bed by 9pm. You are ready. Everything you need is already inside you.
Sun
🏁 RACE DAY — You’ve Earned Every Meter Wake up 3 hours before race start. Eat your practiced breakfast immediately. Arrive at transition 90 minutes before your wave. Set up methodically. Warm up in the water if allowed. When the gun goes off: swim your pace, bike smart, earn your run. In the dark patch on the run — and it will come — remember this: you have done harder days in training. You are ready. Cross that finish line and know that you did something extraordinary.
Swim
~1,300m + race
Bike
45min + race
Run
40min + race

4. Nutrition Guide for 70.3 Training

Nutrition is the fourth discipline of triathlon and the one most athletes get wrong. Here’s what you need to know across training and racing.

Daily Training Nutrition

PhaseCarbohydratesProteinKey Priority
Easy training days4–5g per kg body weight1.6–1.8g/kgReplenish glycogen, support recovery
Hard training days6–8g per kg body weight1.8–2.0g/kgFuel performance, maximize adaptation
Recovery weeks3–4g per kg body weight1.8–2.0g/kgHigher protein to maintain muscle during low volume
Pre long workout1–2g/kg, 2–3h beforeLow fat, low fiberFull glycogen, no GI issues
During long ride (>90min)60–90g/hourNot neededMix glucose + fructose to hit upper targets
Post workout1g/kg within 30min25–30g within 30minRecovery window — don’t miss it

Race Day Nutrition Plan

Golden rule: Never try anything new on race day. Every gel, every drink, every food item used in the race must have been tested in training first. GI disasters end more races than fitness limitations.

StageIntake TargetNotes
Pre-race breakfast (3h before)60–100g carbs · Low fat · Low fiberToast + banana + sports drink is reliable. Practiced in training.
SwimNothingStay calm. Sight every 6–8 strokes.
T11 gel if neededPre-open the wrapper. Grab your bottle.
Bike (per hour)60–80g carbs · 500–750ml fluidStart eating at 20min. Every 30min: gel/chew or bar. Drink to thirst.
T21 gel or colaQuick transition. Walk 5 steps — it’s worth it.
Run (per hour)30–45g carbs · 300–500ml fluidAid stations every mile — walk 5 steps while drinking. Gel at miles 4 and 8.

5. Essential Gear Checklist for Your First 70.3

You don’t need the most expensive gear. You need gear you’ve trained in and trust. Here’s the complete list.

🏊 Swim
  • Wetsuit (legal below 76.1°F / 24.5°C — check race rules)
  • Race-legal goggles (anti-fog, UV tinted)
  • Swim cap (race-provided, but bring a backup)
  • Body Glide or anti-chafe for wetsuit neck
🚴 Bike
  • Road or TT bike — professionally fitted
  • Certified helmet (ANSI/CPSC)
  • Cycling shoes + cleats (practiced in training)
  • Bike computer with GPS and HR
  • Spare tube(s) + CO2 + tire levers + multi-tool
  • Aerobars (strongly recommended for 56 miles)
  • Bento box or top tube bag for nutrition
🏃 Run
  • Race-tested running shoes (200+ miles on them)
  • Race belt (holds bib number)
  • Hat or visor for sun
  • GPS running watch
  • Elastic laces (faster transitions)
🎽 Race Day Kit
  • Tri suit (wear for all 3 legs)
  • Sunscreen — apply before wetsuit
  • Transition bag — organized the night before
  • Morning warmup bag (throwaway clothes)
  • All nutrition pre-counted and pre-packed

6. Race Day Pacing Strategy — How Not to Blow Up

The number one mistake first-time 70.3 athletes make: going out too hard. The excitement of race day, the crowd, the adrenaline — it all conspires to make you feel faster than you are. Resist it. Every minute you bank by going too hard on the bike costs you three minutes on the run.

The Swim

Start conservatively. In a mass start, seed yourself toward the outside or back to avoid the washing machine effect. Your goal: exit the water feeling like you used 70–75% of your effort. A 2–3 minute slower swim that leaves you fresh is infinitely better than a PR swim that destroys your bike and run.

The Bike

This is where your race is won or lost. Ride at perceived Zone 3 — comfortably hard. Use your power meter or HR as a ceiling, not a floor. The first 20 miles should feel almost too easy. Miles 20–40 are your meat. Miles 40–56 you can push slightly harder if you have fuel and feel good. Never go into Zone 4 on the bike in a 70.3.

The Run

Miles 1–3: Slower than you think. Your legs will feel strange off the bike — this is normal. Miles 3–9: Find your stride and settle into Zone 3–4. Miles 9–13.1: Everything you have left. Negative-split your run and you’ve executed a perfect race.

🎯 Target pacing formula: Add your swim + T1 + T2 to your target bike and run times. For a 5:30 finish: ~40min swim · 5min transitions · ~2h45 bike · ~2h run. Build your plan from training benchmarks.

7. Mental Preparation — The Fourth Discipline

Physical fitness gets you to the start line. Mental fitness gets you to the finish line. Here are the tools that work when things get hard — and they will get hard.

Visualization

Three times per week during your final 4 weeks, spend 10 minutes with eyes closed walking through your race. Swim start. T1. Bike. T2. Run. Finish. Include the uncomfortable moments — and see yourself moving through them. Athletes who visualize consistently report higher race-day confidence and faster transitions.

Race-Day Mantras

Pick 2–3 short, personal phrases and use them in hard training sessions so they’re wired in by race day. Examples: “Strong and smooth.” “This is what I trained for.” “One mile at a time.” When your brain starts negotiating on mile 10 of the run, your mantra cuts through the noise.

The Dark Patch

Every 70.3 has a dark patch — usually miles 7–10 of the run. This is the moment the voice says “you should stop.” Know it’s coming. Name it. “That’s the dark patch.” Remind yourself it always passes. The athletes who finish are not the ones who never struggle — they’re the ones who kept moving through the struggle.

Crossing a 70.3 finish line changes you. Not because you proved something to anyone else — but because you showed yourself what’s possible when you commit and do the work.

— besttriathletes.com

8. Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours per week does this plan require?

It starts at 5–6 hours in Week 1 and peaks at 10–12 hours in Weeks 15–17. Most working athletes with families manage the base and build phases with morning sessions. The peak weeks require larger time blocks — plan your calendar 4 weeks in advance for Weeks 15–18.

What if I miss a week or get sick?

Don’t try to make up missed training. If you miss 1–3 days, resume the current week. If you miss an entire week, restart that week before moving on. If you miss 2+ weeks, drop back one phase. Fitness lost to illness returns faster than fitness lost to overtraining. When in doubt, rest.

Can I do this plan if I’ve never raced a triathlon?

Yes, but consider doing a sprint triathlon in the first 8 weeks just to experience race-day logistics. Transitions, open water swim starts, and fueling on the bike are skills that take practice. A low-stakes sprint triathlon removes unknowns from your A-race day.

Should I do a bike fit before starting this plan?

Absolutely, and as early as possible — ideally before Week 1. Spending 20 weeks in the wrong position causes overuse injuries that are entirely preventable. A proper fit also improves aerodynamics and power transfer. It is the best investment you’ll make in this race.

Do I need a power meter or heart rate monitor?

Heart rate monitor: highly recommended (chest strap, not wrist optical). Power meter: helpful but not essential. At minimum, use a cycling computer with speed. RPE (perceived effort) is surprisingly accurate once you’ve calibrated it in Zone 2 training over several weeks.

What pace should I swim, bike, and run in my 70.3?

Base your pacing off training benchmarks: your comfortable 1,900m pool time for swimming, your average power or HR for 2h+ training rides for biking, and a pace roughly 30–45 seconds per mile slower than your fresh half marathon pace for running. Always start each leg conservatively and build.

How do I handle taper madness?

“Taper madness” is real — you’ll feel sluggish, heavy, and convinced you’ve lost all your fitness. You haven’t. It’s your body adapting, not declining. Trust the science. The freshness you feel on race morning is the taper working. Don’t add extra sessions. Stay off your feet. Sleep. Eat well. The hay is in the barn.