Triathlon Training Schedule

When devising a triathlon training schedule. The wrong way to train would be to bike, swim, and run as much as you can, and hope for the best. While that’s meant to be a bit humorous, you’d be surprised how many triathletes do just that as their pre-season training. I’m going to mention a couple of ways that I’ve found effective in this short post, that should be helpful to you no matter what level you are at as a triathlete.

The first concept is called periodization. All that means, in it’s simplest form, is that you don’t train the same way all the time. Basically you vary your training over time. There are three different ways (probably more, but I’ll keep it simple) you can periodize your training schedule.

Microcycle: Every 2 or 3 days part of the time you’re doing more intense training, then followed by a period of rest. For instance, your triathlon training schedule would include a long day, short day, long day, short day, etc.

Mesocycle: Change training every few weeks. i.e. 3 weeks of hard training, then 1 week light.

Macrocycle: This is the broadest phase, 6 months would be the building blocks. This is where you vary your trianing starting with building endurance, then include speed, racing season, where you are frequently racing, with more intensity, but less total training, then an off season (a few weeks to even 60 days).