Ironman Training Plans

These Ironman training plans are intended for those triathletes who are doing their Ironman in three months time. It is assumed that you currently have a solid fitness base and therefore able to handle the rigors of these Ironman training plans.

Ironman is as much a mental battle as it is a physical contest. Proper preparation will boost your confidence on race day and train both your body and mind to stay on task for 10, 12, 14 or more hours. It all comes down to planning and executing that plan.

These Ironman training plans are designed to suit three different triathletes with diverse goals. Take the following training plans at face value if you are shooting for a strong age-group finish or an Ironman Hawaii slot. If, however, you are an experienced Ironman triathlete, or alternatively an Ironman rookie, then we have sugested some changes below that you should make to the following Ironman training plans.

Those triathletes who are experienced at racing Ironman distance events who plan to finish strongly - say 11-14 hours for men, 12-15 hours for women - should review the Ironman Veteran training plan notes at the bottom of this page and add the suggested changes into their training plans.

Ironman rookies, for whom finishing is the primary goal, can likewise incorporate into their training plans the suggestions that are found at the bottom of this page.

You may also find the following links to resources on this website to be of interest:

Ironman Training Plans - Training Zones

It is critical that you do each day's workout in the training zone indicated.

Z1 - Lactate threshold minus 15-22%
Z2 - Lactate threshold minus 9-14%
Z3 - Lactate threshold minus 4-8%
Z4 - Lactate threshold plus/minus 3%
Z5 - Lactate threshold plus 4-8%%

To read more about lactate threshold click here

Click on the following links to view the Ironman training plans or simply scroll down.

Swim Sessions
Bike Workouts
Run Workouts

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Ironman Training Plans - Overview

(Do each day's workout in the training zone indicated)

Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
1	swim Z3-4	run Z3-4 bike Z1-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	swim Z4-5 bike or run Z1	swim Z3-4 bike Z2	run Z2 swim Z2	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4
2	swim Z3-4	run Z3-4 bike Z1-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	swim Z4-5 bike or run Z1	swim Z3-4 bike Z4	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4	run Z2 swim Z2
3	swim Z3-4	run Z3-4 bike Z1-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	swim Z4-5 bike or run Z1	swim Z3-4 bike Z4	run Z2 swim Z2	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
4 Recovery	off	swim Z2-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	bike or run Z1	off	run Z2; run Z2	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4
5	swim Z3-4	run Z3-4 bike Z1-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	swim Z4-5 bike or run Z1	swim Z3-4 bike Z4	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4	run Z2; swim Z2 run Z2
6	swim Z3-4	run Z3-4 bike Z1-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	swim Z4-5 bike or run Z1	swim Z3-4 bike Z4	run Z2; swim Z2 run Z2	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
7 Recovery	off	swim Z2-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	bike or run Z1	off	run Z2; run Z2	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4
8	swim Z3-4	run Z3-4 bike Z1-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	swim Z4-5 bike or run Z1	swim Z3-4 bike Z4	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4	run Z2; swim Z2 run Z2
9	swim Z3-4	run Z3-4 bike Z1-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	swim Z4-5 bike or run Z1	swim Z3-4 bike Z4	run Z2; swim Z2 run Z2	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
10	off	run Z3-4 bike Z1-3	bike Z3-4; run Z1 swim Z2-3	swim Z4-5 bike or run Z1	swim Z3-4 bike Z4	run Z2; swim Z2	Brick: bike Z2-3 run Z3-4
11 Taper	off	off	swim Z2; run Z1	run Z2; bike Z5	swim Z5; bike Z1	swim Z3; run Z3	bike Z3-4
12 Taper	swim Z3-4	swim Z5 bike Z1; run Z1	run Z2; bike Z4	off	swim Z1-2 bike Z1-2	RACE	recover

Ironman Training Plans - Swim Workouts

(Add a 1000 to 1500 meter warm-up plus a cool-down to all main sets.
Week 12 swim workouts should be performed in open water)

Week	MON (mid-race pace)	TUE	WED (pull/strength)	THU (speed)	FRI (endurance)	SAT (recovery)	SUN
1	12 x 100 @ 15 sec rest		6 x 300 @ 30 sec rest	20 x 50 @ 20 sec rest	3 x 800 @ 60 sec rest	Drills: 10 x 50 @ 20 sec rest
2	10 x 150 @ 20 sec rest		8 x 250 @ 30 sec rest	2 x (15 x 25 @ 15 sec rest)	2 x 1000 @ 90 sec rest		Drills: 5 x 100 @ 20 sec rest
3	8 x 200 @ 25 sec rest		5 x 400 @ 30 sec rest	20 x 50 @ 25 sec rest	2000 straight	Drills: 10 x 50 @ 20 sec rest
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
4 Recov		20 x 50 @ 10 sec rest	1000 straight
5	12 x 100 @ 10 sec rest		8 x 300 @ 30 sec rest	16 x 50 @ 30 sec rest	2000 straight	Drills: 10 x 50 @ 20 sec rest
6	10 x 150 @ 15 sec rest		10 x 250 @ 30 sec rest	20 x 50 @ 30 sec rest	1 x 1500 1 x 1000 @ 60 sec rest		Drills: 5 x 100 @ 20 sec rest
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
7 Recov		20 x 50 @ 10 sec rest	2 x 1000 @ 90 sec rest
8	12 x 100 @ 20 sec rest		6 x 400 @ 20 sec rest	2 x (15 x 25 @ 20 sec rest)	3000 straight		Drills: 5 x 100 @ 20 sec rest
9	10 x 150 @ 30 sec rest		6 x 250 @ 45 sec rest	20 x 50 @ 30 sec rest	3 x 800 @ 60 sec rest	Drills: 10 x 50 @ 20 sec rest
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
10	8 x 200 @ 40 sec rest		4 x 300 @ 60 sec rest	10 x 50 @ 45 sec rest	2 x 1000 @ 90 sec rest	Drills: 5 x 100 @ 20 sec rest
11 Taper			8 x 100 @ 60 sec rest (mid-race pace)		10 x 50 @ 45 sec rest (speed set)
12 Taper	6 x 100 @ 20 sec rest	10 x 25 @ 30 sec rest (speed set)			6 x 50 @ 20 sec rest (aerobic set)	RACE	recover

Ironman Training Plans - Bike Workouts

Week	MON	TUE (aerobic strength)	WED (aerobic threshold)	THU (aerobic recovery)	FRI (aerobic base)	SAT (brick)	SUN (brick)
1		2 hours hilly including 6-8 min overgear hills	Intervals 4 x 10 min @ 3 min recovery	60-90 min aerobic	2 hrs flat including 30 min high cadence		Ride: 4 hours Run: 30 min
2		3 hours hilly including 6-8 min overgear hills	Intervals 5 x 8 min @ 3 min recovery	60-90 min aerobic	2 hrs flat including 2 x 20 min high cadence	Ride: 4.5 hours Run: 40 min
3		2.5 hours hilly including 6-8 min overgear hills	Intervals 5 x 10 min @ 3 min recovery	60-90 min aerobic	2 hrs flat including 3 x 15 min high cadence		Ride: 5 hours Run: 30 min
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
4 Recov				60-90 min aerobic			Ride: 4 hours Run: 30 min
5		3.5 hours hilly including 4-8 min hills steady	Intervals 2 x 20 min @ 5 min recovery	60-90 min aerobic	Intervals 10 x 2 min @ 60 sec recovery	Ride: 6 hours Run: 30 min
6		3 hours hilly including 4-8 min hills steady	Intervals 3 x 15 min @ 4 min recovery	60-90 min aerobic	Intervals 10 x 1:30 @ 45 sec recovery		Ride: 6 hours Run: 30 min
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
7 Recov				60-90 min aerobic			Ride: 4.5 hours Run: 40 min
8		3 hours including long steady climb: 30-45 min	Intervals 4 x 10 min @ 5 min recovery	60-90 min aerobic	Intervals 10 x 2 min @ 1 min recovery	Ride: 6 hours Run: 30 min
9		3 hours including long steady climb: 30-45 min	Intervals 5 x 8 min @ 4 min recovery	60-90 min aerobic	Intervals 10 x 1:30 @ 60 sec recovery		Ride: 5.5 hours Run: 40 min
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
10		2 hours flatter	Intervals 5 x 5 min @ 2:30 min recovery		60-90 min aerobic		Ride: 5 hours Run: 40 min
11 Taper				Intervals 5 x 5 min @ 2:30 min recovery			Ride: 2.5 hours (no run)
12 Taper		60 min aerobic	Intervals 5 x 2 min @ 60 sec recovery		20 min aerobic	RACE	recover

Ironman Training Plans - Run Workouts

(Begin workouts on double-run days six hours apart)

Week	MON	TUE (aerobic strength)	WED (aerobic threshold)	THU (aerobic recovery)	FRI (aerobic base)	SAT (brick)	SUN (brick)
1		Steady state 40 min	Aerobic 45-60 min	Aerobic 20-35 min		Run 1:30
2		Steady state 50 min	Aerobic 45-60 min	Aerobic 20-35 min			Run 1:45
3		Steady state 60 min	Aerobic 45-60 min	Aerobic 20-35 min		Run 2 hours
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
4 Recov			Aerobic 20-35 min	Aerobic 20-35 min		Run 1:45 run 30
5		Intervals 6 x 5 min @ 2 min recovery	Aerobic 60-75 min	Aerobic 20-35 min			Run 1:30 run 30
6		Intervals 5 x 6 min @ 2 min recovery	Aerobic 60-75 min	Aerobic 20-35 min		Run 2:15 run 30
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
7 Recov			Aerobic 20-35 min	Aerobic 20-35 min		Run 2:30 run 30
8		Intervals 6 x 5 min @ 2 min recovery	Aerobic 45-60 min	Aerobic 20-35 min			Run 2 hours
9		Intervals 8 x 3 min @ 1:30 min recovery	Aerobic 45-60 min	Aerobic 20-35 min		Run 2:30 run 30
Week	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
10		Intervals 10 x 2 min @ 60 sec recovery	Aerobic 45-60 min	Aerobic 20-35 min		Run 2 hours
11 Taper			Aerobic 45-60 min	Aerobic 20-35 min including 4-6 x 30 sec at 10K pace		Run 45 min steady state
12 Taper		Aerobic 20-35 min	Aerobic 20-35 min including 4-6 x 30 sec at 10K pace			RACE	recover

Ironman Training Plans - Experienced Ironman Triathletes

If you have a couple of Ironmans under your belt and plan to finish strongly, adjust the above Ironman training plans as follows.

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY / SUNDAY
Mondays off		Swin only on weeks 2,4,5,7,8	No bike/run Thursday	Bike only weeks 1,3,6,9	Weekend ride add 30 mins to week 2 Weekend ride add 1 hr to weeks 4,7

Ironman Training Plans - Rookie Ironman Triathletes

If you're training for your first Ironman or just want to be able to go the distance, adjust the above Ironman training plans as follows.

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY / SUNDAY
Mondays off	Tuesdays off in weeks 4 & 6	No swim on Wednesdays	No bike/run Thursdays	No bike on Fridays Swim only weeks 1,2,5,8,10	Add 30 mins to week 3 ride Add 60 mins to week 6,8,9 No weekend swims

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