Example Sprint Race Program

Training Snapshot for a SPRINT-DISTANCE TRIATHLON

Week 1:
Monday
Brain workout: 500 yd swim at one pace nonstop
Tuesday
Cycle 7 miles in recovery and endurance zone (heart rate workout)
Wednesday
Swimming drills (catch-ups, fingertip drag, fist, one-arm)
15 Minute easy walk or run
Thursday
Swim 500 yards easy
Cycle or spin 20minutes easy
Friday
Run 15 minutes easy
Saturday
Cycling 7 miles easy
Sunday
Run 20 minutes easy

Week 2:
Monday
Recovery day (off)
Tuesday
Swim 1000 yards race simulation (High intensity start, moderate and steady during the middle yards and slightly higher pace toward then end when you are eager to finish)
Wednesday
Cycle 7 miles in recovery and endurance zone (heart rate workout)
Thursday
Run 20 minutes
Swim drills (Catch-ups, Fingertip drag, fist, one-arm)
Friday
Swim 500 yards easy
Saturday
Cycle 8 miles easy
Sunday
Run 20 minutes in recovery and endurance zone.

Week 3:
Monday
Recovery day (off)
Tuesday
Swim Hard – easy-hard: 4x50 yards fast; then 2x50 easy focusing on form and technique; 4x50 yards fast)
Wednesday
Cycle 8 miles easy
Thursday
Run 20 minutes easy
Friday
Swim drills (Catch-ups, Fingertip drag, fist, one-arm)
Saturday
Cycle 7 miles in recovery and heart rate zone. (Heart rate workout)
Sunday
Run 20 minutes: 15 minutes easy with 5 minute tempo run at the end.

Week 4:
Monday
Recovery day (off)
Tuesday
Swim “countdown 750 yard swim”- 350 yards – 250 yards – 100 yards 50 yards (Starting with the longest interval distance at a slower pace to the shortest interval at the fastest pace.)
Wednesday
Cycle 12 miles easy
Thursday
15 minute tempo run or HR run in aerobic and tempo zone
Friday
Swim drills (Catch-ups, Fingertip drag, fist, one-arm)
Saturday
Cycle pedaling efficiency workout:
Warm-up: pedal slow and easy for 10-15 minutes at a comfortable RPM of about 80
Workout: Choose a low moderate gear that allows high-RPM from 80 to as high as you can go without bouncing out of the saddle. Hold this hard RPM for 5-10 seconds, and then rest for a minute. Repeat this 5-10 times. During the drill try to maintain focus on smooth and efficient pedaling style- stay seated and keep your upper body from moving around to much.
Cool down: Finish with a very easy 10 minute cool down
Sunday
Run 25 minute east run in recovery and endurance zone

Week 5:
Monday
Recovery day (off)
Tuesday
(80/20): Race simulation 20 minutes in a pool, practicing navigational sighting skills.
Wednesday
Cycle 12 miles easy
Thursday
15 minute tempo run or HR run in aerobic and tempo zone
Friday
Swim 500 yards easy
Swim drills (Catch-ups, Fingertip drag, fist, one-arm)
Saturday
Cycle 8 miles hilly course at moderate pace on down hills.
Sunday
Run 25 minute east run in recovery and endurance zone

Week 6:
Monday
Recovery day (off)
Tuesday
Hold a pace Swim workout (Target speed is fastest possible speed you can sustain for all repeats.) 10 x 20 yards with 10 second rest in between.
Wednesday
Cycle 10 miles at moderate pace with two 1 mile race pace efforts in the middle miles.
Thursday
3-5 mile run race pace
Friday
Swim 750 yards easy
Swim drills (Catch-ups, Fingertip drag, fist, one-arm)
Saturday
Cycle 8 miles easy
Sunday
Brick: Cycle 10 miles at a moderate pace or in the aerobic and tempo zone followed by 15 minute easy run.

Week 7:
Monday
Recovery day (off)
Tuesday
Swim workout: Technique golf sample workout - Count strokes per 25 yards and try to decrease each set. 10 x 25 yard with 15-30 second recovery
Wednesday
Cycle 10-15 miles moderate to race pace.
Thursday
Run 10 minutes easy followed by 5 minutes near race pace, 5 minutes easy cool down.
Friday
Swim 750 yards easy
Swim drills (Catch-ups, Fingertip drag, fist, one-arm)
Saturday
Cycling Heart rate workout:
Warm up: Cycle easy for up to 15 minutes at approximately 90 RPM, gradually raising your heart rate from your recovery and endurance zone to your aerobic and tempo zone.
Workout: Do 4-6 intervals at a very high intensity, building to the upper end of your aerobic threshold zone. The first interval should be 2 minutes increase each successive interval by 30 seconds to a maximum of 4 minutes. Rest up to 1 minute between intervals, or allow heart rate recovery back down to your aerobic and tempo zone.
Cool Down: Ride 10-15 minutes doing easy recovery spinning in your recovery and endurance zone.
Sunday
Run 3 miles in aerobic and tempo zone.

Week 8:
Monday
Recovery day (off)
Tuesday
880 yard Swim workout: Sustainable pace (race distance divided by 2 example : sprint distance swim .25 miles = 440 yards so 2 x 410 yards) Swim the first segment (420 yards) at an easy to moderate effort that result in a time slower than segment two. Rest for60 seconds or until heart is brought down to recovery zone then swim your second leg (420 yards). Second 420 yards should be faster than your first. Your goals as you gain fitness, attempt to swim each segment at an equal pace and then attempt to decrease the rest between segments.
Wednesday
Run interval: 1 mile easy warm-up; 2 sets of 4x.25 sprints. Resting 30 seconds between sprints. 1 mile cool down.
Thursday
Swim 500 yards easy
Swim drills (Catch-ups, Fingertip drag, fist, one-arm)
Friday
Run 15 minutes easy
Saturday
Cycling Heart rate workout: cycle 12 miles in aerobic and tempo zone.
Sunday
Run 25 minutes easy