This training plan is designed for those who want to train for a half Ironman. The plan lasts 20 weeks.

Start with 8 weeks of base training, followed by 6 weeks of build-up training and 6 weeks of peak training. On odd-numbered training weeks, you’ll do 3 swimming sessions, 3 bike rides, and 3 runs.

Weeks 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18 include 3 swimming sessions, 2 bike rides, 3 running sessions, and one combined bike-run workout. Weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 include 3 swimming sessions, 3 bike rides, 2 running sessions, and one combined bike-run workout. There is a rest week every four weeks. The final 10 days constitute a “cool-down” period. The plan begins with 3.5 km of swimming, 2.45 hours of cycling, and 1.45 hours of running per week. The peak is reached in the 17th week with 6 km of swimming, 5.20 hours of cycling, and 3.07 hours of running.

Base Phase: The first eight weeks of training make up the base phase. This phase is long enough to allow for a gradual, steady increase in training volume. The primary goals are to develop aerobic capacity and endurance. The small number of high-intensity workouts you’ll do during this phase will prepare you to handle the high-intensity workouts of the bulking phase.

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Week 5

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Cycling with slight changes in elevation: 55 minutes

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 6 x 1-minute incline variations at a fast pace, with sufficient active recovery to reach a total workout time of 55 minutes (including warm-up and cool-down)

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Wednesday

Basic Swimming: 1.3 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

8 x 25 fast, REST = 0:10

Workout: 3 x 100 @ moderate aerobic intensity, RECOVERY=0:05

6 x 25 at high intensity, REST = 0:20

8 sets of 25 leg raises, REST = 0:15

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Speed interval run: 39 minutes

Warm-up: 10 minutes at low aerobic intensity

Workout: 8 sets of 30 seconds at a fast pace with 2-minute rest periods

Cool-down: 9 minutes at low aerobic intensity

Thursday

Bici Basics: 1 h

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 40 minutes at high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Friday

Fartlek + Sprint Swimming: 1.5 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

8 x 25 fast, REST = 0:10

Workout: 4 x 150 (50 easy/25 hard) — easy = moderate aerobic intensity, hard = threshold intensity; RECOVERY = 0:15

8 sets of 25 leg raises, REST = 0:15

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Basics: Running: 40 Minutes

Warm-up: Run for 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 20-minute run @ high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity

Finish with a short run:

Workout: 2 x 20-second runs at race pace, with 40-second recovery periods immediately after completing today’s running workout

Saturday

Bici Basics: 90 Minutes

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 1 hour and 10 minutes at high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Sunday

Basic Swimming: 1.7 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Workout: 1,200 @ moderate aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Running Basics: 50 Minutes

Warm-up: Run for 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 30-minute run @ high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity

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Week 6

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Biking on terrain with slight changes in elevation: 1 h

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 7 x 1-minute changes in incline @ maximum intensity with sufficient active recovery to reach a total workout time of 1 hour

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Wednesday

Basic Swimming: 1.5 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

8 x 25 fast, REST = 0:10

Workout: 4 x 100 @ moderate aerobic intensity, RECOVERY=0:05

7 x 25 @ fast intensity, REST = 0:20

8 sets of 25 leg raises, REST = 0:15

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Speed interval run: 42 minutes

Warm-up: 10 minutes at low aerobic intensity

Workout: 9 sets of 30 seconds at a fast pace with 2-minute rest periods

Cool-down: 10 minutes at low aerobic intensity

Thursday

Biking Basics: 1:15 h

Warm-up: 10 minutes @ moderate aerobic intensity

Work: 55 minutes @ high-intensity aerobic exercise

Cool-down: 10 minutes @ moderate aerobic intensity

Friday

Fartlek + Sprint Swim: 1.5 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

6 x 50 fast, REST = 0:10

Workout: 4 x 125 (50 fast/25 easy) (25 fast/25 easy); start at moderate aerobic intensity, increase intensity threshold; RECOVERY = 0:15

8 sets of 25 leg raises, REST = 0:15

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Basics: Running: 40 minutes

Warm-up: Run for 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 20-minute run @ high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity

Final Speed Work: 4 x 20-second runs at a fast pace with 40-second recovery periods

Saturday

Combined Workout: 1 Hour

Workout: 45 minutes on the bike @ high aerobic intensity

15-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity

Sunday

Beginner Swimming: 1000-meter test

This workout is a swimming time trial. Swim at maximum intensity, as if you were in a race.

Warm-up: 200 @ low aerobic intensity

Work: 1,000 @ maximum intensity

Cool-down: 200 @ low aerobic intensity

Basics: Running: 25 minutes

Warm-up: Run for 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 5-minute run at high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity

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Week 7

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Cycling on slight changes in gradient: 1:05

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 8 x 1-minute incline variations @ maximum intensity with sufficient active recovery to reach a total workout time of 1.05 h (including warm-up and cool-down)

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Wednesday

Basic Swimming: 1.5 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

8 x 25 fast, REST = 0:10

Workout: 5 x 100 @ moderate aerobic intensity, RECOVERY=0:05

8 x 25 @ fast intensity, REST = 0:20

8 sets of 25 leg raises, REST = 0:15

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Speed interval run: 45 minutes

Warm-up: 10 minutes at low aerobic intensity

Workout: 10 sets of 30 seconds at a fast pace with 2 minutes of recovery

Cool-down: 10 minutes at low aerobic intensity

Thursday

Bici Basics: 1:15 h

Warm-up: 10 minutes @ moderate aerobic intensity

Work: 55 minutes @ high-intensity aerobic exercise

Cool-down: 10 minutes @ moderate aerobic intensity

Friday

Fartlek + Sprint Swim: 1.6 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

8 x 25 fast, REST = 0:10

Workout: 5 x 150 (50 easy/25 hard/50 easy/25 hard) = intensity threshold, RECOVERY = 0:15

8 sets of 25 leg raises, REST = 0:15

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Basics: Running: 40 Minutes

Warm-up: Run for 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 20-minute run @ high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity

Corsaning Strides: Workout: 6 x 20-second runs at a fast pace with 40-second recovery immediately after completing today’s running workout

Saturday

Saturday

Fundamentals Bike: 1:45

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 1 hour and 25 minutes @ high aerobic intensity at speed

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Sunday

Basic Swimming: 1.8 km

Warm-up: 250 @ low aerobic intensity

Workout: 1,500 @ moderate aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 250 @ low aerobic intensity

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Week 8

This is a recovery week.

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Cycling with slight changes in elevation: 55 minutes

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 6 x 1-minute incline variations at maximum intensity with sufficient active recovery to reach a total workout time of 55 minutes (including warm-up and cool-down)

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Wednesday

Beginner Swimming: 1.2 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

8 x 25 fast, REST = 0:10

Workout: 3 x 100 @ moderate aerobic intensity, RECOVERY=0:05

6 x 25 @ fast intensity, REST = 0:20

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Speed interval run: 39 minutes

Warm-up: 10 minutes at low aerobic intensity

Workout: 8 sets of 30 seconds with 2-minute rest periods

Cool-down: 9 minutes at low aerobic intensity

Thursday

Bike Basics: 45 Minutes

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 25 minutes at high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Friday

Fartlek + Sprint Swim: 1.4 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

8 x 25 fast, REST = 0:10

Workout: 4 x 150 (50 fast/25 easy/50 fast/25 easy), start at moderate aerobic intensity, increase intensity threshold; RECOVERY = 0:15

8 sets of 25 leg raises, REST = 0:15

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Basics: Running: 35 Minutes

Warm-up: Run for 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 15-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity

Speed Work: 4 x 20-second runs at a fast pace, with 40-second recovery periods immediately after completing today’s running workout

Saturday

Bici Basics: 1 Hour

Warm-up: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Workout: 40 minutes at high aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 10 minutes at moderate aerobic intensity

Sunday

Basic Swimming: 1.4 km

Warm-up: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Workout: 1,000 @ moderate aerobic intensity

Cool-down: 300 @ low aerobic intensity

Combined Workout: 1 Hour

Workout: 45 minutes on the bike at moderate aerobic intensity

15-minute run at moderate aerobic intensity