88 december 2012

TRAININGZONE — I n a s s o c I a t I o n w I t h —

The plan

THe THree-mONTH TrAINING PLAN THAT’LL bUILd THe FOUNdATIONS FOr YOUr beST eVer mIddLe-dISTANce TrIATHLON PerFOrmANce

Richard Smith

an Msc sports science and coaching postgraduate, smith has 15 years’ experience of working and coaching in elite sports

Meet the expert

TRAIN FOR IRONMAN 70.3 THIS WINTER

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THREE-MONTH TRAINING PLAN FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR YOUR BEST 70.3 RACE

part 1 - building the Foundations

THREE-MONTH TRAINING PLAN FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR YOUR BEST 70.3 RACE

part 1 - building the FoundationsIRONMAN 70.3TRAINING

yOUR 12-Week

PLaN

How it works

Get your guide ready to go

Cut out the guide following the dotted outline

Fold the guide in quarters using the fold guides

Now carry it with you for reference while training

WITH THE race season over and the winter months upon us, it is easy to allow the couch to become the more attractive option over the turbo trainer. However, if you have aspirations of stepping up to middle- and long-distance racing, now is the time to start laying down the strong foundations for a personal best performance. The challenge of an Ironman 70.3 or middle-distance race (1.9km/90km bike/21.1km run) shouldn’t be under- estimated and for many age-group athletes it represents an increase of more than double, with pacing and race nutrition becoming far more significant.

This two-part Ironman 70.3 plan leads you week by week through appropriate training progressions with session-by-session guidance on content and intensity. Part one is designed to build consistency in your training and develop the strong physical foundations from which you can build your 70.3 performance while remaining injury free. Part two (which will appear in issue 51, on sale in February) guides you through the last 12 weeks of your preparation right up to your taper and race day.

Before beginning these plans you should already be able to:

Swim 400m non-stop Ride your bike for at least 90 minutes Run for at least 45 minutes

are these plans for you?

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THE PLAN IRONMAN 70.3

december 2012 89

TRAINING ZONES

LOG yOUR tRaINING FRee TRAINING.TRIRADAR.COM

TRY TO WORK to the prescribed Training Zones explained below as these will help you train at the right intensity for each session. This will help to develop specific aspects of your fitness, as well as making sure you don’t overdo it.

You can either estimate your intensity, using the Training Zone descriptions, or use a heart-rate monitor for a more precise measure. If you use a heart-rate monitor, use the percentages provided, and subtract them from your maximum heart rate to calculate your zones. Tools like cycle power meters and GPS watches will help track your training progress, but they’re not essential for these plans.

These training zones are only a guide. Don’t worry about being overly precise with heart rates because they naturally fluctuate. Be mindful of your training intensity and pacing but more importantly be consistent, get out there and enjoy your training.

Zone One (Z1) Recovery60 to 65% of your maximum. Easy pace, feels nice and light.

Zone Two (Z2) Steady65 to 75% of your maximum. Fairly easy pace – easy enough so that you could breathe just through your nose if you wanted to.

Zone Three (Z3) Tempo75% to 80% of your maximum. A fairly hard but sustainable pace.

Zone Four (Z4) Race tempo80 to 90% of your maximum. A hard pace that requires real focus to sustain.

KEY: WU Warm up, WD Warm down, MAIN Main set, FC Front crawl, KICK Legs only, BUILD Gradually increase the intensity of each rep within a set, PULL Front crawl with a pull float between thighs, RI Rest interval, 2STROKE Second stroke of choice, IM Individual Medley: swim butterfly, back, breast, front crawl, 1-ARM Front crawl using one arm only, N/S Negative split – swim the second half faster than the first, SC Stroke counting, FDRAG Drag your fingers along the surface during the FC arm-recovery, CUP Catch up touching hands at front of stroke, FISTS Swim FC with clenched fists, DOG doggy paddle, SCULL Kick with arms held out in front, sculling your hands side to side, BAND Front crawl with a rubber band or inner-tube tied around ankles, ANKLES FC with pull float between ankles, SLDs Single leg bike drills, S&C Strength and conditioning workout

EXAMPLE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SESSION:This session is referred to as S&C in the training plan overleaf. Feel free to adapt this example, or try a gym circuit training class instead.

WU 5mins skipping followed by two sets of 15 reps of walking lunge steps with upper body twist

MAIN Lower body: Squats / Single leg ¼ squats / dumbbell lunges to front, side and back / calf raises / glute clams, two sets of 12-15 reps

Upper body: Seated row / rotator cuff rotations, with bands / back + side extensions + core exercises of choice, two sets of 12-15 reps

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THREE-MONTH TRAINING PLAN FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR YOUR BEST 70.3 RACE

part 1: building the foundations

THREE-MONTH TRAINING PLAN FOR BUILDING

IRONMAN 70.3 TRAINING

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yOUR

12-Week

PLaN

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

1 Flexibility vs consistency Consistency in your training is the key to middle-distance

racing. Follow the plans as far as possible and if you need to move sessions, aim not to do back to back hard sessions. Listen to your body and take a rest day when you need it.

2 Recovery This means taking rest days, stretching after sessions, eating

and drinking correctly to provide your body with the best chance to adapt and getting enough sleep.

3 Conditioning to prevent injury Support your training with appropriate strength and

conditioning training and sports massage. This can be integrated into warm-up and recovery work.

4Nutrition and hydration Optimise your general diet and hydration. Practise your

race nutrition and hydration on longer race-paced training sessions. If appropriate, aim to lose weight or body fat early in base phases of the programme rather than just before race day.

5Race pace Establish your realistic race paces for each discipline over

the 70.3 distances and then train accordingly.

6 Enjoyment and balance A 70.3 race is a big commitment and you need to balance

your training and racing with the other aspects of your life.

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90 december 2012

TRAININGZONETRAININGZONE — I n a s s o c I a t I o n w I t h —

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week 01

BIKE 90mins – 2hrs Endurance. Minimum 90mins Z2

Run 1hr Endurance – multi terrain: get off road allowing terrain to mix intensity Swim 2,000m Endurance WU 300m IM MAIN 15x100m Fc at 70.3 race pace+15secsRI WD 200m alt 25mcUP/Fc

Run 45mins Muscle endurance WU 15mins Z2+drills MAIN 2x10mins Z3+3mins RI WD 7mins Z2

Swim 2,000m technique session WU 2x(150m Fc, 100m KIcK, 50m PULL)+15secs RI MAIN 4x50m as 25m scULL/25m Fc+20secs RI. 2x200m Fc n/s+30secs RI. 4x 50m as 25m 1-aRM/25m Fc+20secs RI 4x100m Fc BUILD 1-4 WD 200m 2stRoKE

Swim 2,000m technique session WU 200m Fc, 200m PULL, 100m KIcK+20secs RI MAIN 8x50m as (25m FDRaG/25m Fc) +1min RI, 1x400m in Z3 +15secs RI, 2x200min Z3+15secs RI, 2x100m in Z3 +15secs RI. WD 100m easy Fc or BacK

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week 02

Bike 90mins – 2hrs including 2x30mins at 70.3 target race pace

Run 1hrs Endurance – multi terrain: get off road allowing terrain to mix intensity Swim 2,000m Endurance WU 200m Fc, 100m BREast, 100m BacK+30secs RI MAIN 6x200m alternating Fc/PULL in Z3+30secs RI WD 8x50m alternating easy KIcK/PULL+20secs RI

Run 50mins tempo intervals WU 10mins Z2+drills MAIN 2x3km at 10km race pace+3mins RI WD 5-10mins Z2

Swim 2,000m technique session WU 2x150m as 50m Fc, 50m BREast, 50m BacK)+20secs RI MAIN 4x(25m scULL, 25m Fc, 25m FIst, 25m cUP, 50m Fc)+ 20secs RI. 3x300m Fc n/s (holding sc)+30secs RI WD 200 mixed stroke

Swim 2,200m Endurance session WU 400m as (50m Fc, 25m KIcK on side, 25m cUP) MAIN 400m Fc n/s+1min RI, 2x200m PULL+40sec RI, 4x100m Fc Z3+20secs RI, 400m Fc n/s WD 200m easy Fc/ BacK

Bike 1hr (Road or turbo) strength – hill intervals WU 10mins BUILD+sLDs MAIN 4x(5mins seated hill reps, ride down hill or 3mins recovery spin) WD 5mins easy spin

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week 03

Brick 1hr 45 mins Bike 90min Run 15mins. Progressive warm-up on bike followed by 75mins at 70.3 target race pace, change quickly into 15mins transition run Z3

Run 40min WU 10mins Z2 MAIN 3x(2mins build, 2mins 10km race pace, 2mins 5km race pace, 2mins easy) WD 8mins easy jog Swim 2,000m Endurance WU 200m Fc, 100m BREast, 100m BacK+30secsRI MAIN 6x200m alternating Fc/PULL Z3+30secs RI WD 8x50m alternating easy KIcK/PULL+20secs RI

Run 40mins shallow hill reps WU 10mins Z2+drills MAIN 6x2mins gentle hill reps in Z3 with easy down hill recovery WD 10mins Z2

Swim 2,200m technique session WU 2x200m as 100m Fc, 50m PULL, 50m KIcK on side)+30secsRI MAIN 2x(4x50m as 25m scULL/25m Fc+10sec RI, 200m Fc sc+1min RI, 4x50m as 25m 1-aRM/25m Fc+10sec RI, 200m Fc sc reduce+1min RI) WD 200m mixed stroke

Swim 2,000m speed endurance session WU 400m as (50m Fc, 25m KIcK on side, 25m cUP) MAIN 6x50m Fc BUILD+15secs RI+1min, 2x50m Fc/100m Fc/2x50mFc+15secs RI +1min, 100m Fc/2x50mFc/100m Fc+15secs RI+1min, 3x100m Fc+15secs RI WD 400m easy alternating 50mFc/50mBacK

Bike 1hrs (Road or turbo) Endurance ride Z2

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week 04

Run 60mins Endurance run in Z2

Bike 1hrs (Road or turbo) tempo WU 10mins BUILD+sLDs MAIN 3x10mins Z3+3mins RI WD 10mins easy spin

Run 40mins tempo WU 15mins Z2+drills MAIN 15mins at target 70.3 race pace WD 10mins Z2

Swim 2,000m technique session WU 600m mixed swim MAIN 12x100m as 25m choice drill, 75m Fc+20secs RI WD 200m FDRaG S&C 30mins

Rest day

Bike 1hrs (Road or turbo) Intervals WU 15mins BUILD + sLDs MAIN 4x(3mins build, 2mins max, 5mins easy spin) WD 5mins easy spin

Rest day

building your baSe 1

Rest day

Rest day Rest day

Bike 2hrs Endurance ride in Z2 S&C 30mins

building your baSe 2

building your baSe 3 recovery Week

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The plan Ironman 70.3

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Run 10km time trial or treadmill WU 10mins BUILD+drills MAIN start at 10mph and increase by 0.5mph every 1.5mins; record heart rate and RPE. continue to increase work until you cannot sustain 1.5mins WD 5mins easy jog

Bike 2hrs Endurance ride in Z2 into Z3 on hills – stay seated for climbs S&C 30mins

Run 60mins Endurance run in Z2

Swim 30-40 mins t20 swim test WU 200m Fc+60secs RI, 2x50m alternating 25m drill/25m Fc+15secs RI 2x50m BUILD+20secs MAIN t20 Max distance in 20mins WD 200m Fc easy S&C 30mins

Swim 2,200m technique session WU 200m Fc,100m BREast, 50m BacK, 50m Fc MAIN 4x(8x 25m as 15m drill/10m swim+10sec RI. 200m Fc 70.3 race pace+1min RI) WD 200m FDRaG

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week 06

Bike 2hrs 30mins Endurance including 90mins at target 70.3 race pace

Run 70mins Endurance WU 10mins BUILD+drills MAIN 4x10mins at target 70.3 race pace+5mins easy between S&C 30mins

Run 50mins tempo intervals WU 15mins BUILD+drills MAIN 2x15mins Z3+3mins RI WD 5mins easy jog

Swim 2,000m technique session WU 200m Fc, 4x50m alternating kick on side/pull+15secs RI, 200m Fc MAIN 4x50m 1-aRM, 200m Fc n/s, 4x50m cUP, 200m Fc hold pace, 4x50m FIsts 200m Fc n/s all+20secs RI WD 200m mixed swim S&C 30mins

Swim 2,400m Endurance session WU 400m mixed swim/drills MAIN 4x400m Fc at target 70.3 race pace+90secs RI, 4x50m as 25m Fc fast/25m Fc easy WD 200m easy swim

Bike 70mins (on road or turbo) strength WU 15mins BUILD+sLDs MAIN 8mins small chainring 85rpm, 6mins big chainring 90rpm Z3, 6mins small chainring 95rpm, 4mins big chainring 95rpm Z3, 4mins small chainring 100rpm, 2mins big chainring 100rpm Z4, 5mins easy spin, 4x30secs power jumps+90secs easy spin WD 10mins easy spin

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Brick 2hrs 10mins Bike 90mins Run 40mins: pace awareness WU 20mins on bike MAIN 3x20mins bike as 10mins 70.3 race pace, 10mins steady followed by run as 10mins moderate pace, 10mins increased pace, 10mins hard push WD10mins easy jog

Bike 90mins – 2hrs Endurance ride in Z2 S&C 30mins

Run 50mins tempo intervals WU 15mins BUILD+drills MAIN 2x15mins Z3+3mins RI WD 5mins easy jog

Swim 2,000m technique session WU 200m Fc, 4x50m alternating kick on side/pull+15secs RI, 200m Fc MAIN 4x50m 1-aRM, 200m Fc n/s, 4x50m cUP, 200m Fc hold pace, 4x50m FIsts, 200m Fc n/s all+20secs RI WD 200m mixed swim S&C 30mins

Swim 2,400 Endurance session WU 400m mixed swim/drills MAIN 4x400m Fc at target 70.3 race pace+90secs RI, 4x50m as 25m Fc fast/25m Fc easy WD 200m easy swim

Bike 70mins (on road or turbo) strength WU 15mins BUILD+sLDs MAIN 8mins small chainring 85rpm, 6mins big chainring 90rpm Z3, 6mins small chainring 95rpm, 4mins big chainring 95rpm Z3, 4mins small chainring 100rpm, 2mins big chainring 100rpm Z4, 5mins easy spin 4x30secs power jumps+90secs easy spin WD 10mins easy spin

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Bike 2hrs Recovery: stay in small chainring and spin at a high cadence – opportunity for a café stop

Swim 2,000m technique/endurance WU 4x150m as 50mFc, 50m drill, 50m PULL+20secs RI MAIN 4x300m as 50m drill, 250m controlled swim. Focus on technique and stroke length +1min RI WD 200m easy swim

Run 30mins Recovery 30mins Z2. Focus on running tall and landing and driving off your mid to forefoot

Swim 1,800m technique session WU 300m choice swim MAIN 10x100m as 25m drill/75m Fc Z2/3+15secs RI, 6x50m KIcK as 25m hard/25m easy+20secs RI WD 200m mixed swim S&C 30mins

Rest day

Bike 1hr turbo test WU 10mins BUILD + sLDs MAIN start at 15mph (or 100watts and increase by 1mph (or 20watts) every 1.5mins, record heart rate and RPE. continue to increase work until you cannot sustain 1.5mins WD 10mins easy spin

Rest day

building your baSe 5 + TeSTing

Rest day

Rest day Rest day

Run 40-50mins Endurance: steady Z2 focus on ease and flow of run technique S&C 30mins

building your baSe 6

building your baSe 7 recovery Week

december 2012 91

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92 december 2012

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Run 10km (time trial or treadmill test) WU 10mins BUILD+drills MAIN start at 10mph and increase by 0.5mph every 1.5mins, record heart-rate and RPE. continue to increase work until you cannot sustain 1.5mins WD 5mins easy jog

Bike 2hrs 30mins Endurance ride in Z2 into Z3 on hills – working on climbs S&C 30mins

Run 60mins Endurance run in Z2

Swim 30-40mis t20 swim test WU 200m Fc+1min RI, 2x50m alternating 25m drill/25m Fc+15secs RI 2x50m BUILD+20secs MAIN t20 max distance in 20mins WD 200m Fc easy S&C 30mins

Swim 2,200m technique session WU 3x300m as 100m Fc, 50mdrill, 50mKIcK on side, 100m PULL+20secs RI MAIN 8x50m as 25m scULL/25m Fc 4x(100m Fc Z2, 50mFc Z3, 25m Fc Z4)+20secs RI WD 200m easy swim

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week 10

Brick 2 hrs 20mins Bike 90 Run 50mins – endurance WU 20mins on bike MAIN 70mins at target 70.3 race pace followed by run as 40mins Z2 WD 10mins easy jog

Bike 90min Endurance ride in Z2 S&C 30mins

Run 60mins Fartlek speed endurance WU 10mins BUILD+drills MAIN 15x3mins fartlek intervals working Z1-Z3 WD 5mins easy jog

Swim 2,500m Endurance WU 300m mixed swim MAIN 5x400m alternating Fc/PULL at 70.3 target race pace+30secs RI WD 200m Fc easy S&C 30mins

Swim 2,500m speed endurance WU 2x150m IM (no fly)+20secs RI MAIN 10x200m as 50m race start/sprint into 150m at target 70.3 race pace+20secs RI WD 200m easy swim

Bike 75mins (Road or turbo) WU 10mins BUILD+sLDs MAIN 3x(2mins seated hill climb, 2mins standing hill climb, 2mins race pace on flat, 2mins mixed seated+standing climb, 2mins sprint +3mins easy spin RI) WD 5mins easy spin

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week 11

Bike 3hrs Endurance including 2.5hrs at target 70.3 race pace

Run 85mins Endurance WU 10mins BUILD+drills MAIN 3x20mins at target 70.3 race pace+5mins easy between S&C 30mins

Run 65mins Interval – speed endurance WU 10mins BUILD+drills MAIN 10x1km intervals alternating hard Z3/4, easy Z1/2 WD 5mins easy jog

Swim 2,200m technique WU 3x200m as 100m Fc, 50m drill, 50m PULL MAIN 8x50m as 25mPULL/25m Fc, 3x(150mFc in Z2, 100m Fc in Z3, 50m in Z4)+20secs RI WD 300m Fc easy S&C 30mins

Swim 2,500m speed endurance WU 200m Fc, 100m BREast, 100m BacK+20secs RI MAIN 15x100m at 1,500m race pace+10secs RI, 6x50m KIcK as 25m hard/25m easy+20secs RI WD 300m easy swim

Bike 80mins (Road or turbo) WU 15mins BUILD+sLDs MAIN 4x(10mins Z3 with 5mins easy spin recovery between) WD 5mins easy spin

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week 12

Run 75mins Endurance – multi terrain. Get off road Z2

Bike 45mins (Road or turbo) endurance WU 10mins BUILD Z2 MAIN 3x8mins Z3+2mins (easy spin RI) WD 5mins easy spin Optional Swim 1,000m Relaxed Z2 swim

Run 30mins Recovery 20mins Z2. Focus on running tall and landing and driving off your mid to forefoot with 2x4mins Z3+2mins RI between each pair of sets

Swim 2,000m technique/endurance WU 4x150m as 50m Fc, 50m drill, 50m PULL+20secs RI MAIN 4x300m as 50m drill/250m controlled swim, focus on technique and stroke length +1min RI WD 200m easy swim

Rest day

Bike 1hrs turbo test WU 10mins BUILD+sLDs MAIN start at 15mph (or 100watts and increase by 1mph (or 20watts) every 1.5mins, record heart-rate and RPE. continue to increase work until you can not sustain 1.5mins WD 10mins easy spin

Rest day Rest day

Rest day Rest day

Bike 90min-2hrs Endurance ride in Z2 S&C 30mins

general preparaTion 1 + TeSTing general preparaTion 2

general preparaTion 3 (peak Week 1) recovery Week

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