CorrCoach free training plan. corrcoach.com/plans/olympic-triathlon. General guidance, not medical advice.

By The CorrCoach Team Not reviewed by a doctor or coach Updated October 28, 2026

Olympic triathlon plan: 12 to 16 weeks

For a second or third race, or a first one if you already train regularly. Two swims, two rides and two runs a week, bricks from week 7, a lighter week every fourth week and a one-week taper.

Let CorrCoach adapt this plan to you

The plan at a glance.

If you have 12 weeks, start at week 5. That works only if you already ride for 95 minutes and run for 55 minutes comfortably, which is where week 3 ends. With less base than that, or fewer than 12 weeks, pick a later race. Do not skip weeks. If you have more than 16 weeks, repeat weeks 5 to 8 as an extra base block.

Race: Olympic (standard) distance: 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, 10 km run
Length: 16 weeks (12 weeks from week 5)
Weekly time: 3 h 55 min to 7 h 50 min a week
Sessions: 6 sessions, Monday off

Who this plan is for.

This plan fits someone who has done a sprint triathlon, or who trains three or four days a week already and wants to move up to the standard distance. It starts at about 4 hours 40 minutes a week and peaks at about 7 hours 50 minutes.

The Olympic distance is double a sprint, so the long ride reaches 2 hours and the longest brick finishes with a 30-minute run. Most of the training is easy or steady, with a few short pieces at the effort you will race at.

Where you need to be before week 1.

You can swim 400 m without stopping, in any stroke.
You can ride for 60 minutes and run for 30 to 40 minutes without stopping, on separate days, and be ready to train the day after.
You have trained 3 to 4 days a week for at least 6 weeks, or finished a sprint triathlon recently.
You have 5 to 8 hours in your biggest week, including a long ride of about 2 hours and a long run of about 80 minutes.
You have talked to a doctor and are free of the symptoms listed under “Stop and get medical advice” below.

Before you start

Check with a doctor before you start, especially if you have not trained regularly lately, have a heart, lung or joint condition, are pregnant, or have ever had chest pain or fainting when you exercise. A short screening questionnaire such as the PAR-Q+ is a good first step, and a doctor can tell you if you need more than that.

Stop and get medical advice if you notice

Chest pain, pressure or tightness
Dizziness, light-headedness or feeling faint
Breathlessness that is out of proportion to the effort, or a racing or irregular heartbeat
Sharp pain, or any pain that gets worse as you move
Numbness, tingling or sudden weakness

Stop the session when any of these appear. Do not finish the workout, and do not make it up later in the week. If pain is mild but still there the next morning, take the day off, and see a physio or doctor if it lasts more than a few days.

How hard is easy?

Every session has an effort on a 1 to 10 scale (RPE, rate of perceived exertion) and a talk test. No watch, heart rate strap or power meter is needed.

Effort scale used in every session
Effort	Talk test	What it feels like
EasyRPE 2 to 3	You could chat in full sentences and sing a line of a song without gasping.	Like you could keep going for hours. Most of your training is here.
SteadyRPE 4 to 5	You can talk in short sentences. Your breathing is noticeable but never ragged.	Working, but in control. A pace you could hold for a long ride or a race-day swim.
Comfortably hardRPE 6 to 7	Only a few words at a time. You are focused on holding the effort.	Like a pace you could hold for about 30 to 60 minutes, and would not want to hold for 90.
HardRPE 8	One or two words, if that. You are counting down the last few seconds.	You could hold it for 2 to 4 minutes. Used rarely, in short pieces with long rests.

How the weeks fit together.

Build, then rest, then build more. The rest weeks are part of the plan.

Phases of the plan
Phase	Weeks	What it is for
Base	Weeks 1 to 3, 5 to 7	Aerobic base, technique and the first tempo work. The first brick is in week 7.
Recovery	Weeks 4, 8 and 12	About a quarter less time, so the work settles in.
Build	Weeks 9 to 11	Longer bricks and more time at race effort.
Peak	Weeks 13 and 14	The longest ride and run, plus a race rehearsal.
Taper	Week 15	About a third less time, with a few short race-effort pieces.
Race week	Week 16	Short and easy. Race on Sunday.

Week by week.

Times are totals for the session, in minutes. Do the sessions in order, and take the rest days. If a week goes wrong, read the section on missed weeks before you change anything.

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16

Week 1Base · 4 h 40 min

Settle into six sessions. Easy aerobic work and technique.

Sessions in week 1
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, 6 × 100 m steady with 20 s rest, 100 m easy.A steady rhythm over short repeats.	35 min	Easy warm-up, 100s at RPE 4 to 5
Wed	Ride 55 min easy, with 4 × 1 min of fast pedalling (cadence about 100) and 3 min easy between.Leg speed and smooth pedalling.	55 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Thu	Run 35 min easy, then 6 × 20 s relaxed strides with 40 s walking.Aerobic base and quick, relaxed running.	35 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 8 × 50 m drills (catch-up, fingertip drag), 4 × 100 m pull buoy with 15 s rest.The pull buoy cuts the legs out so you can feel your arm stroke.	30 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Ride 80 min easy on a mostly flat route. Drink every 20 min.Starts the long-ride habit.	1 h 20 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sun	Run 45 min easy.Your first long run of the plan, at a pace where you can talk.	45 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 2Base · 5 h

A little more of the same.

Sessions in week 2
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, 5 × 150 m steady with 20 s rest, 100 m easy.A longer repeat, still with rests.	40 min	Easy warm-up, 150s at RPE 4 to 5
Wed	Ride 55 min with 3 × 6 min steady (RPE 5), 3 min easy between.Introduces a steady effort.	55 min	Easy, with 3 × 6 min at RPE 5
Thu	Run 40 min: 10 min easy, 2 × 6 min at RPE 6 with 3 min jog between, rest easy.A first taste of a comfortably hard run.	40 min	Easy, with 2 × 6 min at RPE 6
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 8 × 50 m breathing every 3, 5, 3, 5 strokes, 4 × 100 m pull.Breathing on both sides evens out your stroke.	30 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Ride 85 min easy, with one or two small hills.Adds a little time and terrain.	1 h 25 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sun	Run 50 min easy.A small step up from last week.	50 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 3Base · 5 h 25 min

The biggest week of the first block. Next week is lighter.

Sessions in week 3
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, 4 × 200 m steady with 25 s rest, 200 m easy.Steady swimming in longer pieces.	40 min	Easy warm-up, 200s at RPE 4 to 5
Wed	Ride 60 min with 3 × 8 min steady (RPE 5), 4 min easy between.More time at the effort you will race at.	1 h	Easy, with 3 × 8 min at RPE 5
Thu	Run 40 min: 10 min easy, 3 × 6 min at RPE 6 with 3 min jog between, rest easy.Builds your ability to hold a comfortably hard pace.	40 min	Easy, with 3 × 6 min at RPE 6
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 4 × 150 m pull with 20 s rest.Keeps technique work in the week.	35 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Ride 95 min easy. Eat or drink something every 20 min.The bike is the biggest part of the race.	1 h 35 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sun	Run 55 min easy.A long run at a pace you could keep for much longer.	55 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 4Recovery week · 3 h 55 min

A lighter week, about a quarter less time. The first block of work is absorbed here.

Sessions in week 4
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, 4 × 100 m easy with 20 s rest, 100 m easy.Relaxed swimming.	30 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Wed	Ride 45 min easy.Loosens the legs.	45 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Thu	Run 30 min easy.Short and comfortable.	30 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 2 × 100 m pull.A calm technique session.	25 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Ride 65 min easy.A long ride with room to enjoy it.	1 h 5 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sun	Run 40 min easy.Keeps the habit.	40 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 5Base · 5 h 35 min

Back to full work, a notch above week 3. This is also where a 12-week plan begins.

Sessions in week 5
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, 3 × 300 m steady with 30 s rest, 100 m easy.Longer steady pieces.	40 min	Easy warm-up, 300s at RPE 4 to 5
Wed	Ride 60 min with 3 × 10 min at RPE 5 to 6, 4 min easy between.Longer pieces at race effort.	1 h	Easy, with 3 × 10 min at RPE 5 to 6
Thu	Run 45 min: 15 min easy, 6 × 45 s uphill at RPE 7 (jog back down), 10 min easy.Hill reps build leg strength with less impact than fast running on the flat.	45 min	Easy, with 6 × 45 s at RPE 7
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 8 × 50 m drills, 4 × 100 m with a long, slow stroke.Fewer strokes per length means less work for the same speed.	35 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Ride 100 min easy on a rolling route. Drink every 15 to 20 min and eat something at 60 min.Practises the fuelling plan you will use on race day.	1 h 40 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sun	Run 55 min easy.Holds your long-run volume.	55 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 6Base · 6 h 5 min

More swimming and a longer ride.

Sessions in week 6
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 400 m warm-up, 4 × 300 m steady with 30 s rest, 100 m easy.About 1,700 m. Close to race distance in total.	45 min	Easy warm-up, 300s at RPE 4 to 5
Wed	Ride 65 min with 3 × 12 min at RPE 5 to 6, 4 min easy between.The longest steady pieces so far.	1 h 5 min	Easy, with 3 × 12 min at RPE 5 to 6
Thu	Run 45 min: 10 min easy, 2 × 10 min at RPE 6 with 4 min jog between, rest easy.A longer comfortably hard effort.	45 min	Easy, with 2 × 10 min at RPE 6
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 4 × 200 m pull with 20 s rest.Easy volume that builds feel for the water.	40 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Ride 110 min easy, with hills if you can find them.Almost two hours in the saddle.	1 h 50 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sun	Run 60 min easy.An hour on your feet at an easy pace.	1 h	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 7Base · 6 h 30 min

The last big week of the first half. The first brick comes on Saturday: run 10 minutes straight after the ride.

Sessions in week 7
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, one continuous 1,000 m steady, 200 m easy.Your first long unbroken swim. Settle in and breathe.	45 min	Easy warm-up, 1,000 m at RPE 4 to 5
Wed	Ride 70 min with 2 × 20 min at RPE 6, 5 min easy between.Comfortably hard work on the bike, in two pieces.	1 h 10 min	Easy, with 2 × 20 min at RPE 6
Thu	Run 50 min: 10 min easy, 20 min at RPE 6, rest easy.A continuous tempo, as close as this plan gets to 10 km race effort.	50 min	Easy, 20 min at RPE 6
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 8 × 50 m drills, 4 × 100 m pull.More technique.	40 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Brick: ride 110 min easy to steady, then run 10 min straight after at easy effort.Your first brick. Expect heavy legs for the first 3 to 5 minutes.	2 h	Easy to steady, RPE 3 to 4
Sun	Run 65 min easy.The longest run of the first half.	1 h 5 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 8Recovery week · 4 h 40 min

A lighter week. Sleep, eat well and let the work settle.

Sessions in week 8
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, 5 × 100 m easy, 100 m easy.Relaxed time in the water.	35 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Wed	Ride 50 min easy, with 3 × 1 min spin-ups.Loosens the legs.	50 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Thu	Run 35 min easy.Short and comfortable.	35 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 2 × 100 m pull.A calm technique session.	30 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Brick: ride 80 min easy, then run 5 min easy.Keeps the brick feeling fresh without the load.	1 h 25 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sun	Run 45 min easy.Keeps the habit.	45 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 9Build · 6 h 35 min

Back to full work. Steady pieces get longer.

Sessions in week 9
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 400 m warm-up, 6 × 200 m at RPE 5 with 20 s rest, 200 m easy.Steady swimming in medium pieces.	45 min	Easy warm-up, 200s at RPE 5
Wed	Ride 70 min with 3 × 12 min at RPE 6, 4 min easy between.Builds your steady power for the long ride.	1 h 10 min	Easy, with 3 × 12 min at RPE 6
Thu	Run 50 min: 15 min easy, 8 × 45 s uphill at RPE 7, jog down, rest easy.Hill strength.	50 min	Easy, with 8 × 45 s at RPE 7
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 4 × 100 m practice start and sighting every 8 strokes.Practises sighting, the skill that keeps you on course.	40 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Brick: ride 110 min easy to steady, then run 15 min easy.A longer ride, a longer brick.	2 h 5 min	Easy to steady, RPE 3 to 4
Sun	Run 65 min easy.Long run on tired legs from yesterday.	1 h 5 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 10Build · 7 h 10 min

More time at race effort.

Sessions in week 10
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 400 m warm-up, 2 × 750 m steady with 45 s rest, 200 m easy.About 2,100 m. More than the race swim, in two pieces.	50 min	Easy warm-up, 750s at RPE 5
Wed	Ride 75 min with 2 × 20 min at RPE 6, 5 min easy between.Longer pieces at your upper steady effort.	1 h 15 min	Easy, with 2 × 20 min at RPE 6
Thu	Run 55 min: 10 min easy, 3 × 8 min at RPE 6 to 7 with 3 min jog between, rest easy.A longer set of tempo pieces, the pace you will race at.	55 min	Easy, with 3 × 8 min at RPE 6 to 7
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 8 × 50 m drills, 6 × 100 m pull with 15 s rest.Keeps technique work in the week.	45 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Brick: ride 120 min easy to steady, then run 15 min at RPE 4 to 5.The same brick, with a slightly firmer run.	2 h 15 min	Easy to steady, RPE 3 to 5
Sun	Run 70 min easy.Holds the long-run volume.	1 h 10 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 11Build · 7 h 30 min

The biggest week of the build block, with one set of harder intervals.

Sessions in week 11
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 400 m warm-up, 10 × 100 m at RPE 6 with 15 s rest, 300 m easy pull.Quicker repeats to make race pace feel easier.	50 min	Easy warm-up, 100s at RPE 6
Wed	Ride 80 min with 4 × 10 min at RPE 6, 4 min easy between.Broken into shorter pieces so you can hold the effort.	1 h 20 min	Easy, with 4 × 10 min at RPE 6
Thu	Run 55 min: 15 min easy, 25 min at RPE 6, rest easy.A long continuous tempo.	55 min	Easy, 25 min at RPE 6
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 8 × 50 m drills, 4 × 200 m pull with 20 s rest.More technique.	45 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Brick: ride 125 min with the middle hour at RPE 4 to 5, then run 20 min at RPE 4 to 5.A longer ride with a steadier middle.	2 h 25 min	Easy to steady, RPE 3 to 5
Sun	Run 75 min easy.Long run at a conversational pace.	1 h 15 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 12Recovery week · 5 h 20 min

A lighter week. About a quarter less. If you are on the 12-week version, this is week 8 for you.

Sessions in week 12
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, 6 × 100 m easy, 100 m easy.Relaxed time in the water.	40 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Wed	Ride 55 min with 3 × 8 min at RPE 5, 4 min easy between.Keeps some steady work in a light week.	55 min	Easy, with 3 × 8 min at RPE 5
Thu	Run 40 min easy.Short and comfortable.	40 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 4 × 100 m pull.A calm technique session.	35 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Brick: ride 90 min easy, then run 10 min easy.A shorter long ride with a short brick.	1 h 40 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sun	Run 50 min easy.Keeps the habit.	50 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 13Peak · 7 h 50 min

The longest week. Race effort in careful doses.

Sessions in week 13
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 400 m warm-up, 1,500 m continuous steady (the race distance), 200 m easy.You swim the full race distance. The time does not matter. The calm does.	50 min	Easy warm-up, 1,500 m at RPE 5
Wed	Ride 80 min with 2 × 25 min at RPE 6 (race effort), 5 min easy between.Race-effort riding in long pieces.	1 h 20 min	Easy, with 2 × 25 min at RPE 6
Thu	Run 60 min: 10 min easy, 2 × 15 min at 10 km effort (RPE 7) with 5 min jog between, rest easy.A strong run, with a break between the pieces.	1 h	Easy, with 2 × 15 min at RPE 7
Fri	Swim technique and open-water skills: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 6 × 100 m with sighting every 6 strokes.If you can swim in open water, do this session there with a friend or at a supervised swim.	45 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Brick: ride 130 min with the last hour at RPE 5 to 6, then run 25 min at RPE 5.The closest the plan comes to the second half of race day.	2 h 35 min	Easy to steady, RPE 3 to 6
Sun	Run 80 min easy. Walk any steep hill.The longest run of the plan, kept easy.	1 h 20 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 14Peak · 7 h 45 min

Race rehearsal on Saturday, in your race gear. Everything else stays easy.

Sessions in week 14
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 400 m warm-up, 3 × 500 m steady with 30 s rest, 200 m easy. Do this in open water if you can.The race swim in three pieces, with the sighting you will use on the day.	50 min	Easy warm-up, 500s at RPE 5
Wed	Ride 85 min with 3 × 15 min at RPE 6 to 7, 5 min easy between.Practice at the effort you will race at.	1 h 25 min	Easy, with 3 × 15 min at RPE 6 to 7
Thu	Run 60 min: 10 min easy, 3 × 10 min at RPE 6 to 7 with 3 min jog between, rest easy.Tempo in pieces.	1 h	Easy, with 3 × 10 min at RPE 6 to 7
Fri	Swim: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 4 × 100 m easy.Keeps technique in the week without cost.	45 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Race rehearsal: ride 120 min including 40 km at RPE 6 (your race effort) with your race food and drink, change in under 2 min, run 30 min with the last 20 min at RPE 6 to 7.Use the gear and food you plan to race in. Find out what does not work.	2 h 30 min	Steady to comfortably hard, RPE 5 to 7
Sun	Run 75 min easy, or 55 min if your legs are heavy.Easy volume after a big day.	1 h 15 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 15Taper · 5 h 5 min

Taper. About a third less, with the same routine and a few short bits at race effort.

Sessions in week 15
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m warm-up, 800 m steady, 200 m easy.Keeps the feel for the water.	40 min	Easy warm-up, 800 m at RPE 5
Wed	Ride 55 min with 3 × 8 min at RPE 6, 4 min easy between.Short, sharp reminders of race effort.	55 min	Easy, with 3 × 8 min at RPE 6
Thu	Run 40 min: 15 min easy, 4 × 4 min at RPE 7 with 2 min jog between, rest easy.Keeps the legs sharp.	40 min	Easy, with 4 × 4 min at RPE 7
Fri	Swim technique: 300 m easy, 6 × 50 m drills, 4 × 100 m pull.Easy technique.	35 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Brick: ride 75 min easy to steady, then run 15 min easy.A last, shorter brick.	1 h 30 min	Easy to steady, RPE 3 to 4
Sun	Run 45 min easy.Keeps the habit.	45 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon.

Week 16Race week · 2 h plus the race on Sun

Race week. Short, easy sessions, and everything packed early. The race is on Sunday.

Sessions in week 16
Day	Session and why	Time	Effort
Tue	Swim: 300 m easy, 4 × 100 m steady with 20 s rest. Practise sighting.Loose and relaxed.	25 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Wed	Ride 35 min easy, with 3 × 2 min at race effort (RPE 6), 3 min easy between.Wakes up the legs without costing you anything.	35 min	Easy, with 3 × 2 min at RPE 6
Thu	Run 25 min easy, then 4 × 20 s strides.Loose and light.	25 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Fri	Swim 15 min easy, or a short open-water swim if the venue opens for practice.A last feel for the water.	15 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3
Sat	Shakeout: ride 15 min easy and jog 5 min. Rack your bike and check your gear.A last check that everything works, while there is still time to fix it.	20 min	Easy, RPE 2 to 3

Rest: Mon. Race day: Sun.

Bricks and changeovers.

A brick is a ride followed straight by a run. In an Olympic race you run 10 km on legs that have just ridden 40 km, so you need practice with the feeling.

Bricks start in week 7 with 10 minutes of easy running. They grow to 30 minutes in the week 14 rehearsal, where the last 20 minutes are at the effort you plan to race. USA Triathlon’s sample brick for experienced sprint and Olympic athletes ends with a 20-minute run at zone 3 and a 5-minute easy finish, and the week 14 rehearsal borrows that shape.

Practise the changeover.

Practise the changeover at home: helmet off, bike racked, shoes changed, out the door. USA Triathlon suggests aiming to keep it under 60 seconds.
Spin an easier gear at a higher cadence in the last 5 minutes of every long ride. Your legs will be warm and quick when you start running.
For the first 5 minutes of every brick run, shorten your stride and go slower than feels natural. Most people find their rhythm after about 10 minutes.
Eat and drink on every ride over 90 minutes, and use exactly the food and drink you plan to use on race day.

Recovery weeks and the taper.

Weeks 4, 8 and 12 are about a quarter lighter than the week before. That is deliberate: the plan alternates load and rest, which is how adaptation happens. The joint consensus statement from the European College of Sport Science and the American College of Sports Medicine describes overtraining as the result of an imbalance between training load and recovery.

The plan adds time by about 10 percent a week at most, the same cap CorrCoach’s own planner uses by default. In most weeks it adds less. If a week leaves you unable to do the next one, repeat it instead of moving on.

The taper is week 15 plus a short race week. A 2007 meta-analysis of 27 studies found that the best tapers lasted about two weeks, cut training volume by roughly 40 to 60 percent and kept intensity and frequency unchanged. This plan cuts about 35 percent in week 15, then more in race week, and keeps a few short bits at race effort so the legs do not go flat.

If you miss a week or get sick.

Life will get in the way at some point. The rule is simple: you never make up missed sessions, you pick up where your body is.

What to do after missed training
What happened	What to do
You miss 1 to 3 days	Skip them and carry on on the day you are back. Do not stack missed sessions into the days that are left.
You miss a whole week, and you are healthy	Repeat the last week you finished. If that was a recovery week, repeat the one before it.
You miss 2 weeks	Go back two weeks in the plan and rebuild from there. If you are in the peak or taper, do not go back: shorten the taper and keep race effort easy.
You miss 3 weeks or more	Go back to the last base week you completed, or pick a later race.
You are sick, with fever, chest symptoms or body aches	No training. Follow the illness steps below, and restart at about 70 percent of the planned time. In the last three weeks, do not try to make up the long sessions.

When you are ill.

Fever, chest symptoms, body aches or heavy tiredness mean no training. Rest, drink plenty of fluids and sleep more.
Wait until you have been without a fever for a full day, then start again with easy sessions at about 70 percent of the planned time. Skip the hard parts for the first few days.
See a doctor if you feel worse, if symptoms last more than a few days, or if you had chest pain, breathlessness or a racing heart while ill. Do not restart until you are cleared.
Missed sessions are gone. Never add them to later weeks to catch up.

Race week.

Race week is mostly logistics. Sessions are short and easy, and the key work is making sure nothing on the bike or in your bag lets you down.

Monday: check your bike and kit. Replace tyres and brake pads now if they are worn.
Tuesday to Thursday: do the short sessions in the table. Do not add anything.
Friday: rest. Read the race briefing, find the swim exit and the bike mount line on the map, and pack your bag.
Saturday: do the shakeout, rack your bike if the race lets you, and eat the same foods you have eaten before long sessions.
Race morning: eat what you always eat, keep warm before the swim, and swim the first 100 m easy.
On the bike, ride the first 10 minutes easy, then settle at RPE 6. Drink on a schedule, not when you feel thirsty.
Start the run slower than you want to for the first kilometre. Pick up the pace gradually and hold back the last effort until the final 2 km.
Do not try anything new: no new shoes, no new gel, no new goggles.
If you feel dizzy, get chest pain or notice any other stop sign, stop and get help.

Let CorrCoach adapt this plan to you

Sixteen weeks is a long time for life to stay the same. CorrCoach Tri builds the weeks from your race date and the hours you really have, then moves sessions when a week goes sideways. Plans are free to start.

Let CorrCoach adapt this plan to you

Sources you can check.

World Triathlon: age-group racing, standard and sprint distancesStandard (Olympic) distance is a 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike and 10 km run.
USA Triathlon: How to use brick workouts in triathlon trainingBrick structure for sprint and Olympic athletes, and the sub-60-second changeover target.
Bosquet and colleagues, Effects of tapering on performance: a meta-analysis (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2007)A two-week taper with volume cut by 41 to 60 percent and intensity held.
Seiler, What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? (Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2010)About 80 percent of sessions at low intensity in competitive endurance athletes.

Written by The CorrCoach Team. Not reviewed by a doctor or coach. These are general guidelines, so talk to a doctor before you start. They are built from the published sources listed on each page and the conservative build-up rules CorrCoach’s own planner uses.

Questions.

Can I do the 12-week version if I am new to triathlon?

Only if you already meet the numbers from the end of week 3: a 95-minute ride, a 55-minute run and a swim of about 1,000 m. If you do not, take the full 16 weeks, or start with the 12-week beginner sprint plan and move up to this one.

How hard do I ride and run on race day?

On the bike, around RPE 6, the lower half of comfortably hard. On the run, start at RPE 6 and let yourself reach RPE 7 over the last 3 km. Riding harder than that often makes the run feel much longer than 10 km.

I only have 5 hours a week. Can I use this plan?

For the first 8 weeks, yes. After that the Saturday brick and the long run take over the week. Drop the Friday swim first and keep both long sessions. If you cannot keep both, a sprint is a better race for you this season.