Long-distance triathlon training plan
- 20 weeks
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Running
Goal: Long distance
Cycling guided by: Power (% FTP)
Running guided by: Pace (% threshold pace)
- Duration
- 20 weeks
- Sessions
- 198 in total
- avg. 9.9 per week
- Training time
- avg. 9.8 h/week
- Peak week 15.9 h
- Key sessions
- 34 key sessions
How the training load develops
Training time per week over 20 weeks. The toughest week is week 20 with 15.9 h.
Plan structure
198 sessions spread over 20 weeks, around 196 hours of training and a total load of 10,035 TSS.
- Swimming 40 sessions 91.2 km in total
- Cycling 60 sessions 2,665 km in total
- Running 60 sessions 510 km in total
- Strength training 38 sessions
| Week | Sessions | Sports | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 2 Key |
|
8.7 h |
| 2 | 10 2 Key |
|
9.1 h |
| 3 | 10 1 Key |
|
6.8 h |
| 4 | 10 2 Key |
|
9.3 h |
| 5 | 10 2 Key |
|
10 h |
| 6 | 10 1 Key |
|
6.8 h |
| 7 | 10 2 Key |
|
10.4 h |
| 8 | 10 2 Key |
|
10.6 h |
| 9 | 10 1 Key |
|
7.2 h |
| 10 | 10 2 Key |
|
11.1 h |
| 11 | 10 2 Key |
|
11.5 h |
| 12 | 10 1 Key |
|
7.5 h |
| 13 | 10 2 Key |
|
11.9 h |
| 14 | 10 2 Key |
|
12.2 h |
| 15 | 10 1 Key |
|
7.5 h |
| 16 | 10 2 Key |
|
11.8 h |
| 17 | 10 2 Key |
|
12.5 h |
| 18 | 9 1 Key |
|
7.8 h |
| 19 | 9 1 Key |
|
7 h |
| 20 | 9 3 Key |
|
15.9 h |
A look inside the plan
Sample week: week 10 of 20
This is exactly how your plan will look in the Aspect App after you buy it. Tap a session to see its structure, intervals and target ranges.
You can also download bike and run workouts as FIT files for Garmin, Wahoo, COROS and others, or as ZWO files for Zwift. Swim workouts come as a PDF to take to the pool.
Week 10 Build Phase 2 – Load Week 1 10 sessions 9:30 h 152.5 km 29.6 km 5.3 km 2
About this training plan
Here you prepare step by step for your first long-distance race: a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike and 42.2 km run. The plan builds up the long weekend, practises fuelling on the long rides and finishes with a dress rehearsal, the taper and a fully planned race week.
Who the plan is for
You’ve finished a middle-distance race or several Olympic-distance races and want to complete the full distance within the cut-off time. You can swim 2,000 m of front crawl without stopping and run for an hour without a break. You’ll need time at the weekend: the Saturday ride grows to four and a half hours with a brick run, followed by the long run on Sundays. If you want to train for a target time, Level 2 is the better choice.
How the plan works
Two load weeks alternate with a recovery week. The first build phase gets you used to the rhythm: the Saturday ride stays in the endurance zone, followed by a short brick run – straight off the bike and into your running shoes. There’s intensity twice a week, with threshold intervals on the run and Sweet Spot (just below threshold) or threshold on the bike.
After that, Saturday becomes long-distance-specific: Tempo blocks just above your race pace, in your race position. Run intervals, the long swim and later the brick run get longer, and the long swim moves to open water. The peak phase brings your longest run of more than two hours and the dress rehearsal with race kit and a brick run. Two taper weeks reduce the volume; the intervals stay but get shorter. Full-body strength and stretching are part of every week, with only stretching during the taper.
Fuelling and race day
- From the second build phase, you eat and drink by the clock on every long ride and increase your carbohydrate intake step by step up to your race-day amount.
- On the long run, you practise taking gels and walk breaks as you would at the aid stations.
- A checklist for transition bags, breakfast and the swim start, plus mental coaching prompts, such as breaking the 226 km down into sections.
What you need before you start
Three test values before the plan starts: CSS from 400 m and 200 m in the pool (your sustainable pace per 100 m), FTP from a 20-minute test and your pace from a 10 km test or a lab performance test. You’ll also need a power meter or smart trainer; from the second half of the plan, open water with a wetsuit and tow float; and access to weights for strength training with basic exercises such as squats and Romanian deadlifts.
Which level is right for you?
- Level 1: First long-distance race, goal: to finish. The longest preparation in the range, with Tempo blocks only from the second build phase.
- Level 2: Middle- or long-distance experience, goal: a target time. Race pace in all three disciplines, race simulation of five and a half hours.
- Level 3: Several long-distance races, goal: a PB or a placing. An extra bike session, race simulation of six hours, longest run just under three hours.
Intensity guidance
Your training thresholds
Session intensity is based on your personal thresholds. After buying, you enter them in the Aspect App – the plan then converts every target for you. If they’re already stored in Intervals.icu, you can import them with one click during setup. Here’s how to find your values:
- CSS (swimming)Your CSS (Critical Swim Speed) is your sustainable pace per 100 m at threshold. Test: after warming up, swim 400 m as fast as you can, recover well, then swim 200 m as fast as you can. CSS per 100 m = (400 m time − 200 m time) ÷ 2 (6:40 and 3:10 → 1:45 per 100 m).
- FTP (cycling)Your FTP (Functional Threshold Power) is the power in watts that you can hold for about an hour. You’ll need a power meter or smart trainer. 20-minute test: after a good warm-up, ride for 20 minutes as hard as you can hold evenly – your FTP is 95% of your average power (263 W → 250 W). Alternatively, the ramp test on a smart trainer: FTP = 75% of your best 1-minute power.
- Threshold pace (running)Your threshold pace is the pace you can sustain for about 60 minutes – roughly your 10K to half-marathon pace. How to find it: after a good warm-up, run on your own for 30 minutes as fast as you can hold evenly. Your average pace over the last 20 minutes is your threshold pace.
Device sync via Intervals.icu
Your plan on your watch
Send your plan to your free Intervals.icu calendar in just a few clicks. From there, your bike, run and swim sessions go to your watch and bike computer as structured workouts with intervals and target ranges – or into Zwift. No retyping and no file imports.
Ready in six steps
- Buy the planOnce your payment has been received, you’ll get your access link by email.
- Save it to your Aspect accountWith a free Aspect account, you save the plan under “My plans”.
- Connect Intervals.icuTap “Intervals.icu” at the top of your plan and connect your free account on intervals.icu (opens an external site). No account yet? You can create one there in a minute.
- Match your target valuesThe app checks whether Intervals.icu holds the same values as your plan (e.g. FTP, threshold heart rate or threshold pace). Any differences can be matched with one click.
- Choose a start date and sendChoose your start Monday, check the preview, send.
- Connect your deviceIn Intervals.icu, go to Settings → Connections, connect your device or platform and enable uploading of planned workouts (e.g. “Upload planned workouts”).
What arrives where
| Platform | What arrives |
|---|---|
| Garmin | Cycling, running and swimming as structured workouts; strength: title only, no exercises (supported) |
| Wahoo ELEMNT, BOLT, ROAM | Bike workouts (supported) |
| Zwift | Bike and run workouts (supported) |
| Suunto | Planned workouts (watches with SuuntoPlus Guides) (supported) |
| COROS | Planned workouts – the first time only, drag the “Intervals.icu” training plan into your calendar in the COROS app. (supported) |
| Hammerhead Karoo | Bike workouts – you set up the connection with Hammerhead (on the Karoo or in the Hammerhead dashboard) (limited) |
| Huawei | Only the next run session at a time (sent to the watch in the Huawei app) (limited) |
| Apple Watch | No official integration – only via third-party apps (e.g. Watchletic – the Intervals.icu import is a paid feature) (limited) |
| Polar, TrainerRoad | No direct transfer (not supported) |
- Most services receive roughly the next 7 days at a time. The complete plan is in your Intervals.icu calendar.
- Intervals.icu calculates the target ranges from your values there (e.g. FTP, threshold HR, threshold pace). If you change them, upcoming workouts are adjusted with the next sync.
- During setup, the Aspect App checks whether your values in Intervals.icu match your plan. You resolve any differences with one click – in either direction, with a side-by-side comparison first.
- If you move a session within its week in the Aspect App, Intervals.icu updates automatically – and so does your device at the next sync.
- Zwift uses the values in your Zwift profile (FTP, 5K time). Enter the same values there as in Intervals.icu.
- Swim workouts arrive on Garmin watches in structured form (distance and pace). Stroke and technique drills are in the text.
- Strength sessions appear in the Intervals.icu calendar with a description and planned duration. On your watch they only show their title. You’ll find the exercises in the Aspect App.
In the Aspect App you can also download bike and run workouts as FIT files (e.g. for Garmin, Wahoo, COROS) or as ZWO files for Zwift. Swim workouts are available as a PDF to take to the pool.
What you get
- The complete 20-week plan198 sessions, structured week by week and day by day.
- All sessions in the Aspect AppEvery session with its full structure. In the browser on your smartphone, tablet or computer.
- Flexible within your weekIf a day doesn’t suit you, you can use a free Aspect account to move sessions to another day within the plan week or change their order – by drag & drop on a computer, or via “Move to…” on a smartphone. You can restore the original order at any time. If you’ve sent the plan to Intervals.icu, it is updated there automatically.
- Straight to your watch and bike computerAs structured workouts via your free Intervals.icu account – to Garmin, Wahoo, COROS & more. Or as a FIT/ZWO download. How it works
- 34 marked key sessionsThe sessions that matter most in each week. They take priority if you need to reschedule.
- Access with or without an accountPersonal access link by email. With a free Aspect account, saved permanently under “My plans” – and ready to send to your watch and bike computer.
How it works
- OrderAdd the plan to your basket and pay with PayPal, card and more (via Stripe) or by bank transfer.
- Check your inboxOnce your payment has been received, you’ll get your personal access link.
- Open your planThe link opens your plan straight in the Aspect App – nothing to install.
- Save it to your accountOptional and free: save the plan to your Aspect account and open it again at any time.
- Get it onto your watchOptional: send it to your calendar via Intervals.icu with your start date – and from there to your watch and bike computer. Here’s how
Created by your coach
Hi, I’m Alex – coach and the mind behind aspect®. My training plans grow out of my endurance coaching work in triathlon, cycling and running. If you’d rather have individual coaching than a ready-made plan, take a look at 1:1 coaching.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the training plan after purchase?
Once we’ve received your payment, you’ll get an email with your personal access link. Use it to open the plan directly in the Aspect App – in the browser on your smartphone, tablet or computer. You’ll also receive your invoice by email.
How does the plan get onto my watch and bike computer?
Via Intervals.icu. Open your plan in the Aspect App, tap “Intervals.icu” at the top and follow the steps: connect your free Intervals.icu account, match your target values, choose your start Monday, check the preview and send the plan to your Intervals.icu calendar as structured workouts. From there, Intervals.icu sends the upcoming sessions to Garmin, Wahoo, Zwift, Suunto and COROS – to set this up, go to Settings → Connections in Intervals.icu, connect your device or platform and switch on the upload of planned workouts (e.g. “Upload planned workouts”). For Hammerhead Karoo, set up the connection in your Hammerhead account. Zwift uses the values in your Zwift profile (FTP, 5K time). Most services receive roughly the next 7 days at a time.
Does it work with the Apple Watch?
Not directly: there’s no official Intervals.icu integration for the Apple Watch. It’s only possible via third-party apps (e.g. Watchletic – the Intervals.icu import is a paid feature). Polar and TrainerRoad aren’t supported directly either. You can still see all your sessions in the Aspect App at any time – including in your smartphone’s browser.
Does Intervals.icu cost anything?
No. A free Intervals.icu account is all you need for the transfer. Intervals.icu also offers an optional supporter subscription – you don’t need it for this. Transferring from the Aspect App doesn’t cost anything extra either.
Do I have to keep my values up to date in two places?
No. In the plan view, the “Match target values” step (“Intervals.icu” button) checks whether Intervals.icu holds the same values as your plan – FTP, threshold HR, threshold pace or swim threshold pace (CSS), depending on what your plan uses. If anything differs, you see both values side by side, choose which one applies for each, and match them with one click. Nothing is overwritten without asking. To do this, you confirm access to your Intervals.icu sport settings once when connecting. Your indoor FTP stays unchanged, and HR zones are only recalculated if you explicitly ask for it. Zwift still uses the values in your Zwift profile.
Do I need an account in the Aspect App?
Not to view it: the access link also works without an account. With a free Aspect account, you save the plan permanently under “My plans” – and only then can you transfer it to your watch and bike computer via Intervals.icu.
When can I start the plan?
Whenever you like. The plan isn’t tied to a date but built in weeks (week 1 to 20), and each week starts on a Monday. If you have a race in mind, simply count back 20 weeks from race day. For the transfer to Intervals.icu, you choose your start Monday yourself – the Monday of the current week at the earliest.
What happens if I start later or need to reschedule?
No problem. If you want to start the whole plan later, simply choose a new start date in the plan view under “Intervals.icu” → “Reschedule” – the sessions are moved in your Intervals.icu calendar without any duplicate entries. If you no longer need the plan there, you can remove it again. Your own entries in Intervals.icu remain untouched. If just a single day doesn’t work, move the session within its week (see the next question).
Can I move sessions to other days?
Yes, within the plan week in question. With a free Aspect account, you can move a session to another day of the same week in the plan view or change the order within a day – by drag and drop on a computer, or via the “Move to…” menu on each session on a smartphone. The plan itself stays unchanged: moved sessions are marked with a small icon (e.g. “originally Tuesday”), and “Reset week” or “Reset whole plan” restores the original order. If the plan has been transferred to Intervals.icu, moves and resets are applied there automatically – and to your watch and bike computer at the next sync. If you move a transferred session within its week directly in the Intervals.icu calendar, the Aspect App picks this up (it can take about a minute). If a session ends up outside its plan week there, the app moves it back to its week and lets you know. Without an account, you can view the plan but not move sessions.
Is the plan tailored to me personally?
No – it’s a ready-made training plan that works for many athletes with a similar goal. If you’d like individual support, you’ll find 1:1 coaching at aspect-sports.com.
Do I have a right of withdrawal?
The training plan is digital content. With your express consent, it is made available before the withdrawal period has expired – your right of withdrawal then expires when provision begins (Section 356(5) of the German Civil Code, BGB). You’ll find the details in our withdrawal policy.
Long Distance | Build & Peak
20 weeks · 198 sessions · €59.00 (final price*)
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