Long-distance triathlon training plan
- 16 weeks
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Running
Goal: Long distance
- Duration
- 16 weeks
- Sessions
- 175 in total
- avg. 10.9 per week
- Training time
- avg. 12 h/week
- Peak week 15.1 h
- Key sessions
- 28 key sessions
Bundle offer
Save 20% with the bundle
Together with Base Building, this plan costs €51.20 instead of €64.00 on its own.
View bundle Triathlon long distance: base and raceHow the training load develops
Training time per week over 16 weeks. The toughest week is week 16 with 15.1 h.
Plan structure
175 sessions spread over 16 weeks, around 192 hours of training and a total load of 10,524 TSS.
- Swimming 48 sessions 117.2 km in total
- Cycling 48 sessions 2,470 km in total
- Running 48 sessions 512.4 km in total
- Strength training 31 sessions
| Week | Sessions | Sports | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 2 Key |
|
11.3 h |
| 2 | 11 2 Key |
|
11.8 h |
| 3 | 11 1 Key |
|
8.1 h |
| 4 | 11 2 Key |
|
11.5 h |
| 5 | 11 2 Key |
|
13.2 h |
| 6 | 11 1 Key |
|
8.3 h |
| 7 | 11 2 Key |
|
13.6 h |
| 8 | 11 2 Key |
|
14.1 h |
| 9 | 11 1 Key |
|
8.5 h |
| 10 | 11 2 Key |
|
14.3 h |
| 11 | 11 2 Key |
|
14.9 h |
| 12 | 11 1 Key |
|
9 h |
| 13 | 11 2 Key |
|
14.6 h |
| 14 | 11 2 Key |
|
15 h |
| 15 | 10 1 Key |
|
8.4 h |
| 16 | 10 3 Key |
|
15.1 h |
A look inside the plan
Sample week: week 10 of 16
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 11 sessions 11:53 h 187.5 km 41.3 km 7.9 km 2
About this training plan
For your long-distance race with a target time, this plan puts race pace at the centre. You train it in long Tempo blocks on the bike, in race-pace runs and in open-water swims. The prerequisite: you’ve already finished a middle- or long-distance race. Your bike and run sessions are guided by heart rate; a chest strap is all you need.
Who the plan is for
You’re no stranger to long distances, and a target time matters more to you than simply finishing. The plan starts with a two-and-a-half-hour ride plus brick run and threshold intervals over several kilometres. For a first long-distance race where the goal is to finish, Level 1 with its longer preparation is a better fit; if you’re chasing a PB after several long-distance races, Level 3 is the one.
How the plan works
A fixed weekly rhythm carries you through to race day: swimming, run intervals and strength on Tuesdays, Sweet Spot or threshold on the bike on Thursdays, the long ride with a brick run on Saturdays and the long run on Sundays. Even in the first build phase, Saturday gets Tempo blocks in the aero position.
In the second build phase, the Tempo blocks get longer, and Tuesdays alternate between race pace and threshold, in the water as well as on the run. The brick run gets longer and sometimes finishes faster than your race pace, and the long swim moves to open water. For busy weeks there’s a clear rule about what to cut and what never to cut. In the peak weeks you run for a good two and a half hours and ride a race simulation with the start time, breakfast and kit you’ll use on race day. This is followed by a taper week without heavy strength training and race week with openers.
Fuelling and race day
- Your carbohydrate intake increases up to the race simulation, with tips on which blends your gut tolerates better at high amounts.
- You practise your transitions with a packed bag and test your race-day gels on the long run.
- Mental coaching helps you break down your target time and pace the marathon. You also get a race-day checklist and a tip on pacing the bike leg.
What you need before you start
Three test values, spread over the week before the plan starts: CSS from 400 m and 200 m in the pool, your threshold heart rate (threshold HR) on the bike from Joe Friel’s 30-minute test (stopgap without a test: about 90% of your reliably known bike HRmax) and your running threshold HR from an all-out 10 km run, around 98% of your average HR over the 10 km, or from a lab performance test. You’ll also need a chest strap and a watch with heart rate display, as all bike and run targets are given as a percentage of your threshold HR; wrist-based measurement reacts too slowly. You don’t need a power meter; on the turbo trainer, ride in standard mode (not ERG). From the second build phase, as soon as the water temperature allows, you’ll also need 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).
- Threshold heart rate (cycling)Targets are given as a percentage of your threshold heart rate on the bike – the highest heart rate you can sustain for about 60 minutes. How to find it: after a good warm-up, ride a 30-minute time trial on your own as hard as you can hold evenly – your average heart rate over the last 20 minutes is your threshold HR. A chest strap gives the most accurate reading. Stopgap without a test: about 90% of your reliably known maximum heart rate on the bike (185 bpm → 167 bpm).
- Threshold HR (running)Your threshold heart rate is the highest heart rate you can sustain for about 60 minutes. 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 heart rate over the last 20 minutes is your threshold HR. Alternatively, from an all-out 10K run: 98% of your average HR over the full 10 km (average 176 bpm → threshold HR 172 bpm). A chest strap gives the most accurate reading.
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 16-week plan175 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
- 28 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 16), and each week starts on a Monday. If you have a race in mind, simply count back 16 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 (Heart rate)
16 weeks · 175 sessions · €64.00 (final price*)
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