Triathlon
32 articles
TrainingSeptember 16, 2026 · 11 MIN
Zone 2 Training for Triathletes: Building the Three-Sport Aerobic Engine
Zone 2 training is the foundation of triathlon performance, but applying it across swim, bike, and run requires sport-specific heart rate adjustments, volume distribution, and fat oxidation optimization. A properly structured Z2 block of 70–80% total volume builds the aerobic engine that powers race-day performance across all three disciplines.
HydrationSeptember 13, 2026 · 9 MIN
Triathlon Transition Hydration: T1 and T2 Fluid Strategy
Fluid deficits accumulate silently across the swim leg and compound through the bike and run. A deliberate T1 and T2 hydration strategy can prevent the 2–3% body mass losses that degrade run performance by up to 20% in the final leg of a triathlon.
NutritionSeptember 2, 2026 · 10 MIN
Carb Loading for Triathlon: A Distance-Specific Race Day Protocol
Triathlon carb loading differs from single-sport events because you must fuel three disciplines across 1–17 hours. Learn the 48-hour protocol, race morning meal, and discipline-specific fueling for sprint through Ironman distance.
TrainingSeptember 1, 2026 · 9 MIN
Triathlon Training on Limited Time: The 6-Hour-Per-Week Plan
Over 80% of age-group triathletes train fewer than 10 hours per week. This evidence-based 6-hour plan uses minimum effective dose principles and strategic brick sessions to prepare you for sprint and Olympic distance races.
TrainingAugust 31, 2026 · 9 MIN
The 10 Most Common Beginner Triathlon Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Up to 40% of sprint triathlon DNFs stem from preventable nutrition and pacing errors. Avoid these ten beginner mistakes to finish your first triathlon strong and set a foundation for future races.
TrainingAugust 30, 2026 · 10 MIN
Triathlon Run Off the Bike: Pacing Strategy for Every Distance
Running off the bike is the hardest skill in triathlon. Altered biomechanics, cardiac drift, and depleted glycogen conspire against you. Here is the distance-specific pacing strategy to run your best split every time.
RecoveryAugust 26, 2026 · 9 MIN
Swimmer's Shoulder Prevention for Triathletes: A Complete Guide
Up to 91% of competitive swimmers experience shoulder pain. Here's how triathletes can identify early warning signs, correct technique flaws, and build a prevention routine that protects the rotator cuff for the long haul.
TrainingAugust 22, 2026 · 11 MIN
Essential Swim Drills for Triathletes: Build Speed Without Wasting Energy
Most age-group triathletes waste 10-15% of their energy on inefficient swim technique. These 8 targeted drills will improve your catch, body position, and bilateral breathing — cutting seconds per 100m without increasing fitness.
TrainingAugust 20, 2026 · 11 MIN
Open Water Swimming for Triathletes: Conquering Anxiety and Building Race-Day Confidence
Up to 50% of first-time triathletes report significant anxiety about the swim leg. Open water panic is the leading cause of triathlon swim DNFs — but it is entirely trainable with progressive exposure, technique adaptation, and psychological strategies.
TrainingAugust 18, 2026 · 10 MIN
Triathlon Brick Workouts: Mastering the Bike-to-Run Transition
The bike-to-run transition is where triathlon races are won and lost. Brick workouts train your neuromuscular system to switch from cycling to running — reducing "jelly legs" by 30–40% and T2 pace deficit from 45 seconds to under 15 seconds per kilometre.
NutritionAugust 17, 2026 · 11 MIN
Triathlon Race Day Nutrition: A Discipline-by-Discipline Fueling Strategy
Triathlon nutrition is uniquely complex — you must fuel across three sports, two transitions, and 2–17 hours of racing. This guide covers exact carbohydrate targets, fluid schedules, and GI management for sprint through Ironman distances.
TrainingAugust 12, 2026 · 7 MIN
Open Water Swimming: Mastering Sighting, Drafting, and Navigation
Poor sighting adds 10–15% to your swim distance. Learn the head-up crocodile sight, drafting positions that save 18–25% energy, and navigation tactics for triathlon and open water races.
TrainingAugust 11, 2026 · 8 MIN
Triathlon Race-Day Pacing: How to Split Your Effort Across Swim, Bike, and Run
The most common triathlon mistake is going too hard on the bike. Learn how to distribute effort across all three disciplines using heart rate, power, and RPE — with pacing tables for sprint through Ironman distance.
NutritionAugust 9, 2026 · 8 MIN
Triathlon Nutrition by Distance: Sprint to Full Ironman Fueling Guide
A sprint triathlon and a full Ironman have almost nothing in common nutritionally. Applying the same gel protocol across all triathlon distances is one of the most common race-day mistakes. Here's the correct nutrition strategy for every distance.
TrainingAugust 7, 2026 · 7 MIN
Triathlon Off-Season Training: How to Structure Your Winter for Maximum Gains
Athletes who do nothing in the off-season lose 8–10% of VO₂max within 4 weeks. Athletes who do everything get injured. The optimal off-season builds long-term durability without burning out on year-round triathlon volume.
NutritionAugust 6, 2026 · 9 MIN
Full Ironman 140.6 Race Day Nutrition Plan: A Complete Fueling Guide
Ironman racing lasts 8–17 hours and demands 8,000–12,000 calories of output. Most DNFs in the run are nutrition failures, not fitness failures. Here's a distance-specific fueling framework for the bike and run.
HydrationAugust 4, 2026 · 7 MIN
Cold Water Swimming: Physiology, Performance, and Safe Preparation for Open Water Triathletes
Cold water triggers rapid cardiovascular and respiratory stress responses that can impair open water swimming performance within seconds of entry. Understanding cold shock, thermal adaptation, and wetsuit selection is essential for triathlon success in water below 18°C.
TrainingAugust 4, 2026 · 8 MIN
Strength Training for Triathletes: Swim, Bike, and Run-Specific Exercises
Triathletes need strength work that addresses all three disciplines — but most gym programs are not designed for multi-sport athletes. A complete seasonal strength program covering swim-specific pulling strength, cycling power, and run injury-prevention exercises.
NutritionAugust 3, 2026 · 8 MIN
Half Ironman 70.3 Nutrition Plan: Fueling Every Segment of a 4–6 Hour Race
A 70.3 lasts 4–6 hours across three disciplines, creating a complex nutrition challenge — too little fuel causes a collapse on the run, too much causes GI distress. A complete segment-by-segment plan for age-group athletes.
TrainingJuly 31, 2026 · 9 MIN
Open Water Swimming Anxiety: Mental and Physical Strategies for Triathletes
Open water swimming anxiety affects up to 35% of triathletes, including experienced swimmers. This guide addresses the physiological causes of panic, desensitisation protocols, and race-day tactics that convert fear into controlled performance.
TrainingJuly 24, 2026 · 8 MIN
Triathlon Wetsuit Guide: Benefits, Selection, and T1 Strategy
A properly fitted triathlon wetsuit can save 2–5 minutes in an Ironman swim and reduce energy cost by up to 14%. This guide covers every variable from thickness to T1 removal strategy.
TrainingJuly 21, 2026 · 8 MIN
Triathlon Off-Season Training: Building the Base That Wins Next Year's Races
The off-season is where triathlon performances are made — not in race week preparation. A structured off-season of base building, skill development, and strength training can add 20–30 minutes to your 70.3 time or 45–60 minutes to your Ironman.
TrainingJuly 17, 2026 · 9 MIN
Half Ironman 70.3 Training Plan: The Complete 20-Week Guide
A 70.3 triathlon — 1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run — demands structured, sport-specific preparation across three disciplines. This 20-week guide covers periodization, key workouts, and race-day pacing strategy.
TrainingJuly 14, 2026 · 8 MIN
Olympic Triathlon Training Plan: A Complete 16-Week Guide for Intermediate Athletes
The Olympic triathlon (1.5km swim / 40km bike / 10km run) demands a different training balance and race execution strategy than sprint or Ironman. Here's a structured 16-week approach with weekly volume targets, key sessions, and race-day execution.
TrainingJuly 10, 2026 · 8 MIN
Sprint Triathlon Training Plan: 12-Week Guide for First-Timers
A sprint triathlon — 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run — is the ideal entry point to multisport racing. This 12-week plan builds all three disciplines progressively with realistic weekly volume for first-timers balancing work and life.
TrainingJuly 9, 2026 · 7 MIN
Bike Fitting for Triathletes: Aero Position, Run-Off Comfort, and What to Prioritise
Triathlon bike fitting has different priorities than road cycling fitting — you need an aero position you can sustain, and one that leaves your legs capable of running a half-marathon off the bike. Here's how to approach it.
TrainingJuly 3, 2026 · 9 MIN
Triathlon Race Day Strategy: The Complete Guide for Age-Group Athletes
Race day success in triathlon comes down to execution — pacing, transitions, nutrition, and decision-making under fatigue. Here's how elite age-group athletes approach all three legs to finish faster without blowing up.
TrainingJune 22, 2026 · 7 MIN
Triathlon Transitions (T1 and T2): Speed, Nutrition, and Race-Day Strategy
Transitions are the fourth discipline in triathlon — and the most undertrained. A 2-minute T1 and sloppy T2 can be cut to under 90 seconds combined with modest preparation and the right race-day nutrition strategy.
TrainingJune 19, 2026 · 7 MIN
Swim Training for Triathletes: Open Water vs Pool and How to Build Swim Fitness
Swimming is the triathlon leg where fitness gains have the smallest impact on race time — yet it's where training effort is often disproportionate. Here's an evidence-based approach to building swim fitness efficiently.
TrainingJune 17, 2026 · 7 MIN
Brick Workouts for Triathletes: The Science of Bike-to-Run Transitions
The "jelly legs" feeling in triathlon's run segment isn't inevitable — it's a neuromuscular transition problem. Here's how brick sessions fix it and how to structure them for your event distance.
NutritionJune 10, 2026 · 8 MIN
Triathlon Nutrition: How to Fuel the Swim, Bike, and Run
Triathlon nutrition is more complex than single-sport fueling — transitions, gut stress, and effort shifts across three disciplines create unique challenges. Here's the evidence-based approach.
TrainingJune 8, 2026 · 9 MIN
How to Manage Ironman Training Load Across Three Sports
Training for an Ironman across swim, bike, and run creates a load management problem that single-sport metrics can't solve. Here's how to track it correctly — and avoid the injury that ends most first attempts.