If you're an intermediate or advanced triathlete who wants to improve, our comprehensive 4 week Olympic-distance training plan will get you to the start line fully prepared and ready to succeed.
In this post, we’ll guide you every step of the way. By the end of this article, you’ll have a greater understanding of what an Olympic-distance triathlon involves.
You’ll learn essentials for planning your workouts and getting as much as you can out of your training sessions.
You’ll get a handle on the gear you’ll need, plus tips for maintaining motivation, and handling rest days.
Let’s get started!
If you’re the kind of person who wants personalized guidance, you can sign up to train for free on the MOTTIV training app where we do all of the planning for you. All you have to do is show up willing to do the work every day, we take care of the rest.
What You'll Learn in This Article
- Overview of the 4 week Olympic-distance training plan
- Explanation of this race format and average finish times
- Training requirements and understanding training zones
- Detailed breakdown of the phases of the training plan
- Weekly training schedule and specific workouts for swimming, biking, running, strength, and mobility
- Essential gear for beginners and experienced athletes alike
- Tips for staying motivated and managing recovery days
- Effective race preparation strategies
What You Need to Know Before Starting an Olympic Distance Training Plan
Preparing for an Olympic triathlon requires dedication. The race itself is a challenge that combines back to back swimming, cycling, and running. To complete an Olympic-distance race, you need to be strong in all three disciplines and able to maintain your stamina and focus over many hours of racing.
Note: Because of its short duration, this 4 week training plan is intended for athletes who can already run continuously for 30-60mins, bike 60 minutes, and swim 400m non stop without difficulty. (If you want to develop a better baseline, check out our books to get started!) We want you to stay injury-free, motivated, and help you peak at the right time.
What is an Olympic Triathlon?
Completing an Olympic-distance triathlon is a reasonable goal for many triathletes. For many, it’s a step along the way towards an Ironman, or full-distance triathlon. For others, it’s a legit challenge in and of itself.
An Olympic distance triathlon is, you guessed it, the type of triathlon featured in the summer Olympics since its debut in 2000. It’s longer than a sprint and shorter than a half-Ironman. Sometimes called the “Standard” or “International” distance, it’s also the distance that’s used at the Olympics and in the World Triathlon Series.
Components of an Olympic-distance triathlon (in this order):
- Swim: 1.5 km (.93 miles)
- Bike: 40 km (24.9 miles)
- Run: 10 km (6.2 miles)
Unlike sprint triathlons, an Olympic-distance requires sustained effort for multiple hours, and will test your pacing, nutrition, and hydration strategies. It demands physical endurance and mental resilience.
Here at MOTTIV, we are seasoned Olympic-distance racers ourselves. We’ve learned from the best coaches in the sport, made countless mistakes, and celebrated dozens of finishes. We’re here to share our real-world knowledge with you!
What are the Average Finish Times for an Olympic Triathlon?
Finish times at this distance vary based on an athlete's experience, fitness level, and the specific course features. The following are the average finish times across Olympic-distance participants:
- Elite athletes: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Amateur athletes: ~3 hours
- Age-group triathletes: 2 hours and 30 minutes or less is considered a good time
- Beginner triathletes: Aiming for around 3 hours is realistic
Remember, factors such as the course's elevation profile (hilly or flat), weather, and the athlete's strengths in swimming, biking, or running can significantly impact their final result.
Goals keep us motivated but we can’t control every variable on race day. No matter what happens, give it the best you can on the day.
What is the Time Commitment for Training?
Preparing for an Olympic-distance requires you to balance three different disciplines plus strength training and recovery. The goal is not just to reach the finish line but to enjoy the experience and perform your best.
Average Training Time:
- Beginners: Start with 3-4 hours per week, gradually increasing to 7-8 hours.
- Intermediate: Aim for 5-7 hours per week, gradually increasing to 10-11 hours.
- Advanced: Begin with 8-10 hours per week, gradually increasing to 12-13 hours.
Use the calculator below to figure out exactly how many weeks you will need to train to realistically reach your goals based on your current level of fitness and the race you're looking to tackle.
Balancing Swim, Bike, and Run in Your Training Plan
One of the main challenges of Olympic-distance training is balancing the training required for three separate sports. A common training split might look like this:
- 2-3 swims per week
- 3-4 bike rides per week
- 3-4 runs per week
Adjust these based on your strengths and weaknesses. For example, many athletes spend more time on the bike since it’s the longest leg of the race.
If you’re looking for a personalized training plan that adapts to your level of fitness, schedule, and goals, sign up for the MOTTIV training app today, and start building toward your next triathlon goal!
Olympic Triathlon Training Tips for Beginners
If you're new to triathlon, a training plan lasting up to 24 weeks (6 months) may seem overwhelming, but trust us, it's totally doable. When choosing a plan, remember that giving yourself time to train allows you to ease into a sport made up of three disciplines, as well as a lifestyle that may be new to you.
"When I signed up for my first triathlon, I remember being overwhelmed. Giving myself plenty of time to absorb this new way of life helped take the pressure off and let me come into my own as an endurance athlete. Becoming a star in triathlon takes years of training, and more importantly years of learning. But that’s part of the fun!" - MOTTIV CEO Taren Gesell
Understanding Triathlon Training Zones
To get the most out of your workouts, you'll need to train in different heart rate or bike power zones depending on each session's unique purpose and goal. These zones help target specific adaptations such as endurance, speed, and recovery, and make you into a well-rounded athlete.
Training zones explained:
- Zone 1 (Recovery): Low intensity, ideal for active recovery.
- Zone 2 (Endurance): Steady pace, helps build an aerobic base.
- Zone 3 (Tempo): Moderately challenging, improves aerobic capacity.
- Zone 4 (Threshold): High-intensity effort near race pace builds stamina.
- Zone 5 (VO2 Max): Maximal effort, improves speed and power.
Use the calculator below to get your own personal training zones.
What Gear Do You Need for an Olympic Triathlon?
Having the right gear is essential for a successful Olympic-distance race. Each discipline requires specialized equipment that will make training safer and more comfortable, not to mention improve your performance.
Essential triathlon gear:
- Beginner triathlon gear (mandatory): Wetsuit (if water is cold), mirrored swim goggles, swim cap, any bike (bonus if you have clip-on aerobars), any helmet, running shoes, cycling top, and tri shorts.
- Nice upgrade triathlon gear (very helpful): road or triathlon bike, aero road helmet, bike computer, heart rate monitor, triathlon watch, triathlon suit.
- Advanced triathlon gear (the best of the best): triathlon (aka time trial) bike, bike power meter, race running shoes.
Here's an article that outlines everything you need for a triathlon.
The Mental Side of the Sport: How to Maintain Motivation
Staying motivated can be challenging, but breaking your training into smaller goals can help. Here's how to maintain your drive:
- Set mini-goals: Complete a 5k running race or a sprint triathlon as stepping stones. These serve as practice races for elements of racing such as improving your transitions and testing out new gear or nutrition strategies.
- Find a training group: Surround yourself with like-minded athletes. As Taren recalls: "It wasn’t until I started training with a regular group of athletes that I felt like I became an athlete myself; those friends pushed me, taught me, suffered with me, and we all became very close friends as a result. It’s the best part about our sport."
- Track your progress: Use a training app (like MOTTIV) to celebrate improvements with our strong community of fellow amateur athletes around the globe.
Managing Workouts and Rest Days
Balancing intense workouts with recovery is key to avoiding injury and burnout. Stick to a structured rest schedule and listen to your body. Our training plans will recommend you train hard for two weeks, then take a lower-volume “rest” week so you can be ready for the next level of training.
"Over my first few years in the sport I was on such a high that I found it difficult to truly rest. I got injured as a result. I plateaued for a few years until I learned that resting is more important than hard training. Do yourself a favor and learn how to recover well. It will help make you a better athlete." -Taren Gesell, MOTTIV’s founder and CEO.
How to Dial in Your Race Pace
In the final weeks before your race, you’ll see intervals prescribed as "at or above your target race pace." These will help you get a sense of what an achievable race pace is for you.
As a starting point, you can use the race pace calculator below to get some guidelines for your Olympic-distance race pace.
Tapering for an Olympic Distance Triathlon
As race day approaches, it's time to taper! In this phase, you’ll see reduced training volume to allow for recovery while helping you maintain fitness.
The tapering phase is critical for peak performance on race day. During the taper, you'll reduce your training volume while maintaining intensity, allowing your body to recover and build up energy stores.
Objectives:
- Start tapering 10 days to a week before your race. We’ve experimented with various tapers, and find this range works well. (Some athletes might find they need a longer taper if their plan hasn't included enough rest and recovery throughout. Though that’s never the case with MOTTIV training plans!)
- Take one full day off at the start of the taper
- Reduce weekly training volume by 30-50%
- Keep some intensity in your workouts (this will help maintain “freshness”)
- Prioritize rest, recovery, and mental preparation (after all, you’ll have more time on your hands!)
Swim, Bike, Run, Strength and Mobility Workout Details
Below are the types of workouts we prescribe in the MOTTIV app. How many of these workouts you do each week is based on your current level of fitness, how many hours you're able to train every week, and the level of performance you’re targeting.
Long Run (50 mins - 2:30 hrs): The most important run in a run training plan is the weekly Long Run that most runners do on the weekend when they have more time available. The Long Run is low intensity, building up gradually to 2:30 hours in an Olympic-distance program. This run will build endurance and teach your body to manage energy to complete the distance of your race. You can learn all about the Long Run, how to execute it well, and what to eat before and during, right here.
Interval Run (40 - 80 mins): The second most important run in a run training plan is a weekly interval run, which we call the Intense Run in our training plans. Most athletes do this run during the weekday. The interval run will build your top end speed and be based on your run pace determined in the calculator above. You can learn all about how to execute an interval run and what to eat before and during the workout to get the most out of it in this article.
Tempo Run (45 mins - 90 mins): The weekly tempo run (which we call the Steady Run) bridges the gap between the endurance you'll build in the long run and the speed you build in the interval run, it teaches you how to run fast without getting tired. Tempo runs have been proven to be a key component of a successful run training plan. You can learn all about tempo runs in this article.
Brick Run (15 - 50 mins): A Brick Run is a type of workout where you transition immediately from cycling to running. This helps condition your muscles to switch efficiently between the two activities, simulating the feeling and load you'll experience on race day. Starting with shorter runs “off the bike,” and gradually increasing the duration up to 50 minutes will teach your legs to perform well after cycling. You can learn all about the benefits of Brick Runs and how to implement them in your training here.
Main Bike (60 mins - 3:30 hrs): The Main Bike workout is designed to build up your cycling endurance with low-intensity rides. As race day approaches, these workouts will incorporate intervals at race pace to prepare you for the demands of the event. Starting from 60 minutes and extending up to 3 and a half hours, this workout is vital for improving your stamina. You can read about how to execute Main Bike workouts effectively in this article.
Interval Bike (50 - 60 mins): Interval Bike workouts are intense sessions focused on boosting your VO2 max and overall speed. These high-intensity intervals, lasting between 50 to 60 minutes, are designed to push you to your limits and significantly enhance your cycling performance. Learn more about the importance of Interval Bike workouts and how to incorporate them into your training here.
Steady Bike (55 - 90 mins): Steady Bike workouts are tempo efforts with lower cadence work to keep your heart rate low while still providing significant time under load. These sessions, ranging from 55 to 90 minutes, help build muscular endurance and teach your body to operate efficiently at a consistent pace. Check out our steady bike article here.
Recovery Bike (60 - 90 mins): Recovery Bike workouts are very easy rides at extremely low intensity. These sessions, lasting between 60 and 90 minutes, are designed to stimulate blood flow and enhance recovery without adding significant fatigue.
Main Swim (60 - 90 mins): The Main Swim is the key swim session of the week, focusing on building both endurance and speed. These swims, lasting from 60 to 90 minutes, are integral for improving your overall swimming performance. You can read more about the basics of triathlon swimming in this article here.
Steady Swim (45 – 60 mins): A Steady Swim is slightly shorter than the Main Swim and is designed to build speed combined with endurance. These swims, ranging from 30 to 60 minutes, offer a balanced approach to improving both your aerobic capacity and swim efficiency.
Technique Swim (30 – 60 mins): Technique Swims focus on improving your swim form through drills, shorter intervals, and the use of swim toys. These lower-intensity swims, lasting from 30 to 60 minutes, are essential for mastering good technique and preventing injuries.
Strength Workout (30 mins ): Cross-training with strength workouts is critical for athletes who don't want to finish their race simply and want to finish feeling strong. Strength training for runners has been proven to improve race performances, and athletes tend to feel much better physically. We believe so strongly in strength training that our app has 25 hours of guided strength workouts designed specifically for the needs and imbalances of endurance athletes. You can read all about strength training for runners here.
Mobility Workout (30 mins): Yoga for runners hasn't been shown to improve race day performance, but most athletes feel much better if they include some light stretching at least once per week. Our app has nearly 15 hours of guided mobility workouts that are based on Hatha and Yin yoga, which is slower and less intense than most yoga classes you'd do in a studio. You can read all about why we believe runners with more time available should include a mobility session in their training plan here.
Olympic Triathlon Training Schedule
Below are the 8, 12, 16, 24 week versions of the beginner Olympic-distance training plan. Because we don’t want to make these plans too long, they’re extremely basic. For a fully comprehensive and personalized plan with specifics on every moment of every workout, sign up to the MOTTIV training app and train for free.
- Week 1: Build Baseline Fitness (5:15-6:00hrs)
- Monday: Steady Bike (40min)
- Tempo efforts w/ lower cadence work; low HR + building muscular endurance
- Tuesday: Intense Run (30min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Wednesday: Main Swim (50min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 100-400m/y
- Thursday: Intense Bike (35min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Strength: 30 min tri-specific strength training.
- Friday: Steady Swim (40min)
- Slightly shorter than main swim. Intervals of 200-800m/y
- Saturday: Main Bike (60-180min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Saturday: Brick Run (15 min)
- Run steady at low intensity immediately after a bike
- Sunday: Main Run (50min)
- Longest run of the week; long, low intensity
- Week 2: Build Race-Specific Fitness (6:00-6:30hrs)
- Monday: Steady Bike (40min)
- Tempo efforts w/ lower cadence work; low HR + building muscular endurance
- Tuesday: Intense Run (35min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Wednesday: Main Swim (50min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 100-400m/y
- Wednesday: Intense Run (35 min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Thursday: Intense Bike (35min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Thursday: Strength (30 mins)
- 30 min tri-specific strength training.
- Friday: Steady Swim (40min)
- Slightly shorter than main swim. Intervals of 200-800m/y
- Saturday: Main Bike (60min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Saturday: Brick Run (20 min)
- Run steady at low intensity immediately after a bike
- Sunday: Main Run (45 min)
- Longest run of the week; long, low intensity
- Week 3: Peak Olympic Training (~8:30hrs)
- Monday: Steady Bike (60min)
- Tempo efforts w/ lower cadence work; low HR + building muscular endurance
- Tuesday: Intense Run (55min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Wednesday: Main Swim (60min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 100-400m/y
- Thursday: Intense Bike (53min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Friday: Steady Swim (50min)
- Slightly shorter than main swim. Intervals of 200-800m/y
- Saturday: Main Bike (135min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Saturday: Brick Run (30min)
- Run steady at low intensity immediately after a bike
- Sunday: Main Run (75min)
- Longest run of the week; long, low intensity
- Week 4: Taper and Race Week (1:30-2:00hrs + race time)
- Monday: Rest Day
- Take it easy and rest up for the effort to come. Do some foam rolling or trigger point therapy to work out any niggles you have to kick off the taper.
- Tuesday: Bike Primer (30 mins)
- Easy effort except for a few race priming efforts
- Tuesday: Run Primer (10 mins)
- Repeat x3: 3 min @ target race effort Take whatever rest you need btwn efforts to feel totally recovered
- Wednesday: Swim Primer (10 min)
- Easy, light swim to keep the joints loose
- Thursday: Run Primer (10 mins)
- Easy jog except for a few race pace bursts
- Friday: Rest Day
- Saturday: Bike Primer. (20 min)
- Just ride easy to make sure your bike is running 100% smoothly
- Sunday: Race Day!!
- Enjoy the race and know that you’ve got the strength to reach the finish line!
- Week 1: Build Baseline Fitness (5:00-5:30hrs)
- Monday: Main Swim (60min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 100-400m/y
- Tuesday: Intense Bike (30min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Tuesday: Strength Training 1 (30min)
- 30 min tri-specific strength training
- Wednesday: Intense Run (35min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Wednesday: Mobility Work (30min)
- Thursday: Steady Bike (30mins)
- 30 minutes progressive ride
- Friday: Steady Swim (60mins)
- 60 minutes of swimming with a focus on technique
- Saturday: Main Bike (180-240min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Saturday: Strength 2 (30min)
- 30 min tri-specific strength training
- Sunday: Main Run (75-120min)
- Longest run of the week; long, low intensity
- Week 2: Build Race-Specific Fitness (5:00-5:30hrs)
- Monday: Technique Swim (40mins)
- Aerobic swim with a focus on drills.
- Tuesday: Intense Bike (38min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Wednesday: Main Swim (50min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 100-400m/y
- Wednesday: Intense Run (33mins)
- Intervals in Zone 4.
- Thursday: Steady Bike (35mins)
- Ride with a focus on low cadence.
- Thursday: Strength Training (30mins)
- 30 minutes of triathlon-specific strength training
- Friday: Steady Swim (40mins)
- Steady swimming with longer intervals (300-600m/y)
- Saturday: Main Bike (55min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Saturday: Main Brick Run (15mins)
- Complete right after your main bike ride.
- Sunday: Main Run (40min)
- Longest run of the week; long, low intensity
- Week 3: Peak Olympic Training (8:00hrs)
- Monday: Steady Bike (60mins)
- Steady riding with some intervals at lower cadences
- Tuesday: Intense Run (50min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Wednesday: Main Swim (60min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 100-400m/y
- Thursday: Intense Bike (62min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Thursday: Strength Training (30mins)
- 30 minutes of triathlon-specific strength training
- Friday: Steady Swim (60mins)
- Long interval sessions of 300-500m/y
- Saturday: Main Bike (160min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Saturday: Main Brick Run (30mins)
- Perform this run right after your main bike ride
- Sunday: Main Run (95min)
- One hour of steady running in Zone 2
- Week 4: Taper and Race Week (1:15-2:00hrs + race time)
- Monday: Rest Day
- Take it easy and rest up for the effort to come. Do some foam rolling or trigger point therapy to work out any niggles you have to kick off the taper.
- Tuesday: Bike Primer (20 mins)
- Easy effort except for a few race priming efforts
- Tuesday: Run Primer (10 mins)
- Repeat x3: 3 min @ target race effort Take whatever rest you need btwn efforts to feel totally recovered
- Wednesday: Swim Primer (10 min)
- Easy, light swim to keep the joints loose
- Thursday: Run Primer (10 mins)
- Easy jog except for a few race pace bursts
- Friday: Rest Day
- Saturday: Bike Primer. (15 min)
- Just ride easy to make sure your bike is running 100% smoothly
- Sunday: Race Day!!
- Enjoy the race and know that you’ve got the strength to reach the finish line!
- Week 1: Build Baseline Fitness (5:00-7:30hrs)
- Monday: Main Swim (60min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 100-400m/y
- Tuesday: Intense Bike (30min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Tuesday: Strength Training 1 (30min)
- 30 min tri-specific strength training
- Wednesday: Intense Run (35min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Wednesday: Mobility Work (30min)
- Thursday: Steady Bike (30mins)
- 30 minutes progressive ride
- Thursday: Strength 2 (30min)
- 30 min tri-specific strength training
- Friday: Steady Swim (60mins)
- 60 minutes of swimming with a focus on technique
- Friday: General Run (30mins)
- Easy baseline running at Z2 heart rate
- Saturday: Main Bike (180-240min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Sunday: Main Run (75-120min)
- Longest run of the week; long, low intensity
- Week 2: Build Race-Specific Fitness (~5:00hrs)
- Monday: Technique Swim (50mins)
- Aerobic swim with a focus on drills
- Tuesday: Intense Bike (56min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Tuesday: Brick Run (15-30mins)
- Perform either right after your bike (shorter) or later in the day (longer)
- Wednesday: Main Swim (60min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 100-400m/y
- Wednesday: Intense Run (55min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Thursday: Steady Bike (55mins)
- Steady riding with some intervals at lower cadences
- Thursday: Strength Training (30mins)
- 30 minutes of triathlon-specific strength training
- Friday: Recovery Bike (45mins)
- Easy spinning with a focus on recovery
- Friday: Steady Swim (50mins)
- Long interval sessions of 300-500m/y
- Saturday: Main Bike (80min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Saturday: Main Brick Run (30mins)
- Perform this run right after your main bike ride
- Sunday: Main Run (55min)
- Longest run of the week; long, low intensity
- Week 3: Peak Olympic Training (8:00-8:30hrs)
- Monday: Technique Swim (60mins)
- Aerobic swim with a focus on drills
- Tuesday: Intense Bike (60min)
- High-intensity interval ride
- Tuesday: Brick Run (30mins)
- Perform right after your bike ride
- Wednesday: Main Swim (60min)
- Biggest, fastest swim of the week. Intervals of 200-400m/y
- Wednesday: Intense Run (55min)
- Intervals of 30sec to 8min
- Thursday: Steady Bike (60mins)
- Tempo efforts w/ lower cadence work; low HR + building muscular endurance
- Thursday: Strength Training (30mins)
- 30 minutes of triathlon-specific strength training
- Friday: Recovery Bike (60mins)
- Easy spinning with a focus on recovery
- Friday: Steady Swim (55mins)
- Long interval sessions of 300-500m/y
- Saturday: Main Bike (135min)
- Low-intensity ride, some race-pace intervals
- Saturday: Main Brick Run (30mins)
- Perform this run right after your main bike ride
- Sunday: Main Run (90min)
- One hour of steady running in Zone 2 with some race-paced short intervals
- Week 4: Taper and Race Week (1:30-2:00hrs + race time)
- Monday: Rest Day
- Take it easy and rest up for the effort to come. Do some foam rolling or trigger point therapy to work out any niggles you have to kick off the taper.
- Tuesday: Bike Primer (30 mins)
- Easy effort except for a few race priming efforts
- Tuesday: Run Primer (10 mins)
- Repeat x3: 3 min @ target race effort Take whatever rest you need btwn efforts to feel totally recovered
- Wednesday: Swim Primer (10 min)
- Easy, light swim to keep the joints loose
- Thursday: Run Primer (10 mins)
- Easy jog except for a few race pace bursts
- Friday: Rest Day
- Saturday: Bike Primer. (20 min)
- Just ride easy to make sure your bike is running 100% smoothly
- Sunday: Race Day!!
- Enjoy the race and know that you’ve got the strength to reach the finish line!
