18 Week Half Ironman Training Program
Build Phase
Weeks 1 - 5 focus on quality not quantity.
Weeks 6 - 9 continue to build on endurance (long rides/runs).
Weeks 10 - 16 add some brick workouts and speed sessions.
Weeks 17 - 18 Begin to taper for race day.
| WK-1 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 1000 yds | 20 miles | |
| Tuesday | 1000 yds | 4 miles | |
| Wednesday | 25 miles | ||
| Thursday | 1250 yds | 4 miles | |
| Friday | recovery | recovery | recovery |
| Saturday | 5 miles | ||
| Sunday | 30 miles |
| WK-2 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 1250 yds | 20 miles p.m. | |
| Tuesday | 1250 yds | 4 miles | |
| Wednesday | 20 miles | ||
| Thursday | 1500 yds | 4 miles | |
| Friday | recovery | recovery | recovery |
| Saturday | 6 miles | ||
| Sunday | 32 miles |
| WK-3 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 1250 yds | 20 miles | |
| Tuesday | 1250 yds | 4 miles | |
| Wednesday | 25 miles | ||
| Thursday | 1750 yds | 5 miles | |
| Friday | recovery | recovery | recovery |
| Saturday | 6 miles | ||
| Sunday | 35 miles |
| WK-4 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 1250 yds | 20 miles | |
| Tuesday | 1500 yds | 5 miles | |
| Wednesday | 25 miles | ||
| Thursday | 2000 yds | 3 miles | |
| Friday | recovery | recovery | recovery |
| Saturday | 8 miles | ||
| Sunday | 30 miles | ||
| WK-5 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 1250 yds | 25 miles | |
| Tuesday | 1500 yds | 4 miles | |
| Wednesday | 25 miles | ||
| Thursday | 2000 yds | 5 miles | |
| Friday | recovery | recovery | recovery |
| Saturday | 4 miles | ||
| Sunday | 40 miles |
| WK-6 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 2000 yds | 20 miles | |
| Tuesday | 1250 yds | 4 miles | |
| Wednesday | 30 miles | ||
| Thursday | 2000 yds | 4 miles | |
| Friday | recovery | recovery | recovery |
| Saturday | 8 miles | ||
| Sunday | 20 miles |
| WK-7 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 1500 yds | 25 miles | |
| Tuesday | 1500 yds | 5 miles | |
| Wednesday | 25 miles | ||
| Thursday | 2000 yds | 6 miles | |
| Friday | 20 miles | ||
| Saturday | 1500 yds | 4 miles | |
| Sunday | 35 miles | walk 2 miles after bike |
| WK-8 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 2000 yds | 20 miles (or recovery) | |
| Tuesday | 1750 yds | 5 miles | |
| Wednesday | 30 miles | ||
| Thursday | 2250 yds | 4 miles | |
| Friday | 25 miles | jog 1 mile/ walk 1 mile after bike | |
| Saturday | 2000 yds | 9 miles | |
| Sunday | 45 miles |
| WK-9 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | recovery | recovery | recovery |
| Tuesday | 2000 yds | 4 miles | |
| Wednesday | 30 miles | ||
| Thursday | 2500 yds | 4 miles | |
| Friday | 20 miles | ||
| Saturday | 2000 yds | 10 miles | |
| Sunday | 50 miles | walk 2 miles after bike |
We Add some Brick Workouts and continue to build endurance.
| WK-10 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | recovery or 2000 yds | recovery | recovery |
| Tuesday | 2000 yds | 6 miles | |
| Wednesday | 30 miles | ||
| Thursday | 2000 yds | 8 miles | |
| Friday | 30 miles | ||
| Saturday | 2000 yds | ||
| Sunday | Brick workout. 2 x (20 minute bike + 10 min easy run) | ||
| WK-11 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Monday | 2000 yds | 30 miles | |
| Tuesday | 4 miles (track or sub-race pace) | ||
| Wednesday | 40 miles | ||
| Thursday | 2500 yds | 6 mile tempo run | |
| Friday | 25 miles | ||
| Saturday | 2000 yds | 7 miles | |
| Sunday | Brick workout. 30 mile bike + 20 minute easy run/walk | ||
| WK-12 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Mon | 1750 yds | recovery | recovery |
| Tue | 2000 yds | 5 mile tempo run | |
| Wed | 25 miles | ||
| Thur | 2000 yds | 4 miles | |
| Fri | 20 miles | ||
| Sat | 3000 yds. | 10 miles | |
| Sun | Brick workout. 40 miles + 20 minute easy run/walk | ||
| WK-13 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Mon | 2000 yds | 25 miles | |
| Tue | 2000 yds | track workout | |
| Wed | 45 miles | ||
| Thur | 20o0 yds | 4 mile easy run | |
| Fri | 35 miles | ||
| Sat | 3000 yds. | ||
| Sun | Brick workout. 30 Mile bike + 7 mile easy run | ||
| WK-14 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Mon | 1750 yds | ||
| Tue | 2000 yds | 25 miles | 3 mile easy run |
| Wed | track workout | ||
| Thur | 2500 yds | 50 miles | |
| Fri | 8 miles | ||
| Sat | 3000 yds. | ||
| Sun | Brick workout. 40 miles + 20 minute run at race pace | ||
| WK-15 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Mon | 1500 yds | recovery | recovery |
| Tue | 2000 yds | ||
| Wed | Brick workout. 25 miles + 3 miles at sub-race pace | ||
| Thur | 2000 yds. | 9 miles | |
| Fri | 25 miles | ||
| Sat | 55 miles | Walk 2 miles after bike | |
| Sun | recovery | recovery | recovery |
| WK-16 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Mon | 2000 yds | 25 miles | |
| Tue | 6 miles | ||
| Wed | 3000 yds | 30 miles | |
| Thur | 12 miles | ||
| Fri | |||
| Sat | 60 miles | ||
| Sun | 3000 yds | 5 mile run | |
Taper
Weeks 17 - 18 you should focus on tapering for your race. These
workouts should be easy. You should finish felling like you can do much
more.
| WK-17 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Mon | 2000 yds | 25 miles | |
| Tue | 5 miles | ||
| Wed | 2000 yds | 30 miles | |
| Thur | 2000 yds | 4 miles | |
| Fri | 20 miles | ||
| Sat | |||
| Sun | Brick workout. 20 miles + 3-4 mile jog/walk | ||
| WK-18 | Swim | Bike | Run |
| Mon | 2000 yds | 20 miles | |
| Tue | 5 miles | ||
| Wed | 1500 yds | 25 miles | |
| Thur | Travel Day | Travel Day | Travel Day |
| Fri | 2 mile jog/walk | ||
| Sat. | Race! | Race! | Race! |
Swim Workouts
| Workout | Warm-up | Drill set | Main set | Cool down |
| Drill Workout 1 | 300 swim, 200 kick | 8x50 balance 4 x 50 swim 4x100 rotation |
na | 400 swim |
| Drill Workout 2 | 400 swim, 100 kick | 4 x 100 rotation 2 x 100 swim 4 x 75 distance per stroke |
na | 300 swim |
| Drill Workout 3 (balance) | 400 swim, 200 kick | 4 x 50 balance 100 kick 4 x 100 balance 2 x 200 swim |
na | 300 swim, 100 kick |
| Drill Workout 4 | 400 swim, 100 kick | 6 x 50 pull/drill 6 x 100 distance per stroke 4 x 100 pull/drill 6 x 75 distance per stroke 4 x 100 swim |
na | 400 swim |
| Tri Drills 1 | 400 swim, 200 pull | 2 x (3x100) inc. intervals for each 300 8 x 100 citing drill |
na | 400 swim |
| Endurance Workout 1 | 300 swim | 4 x 100 distance per
stroke 2 x 200 increasing interval 3 x 400 easy |
400 swim | |
| Endurance Workout 2 | 300 swim | 8 x 100 4 x 200 2 x 400 |
400 kick | |
| Endurance Workout 3 | 300 swim 100 kick | 4 x 100 distance per stroke | 1 x 400 2 x 600 1 x 800 |
300 swim, 100 kick |
| Endurance Workout 3 | 300 swim 100 kick | 4 x 100 pull/drill | 2 x 600 1 x 1000 |
200 swim, 100 kick |
Track Workouts
| Warm-up | Main set | Cool down |
| 1 mile + stretch | 2 x (2 x 800) increasing interval on 2nd 800 400 recovery between 800 |
1 mile |
| 1 mile + stretch | 2 x 400 (200 recovery) 2 x 1200 (400 recovery) |
1 mile |
| 1 mile + stretch | 4 x 1600 (3 minute recovery) | 1 mile |
| 1 mile + stretch | 3 x 2000 (4 minute recovery) | 1 mile |
Cycling Workouts
| Warm-up | Main set | Cool down |
| 15 minutes | 6 x 3 minute intervals (2 minute recovery) | 30 minutes |
| 15 minutes | 6 x 6 minute intervals (2 minute recovery) | 30 minutes |
| 15 minutes | Hill repeats 6 x (2:00 minute hill climb 4:00 minute recovery) |
30 minutes |
| 20 minutes | Sprint intervals 8-12 x (1 minute sprint/30 second recovery) |
30 minutes |