Novice 10-Week Base Triathlon Training Plans

Build your aerobic base in 6 to 10 hours a week. From US$39.99 on TrainingPeaks.

Who is the novice 10-week base plan for?

Base training is the first phase of your season. Our novice 10-week base triathlon training plans build your aerobic fitness and sport-specific strength, so your body is ready for the higher volume and intensity of the build and peak phases that follow.

This plan is for you if:

You are new to triathlon and want a structured start.
You have between 6 and 10 hours a week to train.
You are aiming at a Sprint, 5150 (Olympic), Half Ironman 70.3 or Ironman race and want to lay the foundation first.
You want every session set out for you in TrainingPeaks, at the right intensity.

What's included in your 10-week base plan

10 weeks of structured swim, bike and run sessions delivered in TrainingPeaks.
Training that starts at about 6 hours a week and builds to a maximum of 9 hours 45 minutes.
Test weeks in Week 1 and Week 10, so you can set your zones and see your progress.
Sport-specific flexibility and core strength plans.
Access to our FREE training tools to set up your training zones, including the CSS Swim Pace Calculator and 20-minute FTP Test.

Price: US$39.99 per plan, paid in US dollars on TrainingPeaks.

How the 10 weeks are structured

Week 1: Test week
Weeks 2 to 5: Block 1 of base training
Weeks 6 to 9: Block 2 of base training
Week 10: Re-test week

For the tests you need a 25m or 50m swimming pool, an indoor trainer (or a flat, continuous riding circuit) and a flat 5km running route.

Choose your training measure

Training at the wrong intensity is one of the biggest mistakes athletes make. Each distance comes in versions that set your bike and run zones in a different way, so pick the one that matches your equipment:

MHR: zones as a percentage of your maximum heart rate. A heart rate monitor is essential.
THR: zones as a percentage of your threshold heart rate. A heart rate monitor is essential.
FTP: bike zones as a percentage of your Functional Threshold Power (a power meter is essential) and run zones by threshold heart rate.

Swim sessions in every version use your CSS (Critical Swim Speed).

Buy your novice base plan: US$39.99

Novice base training plan FAQs

How long is the novice base plan?

10 weeks. Week 1 is a test week, weeks 2 to 9 are two 4-week blocks of base training, and week 10 is a re-test week.

How many hours a week will I train?

The plan is built for athletes with 6 to 10 hours a week. It starts at about 6 hours and builds to a maximum of 9 hours 45 minutes per week.

How much does it cost?

US$39.99 per plan. All plan prices are in US dollars and you pay on TrainingPeaks.

Which race distances is it available for?

Sprint, 5150 (Olympic), Half Ironman 70.3 and Ironman. Choose the version for the race you are building towards.

What equipment do I need?

A heart rate monitor is essential for the run sessions, and for the bike sessions in the MHR and THR versions. The FTP versions need a power meter on the bike. For the test weeks you need access to a pool, an indoor trainer or flat riding circuit, and a flat 5km running route.

What do I do after the 10 weeks?

Move on to a build and peak plan for your race distance. You will find them on our triathlon training plans pages.

Can I get a coach instead?

Yes. If you want a program built around your life, data and race goals, see our online coaching options.

Explore more triathlon training plans

Find the plan that matches your race:

Novice 10-Week Base Triathlon Training Plans

Build your aerobic base in 6 to 10 hours a week. From US$39.99 on TrainingPeaks.

Who is the novice 10-week base plan for?

Table of Contents

What's included in your 10-week base plan

How the 10 weeks are structured

Choose your training measure

Buy your novice base plan: US$39.99

Sprint triathlon (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run)

5150 / Olympic distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run)

Half Ironman 70.3 (1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run)

Ironman (3.8km swim, 180km bike, 42.2km run)

Novice base training plan FAQs

How long is the novice base plan?

How many hours a week will I train?

How much does it cost?

Which race distances is it available for?

What equipment do I need?

What do I do after the 10 weeks?

Can I get a coach instead?

Explore more triathlon training plans

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