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Half Ironman 70.3 Triathlon Plan

The Half Ironman - 1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run - is where triathlon stops being a fitness event and becomes a race that demands strategy, pacing, and disciplined fuelling as much as fitness. This 20-week plan is designed for athletes who have completed sprint or Olympic distance events and are ready to commit to the significant weekly training volume required for 70.3. The plan is built on a polarised training philosophy - plenty of easy aerobic work, specific quality sessions, and carefully placed brick workouts to develop race-specific fitness.

Who This Plan Is For

  • Triathletes who have completed at least one Olympic distance triathlon and are stepping up to 70.3

  • Athletes with a running background willing to develop their swimming and cycling to race standard

  • People who can commit to 10–14 hours of training per week during peak weeks

  • Athletes who are comfortable with all three disciplines individually and want to race them together effectively

Entry Requirements

  • Able to swim 1,500m continuously in open water or a pool

  • Able to ride 60–70km at a comfortable aerobic pace

  • Half marathon running time of 2:10 or faster

  • At least 6 months of consistent multi-sport training

  • Access to a pool twice per week and a road or turbo bike

Plan Specifications

Weekly Training Hours                         10-14 hours per week at peak, across swim, bike and run

                                                                 Base phase: 7-9 hours per week

 

Plan Length                                            20 weeks, including a 3 week taper

 

Delivery Platform                                  TrainingPeaks (structured workouts with targets)

 

Sport                                                       Triathlon (swim/bike/run)

Key Sessions Included

  • Open water swim sessions building to 2.5km with race-pace sets

  • Long bike rides building to 90–100km with aerobic pacing targets and nutrition practice

  • Long brick sessions - 75–90km bike immediately into a 10–16km run

  • Threshold run sessions off the bike - developing run speed under accumulated fatigue

  • Swim technique and open water confidence sessions

  • Fuelling practice built into long bike and brick sessions from week 8 onwards

What You Get

  • 20-week structured TrainingPeaks plan across all three disciplines with targets and session notes

  • Brick session guide - how to execute and what to expect as you accumulate fatigue

  • Fuelling and hydration framework specifically for 70.3 duration

  • Race day pacing strategy by discipline - swim, bike, and run split targets for your goal time

  • Transition setup guide for 70.3 events

  • PDF: race week preparation, taper management, and 70.3 race execution guide

How It Works - TrainingPeaks Delivery

  • After purchase, you will receive an email with a link to connect the plan to your TrainingPeaks account. If you don't already have a TrainingPeaks account, you can create one for free - the free tier is sufficient for this plan.

  • Once connected, every session will appear in your TrainingPeaks calendar on the correct day, with structured workout targets including pace zones, heart rate zones, duration, and session notes.

  • Sessions sync automatically to Garmin, Wahoo, Apple Watch, and most other GPS devices via the TrainingPeaks app. You train to the targets on your device - no need to memorise sessions or carry notes.

  • The plan starts from the date you choose at setup. If you have a specific race date, set that in TrainingPeaks and the plan will align automatically.

Coaching Instead?

If you'd like a coach to adapt this plan to your life, review your sessions, and support you through to race day, Essentials Coaching starts at £80/month for the first three months. Your training plan purchase price of £59 will be deducted from your first month's coaching fee if you upgrade within 30 days of purchase.

 

Explore coaching here.

DISCLAIMER

This training plan is designed for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for personalised medical or coaching advice.

Before beginning any new training programme, consult a qualified medical professional, particularly if you have any pre-existing health conditions, injuries, or concerns. The targets and progressions within this plan are guides - if at any point training causes pain, illness, or excessive fatigue, rest and seek appropriate advice.

By purchasing this plan, you accept responsibility for how you apply it to your own training.

Barbour Performance Systems accepts no liability for injury or illness arising from the use of this plan.

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