Train smart with an Olympic-distance triathlon plan by Joe Friel, best-selling author and internationally recognized endurance coach.

• Prepare for an Olympic-distance triathlon: swim = 1,500m, bike = 40k, run = 10k


• Plan is intended for intermediate to advanced triathletes over 50.


• Plan is for 12 weeks of Base training, to be followed by 12 weeks of Build training.


• Receive two follow-up emails from Joe with more information on the plan (must provide email address at time of purchase).


• If plan is not working for you within the first 2 weeks, you can switch to a plan of equal value or receive a full refund.

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“Joe Friel’s wealth of knowledge in triathlon is astounding.” —Siri Lindley, triathlon world champion

“Joe Friel is one of the world’s foremost experts on endurance sports.” —Outside magazine

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This Olympic-distance Base plan for the over-50 athlete was designed by Joe Friel using the principles from The Triathlete’s Training Bible 5th edition (2024). Having this book handy will help with many of the workouts presented in the training plan.

Who is this plan for?

This plan is intended for the intermediate to advanced over-50 triathlete. It is based on a "5+2" training method, meaning there are 5 easy workouts each week and 2 hard ones. The hard sessions are on Thursdays and Sundays so that there are 2–3 easy days between them to allow for recovery. This is the same type of plan Joe uses for his own training. By the end of 12 weeks you will have excellent Base fitness and be ready to start the Build-Peak period 12 weeks prior to your A-priority, Olympic-distance race.

When should you start the plan?

This plan is best started about 24 weeks prior to your first A-priority race of the season. You should be able to swim, bike, or run about 1 hour each before starting the plan. You should have swim, bike, and run training zones set before starting this plan. (For a detailed description of how to set your zones for heart rate, power, or pace, read this.)

What is the weekly volume?

Over 12 weeks you will increase your weekly volume from about 10 hours to 12 hours, with about 6-hour rest and test weeks every third week to help gauge your progress. Besides training hours, this plan also forecasts what your Training Stress Score (TSS) will be for each workout. Of course, it’s likely that your workout TSS will be somewhat different when you finish the session. Besides workout duration, TSS also takes into account what the intensity of your workout was, so it’s a better predictor of performance gains than is workout duration alone.

Do you need any devices or apps?

You will need a power meter for the bike workouts and a heart rate monitor for the runs. This plan was created using the TrainingPeaks “Workout Builder” format so that workouts may be uploaded to a device (power meter, heart rate monitor, indoor trainer, etc.) or a third-party app to help you follow them precisely. The format also makes it easier to visualize what the workout will be like. (For more information on compatible devices and apps and how to export the workouts, read this. However, it’s not necessary to upload the workouts in order to use this plan.)

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After your event, please provide feedback on how this plan worked for you. Thanks again for your interest in my training plans, and I hope your training and racing go very well this season.