Training for a Half Ironman triathlon is undoubtedly tough, especially for beginners.
This multi-sport event is truly a test of physical and mental endurance and requires impressive aerobic fitness to complete.
Although most people who venture into the world of triathlons begin with a sprint triathlon, if you have your sights set on a 70.3 triathlon, we have created a 20-week beginner Half Ironman training plan to help novice triathletes progress over the course of 20 weeks to complete their first 70.3 triathlon.
Ready to get training? Keep reading for our 20-week beginner Half Ironman training plan.
We will cover:
- What Is a Half Ironman Triathlon?
- 20 Week Half Ironman Training Plan for Beginners
Letโs get started!
What Is a Half Ironman Triathlon?
Usually called an Ironman 70.3 due to the total distance of the race in mileage, a Half Ironman involves 70.3 miles of self-propelled travel, broken down into a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run, sequenced back to back.
Owing to the name, a Half Ironman triathlon is exactly half as long as a full Ironman triathlon, which is 140.6 miles (a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run, which is a full marathon).
When called an Ironman 70.3, the Half Ironman event refers to a specific branded triathlon event, so a Half Ironman triathlon is not only a specific distance triathlon but also a triathlon put on by a specific company called Ironman.
There are about 133 official Ironman 70.3 triathlons per year held worldwide, but in addition to these official Ironman 70.3 races, there are other triathlons that cover the same distances for each leg as a Half Ironman (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run).
However, when those events are put on by organizations other than Ironman, they are just called โ70.3 triathlons.โ
According to a RunTri analysis of more than 67,000 finishers in 40 Half Ironman triathlons, the average Half Ironman finish time is about 6 hours, with the 1.2-mile swim segment time being approximately 45 minutes, the 56-mile bike segment in 3 hours, and the 13.1-mile run portion in 2:15.
20 Week Half Ironman Training Plan for Beginners
Although this beginner Ironman 70.3 training plan starts fairly gently and with minimal time commitment, you will be doing some long workouts and aggressive progressions as the training plan unfolds to help prepare you for your Half Ironman triathlon.
If you have a longer time to train, you can add a week of recovery every so often into the plan or build up more gradually if one of the disciplines has a workout jump that is too challenging for you.
Most of all, itโs very important to listen to your body rather than the Ironman 70.3 training plan. If you feel overly fatigued or experience excessive soreness or signs of an injury, make sure to rest or modify your workouts accordingly.
We advise wearing a heart rate monitor, as some of the workouts will have specific heart rate zone-based efforts.
Make sure that you are also working on your nutrition, fueling appropriately before and after your workouts, and consuming enough calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fluids to support your training.
Download The 20 Week Half Ironman Training Plan for Beginners:
Download The Training Plan Here
Enter your email, and Iโll send you this free training plan now, in PDF and Google Sheets formats (completely customizable), in both miles and kilometers.
Previous visitor or not seeing where to sign up?
Head over to our triathlon training plan database for full access to all plans.
Week 1 Focus: Establishing a triathlon workout routine | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min; Workout: 8 x 2 minute run/1 min walk; Cool-down: 5 min walk; (34 min total) | Bike: 20 minutes at an easy effort | Swim: 10 x 25m taking 30 seconds of rest after each length | Rest | Run: Warm-up: Brisk walk for 5 min; Workout: 4 x 5 minute run/2 min walk; Cool-down: 5 min walk | Swim: 10 x 50m (1 full lap) with 45 seconds of rest | Rest |
Week 2 Focus: Building your base | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: Warm up: Brisk walk for 5 min; Workout: 1 x 8 minute run/2 min walk; 5 minute run; Cool-down: 5 min walk | Bike: 30 minutes at an easy effort | Swim: 5 x 100m (2 full laps), taking 60 seconds of rest after each | Rest | Run: 2 miles (3 km), taking walking breaks as needed | Swim: Easy distance: 10 minutes without stopping | Rest |
Week 3 Focus: Starting to add some speed | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 3 miles (5 km) easy (zone 2-3) | Bike: 45 minutes at an easy effort | Swim: 10 x 50m in zone 4, with 60 seconds of rest | Rest | Run: 3.5 miles (6 km) without stopping | Bike: 40 minutes total: 5-minute warm-up, then 10 x 2-minute intervals in zone 4 or about 85% of max heart rate, 1 minute of recovery, 5-minute cool-down | Rest |
Week 4 Focus: Recovering from the work you’ve been doing | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 4 miles (6 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 50 minutes at an easy effort | Swim: Easy distance: 20 minutes without stopping | Rest | Run: Warm-up: Jog for 5 min; Run 3 miles (5 km) with 10 x 1 minute hard (zone 4) with 1-minute easy jog (zone 1); Cool-down: 5 min walk | Swim/Bike Brick Workout: Swim: 15 minutes without stopping and then immediately bike for 45 minutes (zone 3) | Rest |
Week 5 Focus: Ramping up your training now that you’re getting fit | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 4.5 miles (7 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 60 minutes at an easy effort | Swim: 3 x 300m in zone 3, with 90 seconds of rest | Rest | Swim: Easy distance: 20 minutes without stopping | Brick workout: Bike: 30 minutes and then immediately run 15 minutes | Rest |
Week 6 Focus: Preparing for the race experience with a race simulation | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 5 miles (8 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 70 minutes at an easy effort | Swim: 3 x 400m in zone 3, with 90 seconds of rest | Rest | Swim: 1000m easy effort (zone 2) | Race simulation: Swim 500m, Bike 10 miles, Run 2 miles | Rest |
Week 7 Focus: Building endurance | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 5.5 miles (9 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 75 minutes at an easy effort | Swim: 4 x 400m in zone 3, with 90 seconds of rest | Rest | Brick workout: Bike: 45 minutes (zone 2) and then immediately run 15 minutes (zone 3) | Bike: 40 minutes total: 5-minute warm-up, then 5 x 3-minute intervals in zone 4 or about 85% of max heart rate, 1 minute of recovery, 5-minute cool-down | Rest |
Week 8 Focus: Sprint triathlon simulation or trial | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 6 miles (10 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 40 minutes at an easy effort (zone 2) | Swim: 20 minutes easy (zone 2 effort) | Rest | Bike or run easy for 15-20 minutes | Sprint Triathlon Simulation or Official Event | Rest |
Week 9 Focus: Recovery before the next build phase | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 5 miles (8 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 15 miles (24 km) at an easy effort (zone 2-3) | Swim: 6 x 200m in zone 3, with 90 seconds of rest | Rest | Bike: 18 miles (29 km) easy effort | Swim: 800m easy effort; 4 x 25m sprints | Rest |
Week 10 Focus: Adding volume | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 7 miles (11 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 20 miles (32 km) at an easy effort | Swim: 3 x 500m in zone 3, with 90 seconds rest; 4 x 25m sprint | Rest | Brick workout: Bike: 60 minutes (zone 2) and then immediately run 30 minutes (zone 3) | Bike: 45 minutes total: 10-minute warm-up, then 25 minutes at tempo pace, 10-minute cool-down | Rest |
Week 11 Focus: Building endurance and strength | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 8 miles (13 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 25 miles (40 km) in zone 2 with 2 x 20 minutes in upper zone 3 | Swim: 1000m easy effort; 4 x 25m sprints | Rest | Run: 6 miles (10 km) with 2 x 10 minutes at tempo pace with 90 sec recovery | Swim: 8 x 200m (zone 3-4) with 60 seconds rest | Rest |
Week 12 Focus: Race simulation | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 8 miles (13 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 30 miles (50 km) with 10 x 3 minutes (zone 4) with 1 minute of recovery | Swim: 1,200m easy effort; 4 x 25m sprints | Rest | Bike: 20 minutes easy | Mini Race Simulation: Swim 1,200m, Bike: 25 miles (40 km), Run: 5 miles (8k) | Rest |
Week 13 Focus: Building endurance | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 5 miles (6-7 km) with 10 x 90 seconds in zone 4, with 60 seconds of recovery | Bike: 75 minutes In zone 2 with 2 x 20 minutes in upper zone 3 | Swim: 1500m easy effort (zone 2) | Rest | Run: 10 miles (16 km); 4 x 75m strides | Swim: 5 x 300m zone 4, 4 x 25m sprints | Rest |
Week 14 Focus: Building strength in all disciplines | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 10 miles (16 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 35 miles (56 km) with 10 x 3 minutes (zone 4) with 1 minute of recovery | Swim: 5 x 400m in zone 3, with 90 seconds of rest | Rest | Swim: 1500m easy effort (zone 2) | Bike: 25 miles (40 km) at an easy pace | Rest |
Week 15 Focus: Building endurance and strength | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 12 miles (20 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 40 miles (64 km) with 10 x 3 minutes (zone 4) with 1 minute of recovery | Swim: 4 x 500m with 90 seconds rest (zone 3) | Rest | Run: 5 miles (6-7 km) with 10 x 90 seconds in zone 4, with 60 seconds of recovery | Swim/Bike: Swim: 1,200m/Bike 20 miles (32 km) | Rest |
Week 16 Focus: Getting ready to race a half marathon | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 8 miles (13 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 60 minutes with 10 x 3 minutes (zone 4) with 1 minute of recovery | Swim: 30 minutes easy (zone 2 effort) | Rest | Bike or run easy for 15-20 minutes | Half Marathon Race or 13.1-mile run | Rest |
Week 17 Focus: Heavy bike week | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 5.5 miles (9 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 45 miles (72 km) with 10 x 3 minutes (zone 3) with 1 minute of recovery | Swim: 1800m easy effort (zone 2) | Rest | Bike: 60 minutes with 3 x 10 minutes at tempo pace (upper zone 3) with 2 minutes of recovery | Swim: 6 x 300m zone 3, 4 x 25m sprints | Rest |
Week 18 Focus: Building strength for your longest bike ride | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 12 miles (20 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 75 minutes in zone 2 with 2 x 20 minutes in upper zone 3 | Swim: 4 x 500m with 90 seconds rest (zone 3) | Rest | Swim: 2000m easy effort (zone 2) | Bike: 60 miles (100 km) at an easy pace | Rest |
Week 19 Focus: Building confidence before the race experience | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 10 miles (16 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 60 minutes with 10 x 3 minutes (zone 4) with 1 minute of recovery | Swim: 2 x 1000m in zone 3, with 90 seconds of rest | Rest | Run: 6 miles (10 km) with 12 x 45 seconds in zone 4, with 60 seconds of recovery | Swim/Bike: Swim: 1,500m/Bike 30 miles (50 km) | Rest |
Week 20 Focus: Getting ready to race your first Half Ironman triathlon! | ||||||
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
Run: 6 miles (10 km); 4 x 75m strides | Bike: 50 minutes at an easy effort (zone 2) | Swim: 30 minutes easy (zone 2 effort) | Rest | Bike or run easy for 20 minutes | RACE! | Rest |
We canโt say that it will be easy, but if you have the time, dedication, and motivation to train, who is to say you canโt make your dream a reality with our Half Ironman training plan?
If you would are perhaps interested in starting with something a bit shorter, you can check out our guide to triathlon distances to explore all triathlon options.
Download The Training Plan Here
Enter your email, and Iโll send you this free training plan now, in PDF and Google Sheets formats (completely customizable), in both miles and kilometers.
Previous visitor or not seeing where to sign up?
Head over to our triathlon training plan database for full access to all plans.