The Essential Guide to Sprint and Olympic Distance Triathlon Training

This is the episode for every triathlete with ambitions in sprint and Olympic distance triathlon, from beginners looking to complete to front-of-the-pack athletes looking to compete. Triathlon training has similarities across the board from sprint to Ironman distance, but the specific training obviously differs between distances, and in this episode we break down exactly, when, why and how. Let’s get stuck in!

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS:

• How long does it take to prepare for a sprint or an Olympic distance race if you’re a beginner? What about an intermediate to advanced triathlete?

• Key sessions in swimming, cycling and running for sprint and Olympic distance triathletes

• How long should your long run and ride be as a sprint or Olympic distance triathlete?

• What role does brick workouts play in sprint and Olympic Distance triathlon training?

• Why tapering is much harder to get right for shorter than for longer races, and how to actually do it.

• Key considerations if you’re racing draft-legal rather than non-draft sprint and Olympic distance races

• Sample training week for an Olympic distance triathlon

• Listener questions!

DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES:

• We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode.

• The shownotes for today's episode can be found at scientifictriathlon.com/tts696

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

• Chain lubrication (save watts and money) with Adam Kerin | EP#323 (scientifictriathlon.com/tts323)

WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?

If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following related episodes:

• The Ironman Training Deep Dive: What Triathletes Need to Know (scientifictriathlon.com/tts689)

• How to Optimize Your Triathlon Training on a Limited Time Budget | Natasha Van Der Merwe (scientifictriathlon.com/tts685)

• Lance Watson – coach of Olympic Champion Simon Whitfield | EP#453 (scientifictriathlon.com/tts453)

You can find our full episode archiveshere (scientifictriathlon.com/podcast-archives), where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc.

You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specificallyQ&A episodes (scientifictriathlon.com/qa),TTS Thursday episodes (scientifictriathlon.com/ttst), andBeginner Tips episodes (scientifictriathlon.com/beginner-tips).

LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON:

• TheScientific Triathlon website (scientifictriathlon.com) is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do

• Contact us through ourcontact form (scientifictriathlon.com/contact) or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs)

• Subscribe to ourNewsletter (scientifictriathlon.com/newsletter)

• Follow us onInstagram (instagram.com/scientifictriathlonhq)

• Learn more about ourscientifictriathlon.com/coaching/,training plans (scientifictriathlon.com/plans), andtraining camps (scientifictriathlon.com/training-camp-mallorca). We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals.

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)?

I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time.

• Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released.

• Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far!

• Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones).

• Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack.

SPONSORS:
• Precision Fuel & Hydration (sweattest.precisionhydration.com/discount/TTS2…) produce our favourite gels, sports drinks, and electrolyte and carbohydrate products here at That Triathlon Show and Scientific Triathlon. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner (precisionhydration.com/planner/?code=TTS2026&a…) to get a personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event, and get 15% off your first 2026 order by using the code TTS2026 at checkout.

• Rouvy (rouvy.com/triathlon?utm_source=thattriathlonsh…) is hands down the most complete indoor cycling platform for triathletes. Among their thousands of beautiful bike courses from all around the world, all filmed in stunning quality, they have over 75 IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 race courses plus 20+ Challenge Family courses, so you can pre-ride your race from home. Real gradients, real visuals, and real feel! Head to rouvy.com/triathlon?utm_source=thattriathlonsh… and use the code TTS to get your first month free on top of a 7-day free trial.

• Effortless Swimming (shop.effortlessswimming.com/?utm_source=podcas…) produce the best swim goggles for triathletes and open water swimmers. Their NanoClear anti-fog lenses give you clear, fog-free vision that lasts and doesn't wear off. Don't let foggy or leaky goggles ruin another swim. Go to shop.effortlessswimming.com/?utm_source=podcas… and use the code TTS15 to get 15% off your goggles, and get a free two-month Effortless Swimming course membership.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON:
• TheScientific Triathlon website (scientifictriathlon.com) is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do
• Contact us through ourcontact form (scientifictriathlon.com/contact) or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs)
• Subscribe to ourNewsletter (scientifictriathlon.com/newsletter)
• Follow us onInstagram (instagram.com/scientifictriathlonhq)
• Learn more about ourscientifictriathlon.com/coaching/,training plans (scientifictriathlon.com/plans), andtraining camps (scientifictriathlon.com/training-camp-mallorca). We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals.
HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)?
I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time.
• Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released.
• Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far!
• Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones).
• Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about …