This training plan is very challenging and will suffice to prepare you for a very competitive Olympic-distance triathlon race performance. The workouts in this plan are slightly less demanding than those in the Level 9 and Level 10 plans, so it will probably be a good fit if you are not accustomed to doing two workouts per day, six days a week, but you feel prepared to do so now.

The plan is 16 weeks long. The base phase lasts 6 weeks and the build and peak phases last 5 weeks apiece. Weeks 4, 8, and 12 are recovery weeks and the final week is a taper week. An optional tune-up sprint triathlon is scheduled at the end of Week 12. If you can’t find a sprint triathlon to do at that time, or if you prefer not to do one then, just do the alternative brick workout instead.

In a typical week there are 12 scheduled workouts: 4 swims, 4 rides, and 4 runs. An extra 10-minute transition run follows Friday’s bike ride in weeks 2, 4, and 6. In weeks 8, 10, and 14, Saturday’s bike and run workouts are combined into a single bike-run brick workout.

The plan begins with 7,750 yards (meters) of swimming, 4 hours and 25 minutes of cycling, and 2 hours and 38 minutes of running in week 1. It peaks with 11,900 yards (meters) of swimming, 6 hours and 50 minutes of cycling, and 3 hours and 53 minutes of running in Week 15.