This ten-week olympic plan is Raise the Bar's "Improved Performance Plan" with a few customizations specifically for Seafair.

The plan is written for triathletes with at least one to two years of experience who want to train for improved performance on race day. This plan assumes that the athlete has already built a solid base, and is ready to start building intensity. It is preferable that the athlete has built up to bike rides of 2.5 hours, a long run of 1.5 hours, and a total weekly volume of 9 - 11 hours.

If you live in the Seattle area, you may want to consider attending Raise the Bar's six-week Seward Park Training Series on Tuesday nights at 6:30pm (June 12 - July 17). We will practice open-water swimming techniques, and you will get some great swim and run interval training in. On race day you will have the huge advantage of having trained on the race course. More info here: http://www.weraisethebar.com/training/seward-park-training/

The plan prescribes 3 swims, 3 bikes, and 3 runs per week. Some of the bikes and runs are combined into "bricks" (to practice transitioning to running immediately after biking). The weekly volume ranges from 5.5 to 11 hours. Workouts prescribe both time and suggested distances. In most cases, pay more attention to getting in the prescribed time. However, for the long bikes/runs, try to get in a minimum of the prescribed distance.

Monday is the rest day as this plan is written and there is a rest week every third or fourth week.

The workout intensities are prescribed using both RPE (perceived rate of exertion) and heart rate training zones. For more information about training using RPE and heart rate zones, please download the "Plan Details."

This is a periodized plan which assumes the athlete has already performed a base building block (with an emphasis on building volume, endurance, basic speed skills, and force skills). It progresses from a muscular endurance block (emphasis on Threshold work), to an anaerobic endurance block (emphasis on VO2 max work, Lactate tolerance reps), and finally to a race-specific block (very race-specific workouts). The race-taper is two weeks, with a gradual reduction in volume as well as duration of intensity work. Race week has a good balance of rest and smaller doses of intensity to keep you feeling fast and sharp.