Free 6-month Ironman training plan that’s simple to use

Training for an Ironman is not something that should ever be taken lightly, but it is ultimately very achievable with the right plan in place. Here’s all the advice you need to complete an Ironman in six months, plus a free training plan to follow to help you achieve the ultimate racing goal in triathlon.

An Ironman race is a 2.4 mile/3.8km swim, 111.8 mile/180km bike and 26.2mile/42.2km run. It’s also known as a full Iron or a long-distance triathlon. Other triathlon distances include sprint, Olympic, and half-Ironman.

When it comes to training for an Ironman, you don’t need to do a marathon before your long-course race, as it will usually take a lot of time out of your training.

A 70.3/middle-distance event a few weeks before your race is ideal race preparation. In fact, you can race both a 70.3 and Ironman triathlon in six weeks if you prioritise recovery in between.

But how much bike training should you need for an Ironman? In terms of time, completing a ride amounting to 75% of your expected finish time for the bike leg is a good idea.

Who is an Ironman triathlon suitable for and what ability?

This race distance can take the fastest athletes around 7.5 hours, but most races have a cut-off of 17 hours. The biggest limiting factor is how much time you can dedicate to training.

You must be cautious stepping up to this distance if you have previously struggled with injuries. Three years is roughly how long it takes to train for an Ironman if you’re starting from scratch, meaning you can’t swim, bike, or run for more than a few minutes at a time.

What kit do you need for an Ironman?

You will need a wetsuit, as all iron events are open water, goggles, a road bike, helmet and running shoes. Unlike other distances, you may not choose to use a tri-suit, but rather a fresh outfit for each distance to favour comfort over speed – the choice is yours.

Many people ride in cycling kit and change into running gear in the second transition. You can do an Ironman in trainers and flat pedals but using the best clipless pedals for triathlon will be more efficient.

Fueling an Ironman with the right nutrition is critical. Many races will have aid stations with course nutrition, so you can either plan to use your own tried and tested fuel and work out how to carry it, or rely on the aid stations.

Free 6-month Ironman training plan

This six-month Ironman training plan is designed to begin after a solid winter of base-training efforts, time trials and brick sessions.

Monday is a rest day but obviously adapt these to your own training schedule. For example, if you know you can’t train on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, make one of these your rest day.

Tips on following the training plan

If you miss a session, don’t panic. My approach is that you can’t get that time back, so don’t go searching for opportunities to claw it back.

If someone is ill or injured and they miss a few days or a week of training then I ask my athletes to simply pick up back in the plan where they should be.

I’ve seen a lot of cases where athletes attempt to include additional sessions into their plan when they’ve recovered to make up for lost time and the risk of actually getting ill again or injured is far greater.

The athlete needs to appreciate that missed sessions are exactly that and move on. This is a difficult thing to come to terms with when their motivation is so great.

If you’re unsure which Ironman to enter, we’ve got more advice on how to choose and plan your Ironman.

Meanwhile, follow these tips to conquer any long-course triathlon in style.