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10 Week Beginner Half Ironman Triathlon Training Plan For Intermediate Swimmers

Time-Efficient, Expert Support, Proven Results

Transform Into a Confident Half Ironman Finisher:

Your 10-Week Beginner Plan for Strength, Endurance, and Peak Performance

This beginner-friendly plan is your gateway to building strength, endurance, and race-day readiness while enjoying the journey to your first finish line.

 

Achieve Your Goals

  • Conquer Your Half Ironman: Swim efficiently, bike strong, and run with confidence to cross the finish line with pride.
  • Build Stamina: Improve your endurance and aerobic fitness to handle the distance comfortably.
  • Prepare with Purpose: Enter race day feeling prepared, confident, and excited.

 

 

Is This the Plan You Need?

  • Foundation-Focused: Sessions are thoughtfully designed to develop the key skills you need—technique, endurance, and pacing.
  • Time-Efficient: Achieve steady progress with 5–8 manageable sessions per week.
  • Guided Progression: TrainingPeaks helps you tailor paces to your current fitness, ensuring you train smart and stay on track.

 

Start Your Journey

This plan is designed for triathletes who are ready to embrace the challenge of a half ironman.

With a supportive, structured approach, you’ll build fitness step by step, proving to yourself that you’re capable of achieving great things.

Key Features

Structured Progression

  • Block 1: Build your baseline fitness and create a strong foundation.
  • Block 2: Develop your race pace and ensure you can sustain target speed.
  • Block 3: Peak and taper, reducing volume to ensure you’re at your best on race day.

Engaged and Connected

  • Keep training enjoyable with exciting, varied training focused on technique and efficiency.
  • Compatible with smartwatches for easy tracking and real-time feedback.

Personalised Approach

  • Sessions tailored to your paces and goals using the TrainingPeaks zones calculator.
  • Coaching assistance with your training plan—just leave your email, and I’ll guide you personally.

Who Is This Plan For? 

First-Time Triathletes: Those ready to tackle their first half ironman with guidance and support.

Goal-Oriented Beginners: Athletes looking for a clear, structured approach to complete the race with confidence.

Motivated Learners: Triathletes eager to build a solid foundation, develop new skills, and enjoy the journey.

Mid-Pack Swimmers: Those expecting to exit the swim in the middle third of the pack.

All swim sessions are written by a highly experienced, professional swim coach.

 

Before Starting You Should Be Able To:

  • Swim consistently between 1:50 and 2:30 per 100 meters.
  • Cycle for 1 hour.
  • Run for 40 minutes.

 

What You Get

10 weeks of detailed training, designed for efficiency and impact.

5–8 sessions per week, including endurance, speed, and race-specific workouts broken into:

  • 2 Swim sessions per week focused on enhancing technique and building speed endurance.
  • 3 Bike Sessions  per week building strength and endurance for a strong bike leg.
  • 2 Run Sessions per week designed to build stamina to ensure you finish the race strong.
  • 1 Strength Session per week enhancing your overall athleticism and injury resilience.
  • 2 Rest days per week for crucial for recovery and recharging, helping you stay fresh and ready.
    • Sessions average just over an hour.

 

A fully integrated training calendar for seamless scheduling.

Email support whenever you need help or motivation.

Added Extra Benefits

Expert Support: Backed by 13 years of coaching experience.

Smartwatch Integration: Make the most of your training tech to follow every workout live.

Training Plan Information: Know exactly how to get the most out of the training plan.

  • Welcome document explaining setting up your training plan and terminology
  • Race day guides and a sensible warm up routine with videos.

Take the Leap

This plan isn’t just about finishing the race; it’s about building confidence, learning the fundamentals, and unlocking your potential as a triathlete.

Every session is designed to help you grow, and every step takes you closer to achieving your dream.

Let’s make your first triathlon experience unforgettable.
Start today and take your first step towards success!

Training Plan Sample(s)

Training Plan Cost

Full Compatibility

This training plan is compatible with...

Your Coach

Chris Searle the head coach of efficient endurance

Hi, I’m Chris.

I’m a qualified triathlon coach with 12 years of experience, having coached everyone from complete beginners to Ironman age-group podium athletes.

My coaching philosophy is centered on efficiency, ensuring no training time is wasted. I’m dedicated to helping athletes maximise their potential by focusing on smart, effective training.

 

FAQ's

These plans are tailored for athletes of all levels, from beginners to advanced, looking to maximize their performance. If you’re unsure of which level you are, get in touch!

The only thing you need is a trainingpeaks account and the usual triathlon kit (swim kit, bike, running shoes) but to get the most out of your training plan, having the following would be ideal:

  • Compatible* smartwatch and/or bike computer
  • Pull Buoy and Kickboard

The following items are optimal but not necessary:

  • Chest Based Heart Rate Monitor
  • Bike Power Meter

*All common devices sync with trainingpeaks, check here to see if your device is compatible with the structured workout feature so you can follow your sessions on the go.

Training sessions are written in an optimal order for improvement, progression and recovery, but plans change and when they do you can move sessions across days and weeks with a premium training peaks account.

If you need to move things around but are not sure what is best, get in touch and I will help you out.

With years of experience coaching swimming, I understand that drills are very specific to the swimmer and can in many cases make technique worse. For this reason, plans focus on technique points rather than drills. The only ‘drill’ that you might come across in our training plans is sculling.

Most likely. Plans that have strength sessions included use weights such as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells and cable machines. You don’t have to do these sessions but they add another dimension to your training that running, swimming or cycling alone can not do.

Sometimes, we have to miss a session, life gets in the way. Fortunately these plans are robust and consistency and efficiency will keep you progressing. Don’t fret over a missed session and don’t try and catch up either, you will still keep moving forwards.

You can adjust the schedule or swap sessions with a premium training peaks account; email support is available for advice if you’re unsure of what to do.

Every session includes detailed instructions and the rationale behind it. Feel free to email if further clarification is needed.

Improved endurance, better race-specific fitness, and confidence on race day. Results depend on how disciplined you are to the plan- it is designed to keep you motivated.

Our guarantee ensures that you are on the right training plan for you. If you find your plan is too much, too little, too hard or too easy, get in touch and we will swap you onto a more suitable plan.

We would love to issue refunds but do not have the option for this as payment is taken by trainingpeaks.

Absolutely! Email support is available for guidance and motivation.

We only provide support for the duration of your plan and 2 weeks afterwards. If you would like coaching after your plan, get in touch!

Why choose Efficient Endurance

Efficient Endurance Training Plan

  • Customised to Athlete Goals - Ability-based plans & email support
  • Expert Input - Designed by a qualified, experienced coach
  • Structured Progression - Detailed progression
  • Focus on Technique - Detailed swim technique sessions
  • Detailed Sessions - Clear explanation of how sessions support your goal
  • Training Volume - Balanced for your level
  • Race-Specific Prep - Includes taper weeks & race guides
  • Strength Training - Targeted strength sessions
  • Tech Integration - Compatible with smartwatches and bike computers
  • Support & Advice - Email support from a coach
  • Plan Guarantee - Free plan swap if needed
  • Cost - Less than $4 per week

Free Training Plan

  • Customised to Athlete Goals - Generic & non-specific
  • Expert Input - No professional input
  • Structured Progression - Some progression
  • Focus on Technique - Often absent
  • Detailed Sessions - No explanations
  • Training Volume - Inconsistent and limited
  • No race-specific advice
  • Race-Specific Prep - Not included
  • Strength Training - Not Included
  • Tech Integration - No compatibility
  • Support & Advice - No support offered
  • Plan Guarantee - No other plans
  • Cost - Free

Other Premium Training Plans

  • Customised to Athlete Goals - Limited ability variations
  • Expert Input - Created by a qualified coach
  • Structured Progression - Include generic progression
  • Focus on Technique - Often absent
  • Detailed Sessions - No explanations
  • Training Volume - Suitable volume for athletes
  • Race-Specific Prep - Minimal race-day strategy
  • Strength Training - May have generic strength work
  • Tech Integration - May have device compatibility
  • Support & Advice - Occasional support, sometimes outsourced
  • Plan Guarantee - Limited or no guarantee
  • Cost - $4-6 per week

AI Training Plan

  • Customised to Athlete Goals - Algorithm-based, lacks nuance
  • Expert Input - Automated, no human touch
  • Structured Progression - Only if the algorithm says so
  • Focus on Technique - Often absent
  • Detailed Sessions - No explanations
  • Training Volume - Metrics can miscalculate workload
  • Race-Specific Prep - Lacks detailed guidance
  • Strength Training - Rarely included
  • Tech Integration - May have device compatibility
  • Support & Advice - No human support available
  • Plan Guarantee - No guarantees
  • Cost - $10+ per week

* Strength training included on some training plans at additional cost

** Cross training is available on some specific plans

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