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20 Week Advanced Olympic Distance Triathlon Training Plan For Advanced Swimmers

Time-Efficient, Expert Support, Proven Results

20 Weeks to Your Fastest Olympic Tri with Detailed, Targeted Training and Expert Guidance

This advanced plan is your roadmap to achieving peak performance, racing with precision, and setting personal bests over the Olympic distance.

Achieve Your Goals

  • Set New Records: Swim faster, ride harder, and run stronger to achieve your best performance.
  • Build Elite Fitness: Push your endurance, elevate your lactate threshold, and fine-tune your race strategy.
  • Peak with Confidence: Arrive on race day sharp, fresh, and ready to crush the competition.

Is This the Plan You Need?

  • Performance-Driven: Every session is crafted to maximize your speed, power, and race-day readiness.
  • Efficient & Impactful: Get the most out of your training with 7–9 focused sessions per week that can fit into your busy schedule.
  • Targeted Progression: TrainingPeaks ensures your paces align with your fitness, keeping you primed and motivated for success.

Take Your Performance to the Next Level

This plan is designed for experienced triathletes ready to challenge themselves and push their limits.

With a disciplined, advanced structure, you’ll prove to yourself—and everyone else—just how much you can achieve.

Key Features

Structured Progression

  • Block 1: Establish baseline fitness and build endurance with initial testing to set training zones.
  • Block 2: Increase volume and intensify sessions as your body adapts.
  • Block 3: Maximize volume, boost VO2 max, and challenge your aerobic capacity.
  • Block 4: Hone race pace with efforts that simulate race conditions.
  • Block 5: Taper and peak, reducing volume for recovery while maintaining intensity for 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? 

Experienced Triathletes: Athletes looking to push their limits and elevate their performance to new heights over the distance.

 

PB Chasers: Triathletes aiming to break personal bests and race with speed and efficiency.

Seasoned Competitors: Those who are ready for a structured, high-performance plan that maximizes training efficiency, endurance, and race-day readiness.

Front-Pack Swimmers: Those expecting to exit the swim in the front third of the pack and looking to head the field.

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

 

Before Starting You Should Be Able To:

  • Swim consistently faster than 1:50 per 100 meters.
  • Cycle for an hour and a half.
  • Run for 1 hour.

 

What You Get

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

7–9 sessions per week, including endurance, speed, and race-specific workouts broken into:

  • 2 Swim sessions per week focused on fine tuning technique and building speed endurance to improve efficiency.
  • 3 Bike sessions per week targeting power and race-specific intensity for a strong bike leg.
  • 3 Run sessions per week designed to build speed and stamina to ensure you finish the race strong.
  • 1 Strength Sessions per week enhancing your overall athleticism and injury resilience.
  • 1 Rest day 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.

Reach New Heights

This plan isn’t just about completing the race—it’s about refining your skills, pushing your limits, and unlocking your true potential as a triathlete.

Every session is designed to boost your performance, with each step bringing you closer to your next personal best.

Stand out and make your next Olympic triathlon your best yet.

Start today and take your training to the next level!

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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