Activities Sports & Athletics Sprint Triathlon Program for Beginners Share PINTEREST Email Print Fuse / Getty Images Sports & Athletics Extreme Sports Basics Obstacle Races Baseball Basketball Bicycling Billiards Bodybuilding Bowling Boxing Car Racing Cheerleading Cricket Football Golf Gymnastics Ice Hockey Martial Arts Professional Wrestling Skateboarding Skating Paintball Soccer Swimming & Diving Table Tennis Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Other Activities Learn More By Christopher Tull Updated May 24, 2018 Have you ever wanted to "tri" a triathlon, but thought it was something beyond the reach of mere mortals? Well, we've got news for you: Even if your athleticism is on the moderate side, you can complete a triathlon, and in the process, you'll even find your inner athlete. Learn how to train for a sprint triathlon with this program, designed specifically for beginners. 01 of 05 Triathlon Program for Beginners Ty Milford / Getty Images This program works beginners up to a sprint triathlon. A sprint typically consists of the following legs: 750m swim (.47 mi) -- although sometimes 400 to 500 m (especially if the swim is in a pool)20km bike (12.4 mi)5k run (3.1 mi) Although the event is called a sprint, don't let the name scare you. You'll actually be racing for more than an hour, so you won't have to "sprint" through the thing at full speed. (Note: You should be able to run a 5K before starting any triathlon training program. Follow a solid 5K program designed to get new athletes up to speed.) 02 of 05 Training Schedule Robert Daly / Getty Images One of the first difficulties you might face when training for a triathlon is time. How do you fit swimming, biking, and running into a week, along with all the other necessities of life like family, friends, work, and well…sleep? Good news: The following training schedule has you training at most 3.5 hours a week. The following are some notes about this schedule: You'll do each discipline (swim, bike, run) twice every week.You have at least one rest day each week.Every month includes at least one recovery week.Feel free to move around the workouts. Make the schedule work for you.Although not noted, try to stretch at least 10 minutes every day.You may notice there isn't any strength training included here, but feel free to add some exercises if you can sneak it in.Finally, be lazy when you're supposed to be lazy! Don't exercise on off days, and don't go all out in recovery workouts. Most importantly, try to get at least seven hours of sleep a night. You'll need the rest. 03 of 05 Phase 1 (Weeks 1 - 8) Chris Tull The following program allows beginners to build their fitness levels over a period of 16 weeks (followed by a three-week taper before the race). This isn't an 'I want to just finish the race' program, though. I know secretly, you want to race as competitively as possible. This program will allow you to do that. Week 1 Day 1: Run, 20 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 25 minutes (Base Building)Day 4: Bike, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 5: Run, 25 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: Swim, 20 minutes (Technique)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Week 2 Day 1: Run, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 25 minutes (Base Building)Day 4: Bike, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 5: Run, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: Swim, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Week 3 Day 1: Run, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 4: Bike, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 5: Run, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: OffDay 7: Bike, 30 minutes (Recovery) Week 4 Day 1: Run, 20 minutes (Recovery)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 4: Bike, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 5: Run, 25 minutes (Technique)Day 6: Swim, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Week 5 Day 1: Run, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 4: Bike, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 5: Run, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: Swim, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Week 6 Day 1: Run, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 4: Bike, 60 minutes (Base Building)Day 5: Run, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: Swim, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Week 7 Day 1: Run, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 4: Bike, 60 minutes (Base Building)Day 5: Run, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: OffDay 7: Bike, 30 minutes (Recovery) Week 8 Day 1: Run, 20 minutes (Recovery)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 4: Bike, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 5: Run, 25 minutes (Technique)Day 6: Swim, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Note: The type of workout displays in parenthesis (). 04 of 05 Phase 2 (Weeks 9 - 16) Chris Tull The following details Phase 2 of the program (weeks 9 to 16). Week 9 Day 1: Run, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 4: Bike, 60 minutes (Base Building)Day 5: Run, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: Swim, 45 minutes (Base Building)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Week 10 Day 1: Run, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 15 minutes (Open Water)Day 4: Bike, 75 minutes (Base Building)Day 5: Run, 30 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: Swim, 45 minutes (Base Building)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Week 11 Day 1: Run, 55 minutes (Base Building)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 15 minutes (Open Water)Day 4: Bike, 75 minutes (Base Building)Day 5: Run, 35 minutes (Base Building)Day 6: OffDay 7: Bike, 30 minutes (Recovery) Week 12 Day 1: Run, 20 minutes (Recovery)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Technique)Day 4: Bike, 45 minutes (Technique)Day 5: Run, 25 minutes (Technique)Day 6: Swim, 40 minutes (Technique)Day 7: Bike, 60 minutes (Hills) Week 13 Day 1: Run, 40 minutes (Base Building)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 20 minutes (Open Water)Day 4: Bike, 75 minutes (Base Building)Day 5: Run, 20 minutes (Fartlek)Day 6: Swim, 40 minutes (Technique)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Fartlek) Week 14 Day 1: Run, 40 minutes (Technique)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 20 minutes (Open Water)Day 4: Bike, 75 minutes (Base Building)Day 5: Run, 35 minutes (Hills)Day 6: OffDay 7: Bike, 30 minutes (Recovery) Week 15 Day 1: Run, 20 minutes (Recovery)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Open Water)Day 4: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building)Day 5: Run, 25 minutes (Technique)Day 6: Swim, 15 minutes & then Bike, 45 minutes (Brick)Day 7: Off Week 16 Day 1: Run, 40 minutes (Base Building)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Open Water)Day 4: OffDay 5: Bike, 60 minutes & then Run, 20 minutes (Brick)Day 6: Swim, 30 minutes (Open Water)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Note: The type of workout displays in parenthesis (). 05 of 05 Phase 3 (Weeks 17 - 19) Chris Tull The following details the Phase 3 of the program (weeks 17 to 19). This phase has you gradually tapering your efforts. Tapering allows your body and mind to recharge from the previous weeks of hard training. Give your body some rest so you feel fresh come race day! Week 17 Day 1: Run, 40 minutes (Base Building)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Open Water)Day 4: OffDay 5: Bike, 60 minutes & then Run, 20 minutes (Brick)Day 6: Bike, 30 minutes (Recovery)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) Week 18 Day 1: Run, 40 minutes (Base Building)Day 2: OffDay 3: Swim, 30 minutes (Open Water)Day 4: OffDay 5: Bike, 60 minutes & then Run, 20 minutes (Brick)Day 6: Swim, 30 minutes (Open Water)Day 7: Bike, 45 minutes (Base Building) And It's Race Week! Day 1: Run, 45 minutes (Recovery)Day 2: OffDay 3: Bike, 30 minutes (Recovery)Day 4: Swim, 20 minutes (Recovery)Day 5: Run, 15 minutes (Recovery)Day 6: OffDay 7: Race! Complete this training program and you’ll find yourself quite possibly in the best shape of your life. You’ll also find yourself hopelessly addicted to the sport of triathlon. Note: The type of workout displays in parenthesis ().