Free 6-month Ironman 70.3 training plan: Smash your next half-Ironman triathlon with coach Dermott’s plan

Looking to race a half-Ironman distance triathlon in the next six months? Then we have the perfect 70.3 Ironman training plan for you! Plus, find plenty more free training plans if this one isn’t the right level or race distance.

First up, let’s just clear up the naming. Middle, 70.3, or half-Ironman are all used to describe a 1.2mi/1.9km swim, 56mi/90km bike and 13.1mi/21.1km run event.

It depends on what’s a good triathlon time for you. But a 70.3 could take between four hours and the time limit of eight and a half hours. The short answer to the question of how to train for your first 70.3 triathlon is to dedicate a minimum of six hours a week to training. Eight to ten hours is preferable.

This training plan was created by experienced triathlon coach Dermott Hayes, and covers all the swim, bike, and run sessions you’ll need to build your strength, distance, and endurance to peak fitness, and then guide you on your pre-race taper ahead of the big day. Whether it’s your first triathlon of this distance or tenth, six months is an excellent amount of time to train for a half and provided you stick to the plan, you should be able to aim high with your performance goals.

If you’d like a smaller or bigger challenge, we also have free triathlon training plans for you to download to prepare for the different triathlon distances.

What is in this 6-month 70.3 triathlon plan?

This triathlon plan is broken down into three phases: an eight-week ‘Base’ phase before an eight-week ‘build’ phase and an eight-week ‘peak/taper’ period. By the end of the base phase, you should have developed good aerobic fitness and skills in all three sports. Ideally you’ll have boosted your strength through muscular endurance sessions on the bike, in the pool and on the run, and resistance work in the gym. It’s not essential for your threshold to have increased because the build phase can care for that.

During the build phase improve strength by making the aerobic bike and run sessions on hillier routes. You’ll also complete several longer swims, rides and runs closer to ‘race pace’ while increasing the frequency of brick sessions to make training more specific. In addition, the intensity of your intervals will increase. You’ll do less training at medium intensity to maximise the quality of harder sessions.

During the peak phase a lot of time is spent focusing on race pade – fine tuning what your expected race day speeds will be and getting used to working and fuelling at those levels. Treat the larger brick sessions like mini races – it’s crucial to get them right. At the same time, volume drops to reduce fatigue and strike the right balance between fitness and freshness come race day. You should spend more time ensuring your triathlon wetsuit, triathlon race bike and triathlon running shoes are optimised.

What level of fitness do you need for a 6-month half-Ironman plan?

It’s recommended to be able to complete the distances associated with an Olympic triathlon before setting off on this training plan. That means you’ll feel comfortable swimming 1.5km, cycling 40km, and running 10km. Due to its length, this 6-month plan is structured well and will lead you through a build phase where you improve endurance over a controlled period up to half-Iron distances. For this reason, you don’t need to be as fit as you would do for some of our short plans, which include fewer weeks purely dedicated to the build.

What kit do you need for a 6-month half-Ironman training plan?

When choosing your kit for race day, you’ll also need to select gear that you’ve tried and tested and that feels comfortable – this means supportive enough for the distance. Along with the necessary triathlon bike, triathlon wetsuit (unless it’s a hot climate), running shoes, bike helmet and bike shoes, you’ll also need a reliable tri-suit to keep transitions quick. Then, there are the ‘nice to have but not essentials’, such as a triathlon watch to track your distance (and to record for Strava gloating afterwards!), bike computer to follow the course profile, triathlon sunglasses, and socks.

Training plan terminology

• Aerobic bike/swim/run: Complete the designated distance/time at a consistent moderate effort.
• Brick: Use this session to combine two of the disciplines together and practise your transitions. 
• Interval: Execute the designated number of intervals at the prescribed intensity, the remainder of the session is at an aerobic effort. Include a warm-up and cool-down. Rest between intervals with easy 10-30secs, spinning or jogging. 
• Race pace: Swim, bike or run at your estimated pace for your chosen race distance. 
• Recovery: Use this session to keep active but allow the body to heal and repair. 
• Tempo: Alternate the effort in these sessions between aerobic, race pace and anaerobic according to the designated.
• Time trial: Execute the session as if it were a race, working at your estimated best race pace. Include a warm-up and cool-down.

Free 6-month 70.3 triathlon training plan

In the training plan, there are four planned sessions a week: one swim, and one or two runs and rides. In the base phase, you’ll do one sport per workout before combining them in brick sessions in the build and peak phases. If you want a longer or shorter race build-up, you can pick an alternative from our selection of free Ironman 70.3 triathlon training plans.

Time permitting, it would be beneficial to complete a pre-season base training plan ahead of this one – like this free 8-week one here. Brush up on your understanding of the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) before beginning the plan. All the intensity targets for the workouts are based on this subjective assessment of effort.

Importantly, here are the essential 70.3 sessions mentioned in the training plan, which you can sign up for below.