Program Sprint
The perfect format for racing beginners. Fast and intense race.
Preparing for a Sprint
750 m swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run. A short, intense effort: pace stays high from start to finish and transitions weigh heavily on the final time.
Speed, fast starts and transitions rehearsed in every brick.
Compare the three plans
| Level | Weeks | Hours / week | Sessions / week | Starting point (swim / bike / run) | Longest sessions | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 7 | 3-6 h | 4-5 | 300 m / 45 min / 20 min | 1 km / 1h15 / 45 min | 1h30-2h |
| Intermediate | 10 | 4-8 h | 5-6 | 750 m / 1h / 35 min | 1.5 km / 1h45 / 1h | 1h10-1h30 |
| Advanced | 13 | 5-10 h | 7-9 | 1.2 km / 1h30 / 50 min | 2 km / 2h / 1h10 | under 1h10 |
Training Phases
Phases of the intermediate plan (10 weeks). The beginner and advanced plans follow the same structure over 7 and 13 weeks.
| Phase | Weeks | Focus | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Phase | 1-4 | Swim technique and consistency in all three sports | 4-6 hours / week |
| Build Phase | 5-7 | Build threshold speed and learn to link bike and run | 6-8 hours / week |
| Race-Specific Phase | 8-9 | Rehearse fast starts, transitions and 5K pace off the bike | 7-8 hours / week |
| Taper Phase | 10 | Keep some speed on low volume to arrive fresh | 4-5 hours / week |
Spreading the intensity
Races at this distance
Triathlon de La Baule
La Baule, France
Triathlon de Bordeaux Métropole
Bordeaux, France — 7 June 2026
Triathlon de Cassis
Cassis, France — 4 October 2026
Triathlon de Dunkerque
Dunkerque, France — 31 May 2026
Triathlon Nice Côte d'Azur
Nice, France — 11 October 2026
Triathlon de Mimizan
Mimizan, France — 22 August 2026
Frequently asked questions
The beginner plan starts from 300 m / 45 min / 20 min (swim / bike / run). If you can already do 750 m / 1h / 35 min, the intermediate plan fits; the advanced plan expects 1.2 km / 1h30 / 50 min from week one.
7 weeks at beginner level, 10 at intermediate and 13 at advanced. The advanced plan is longer because it builds to a higher volume.
3-6 h a week at beginner level, 4-8 h at intermediate, 5-10 h at advanced, depending on the phase of the plan.
As a guide: 1h30-2h for a first Sprint, 1h10-1h30 at intermediate level, under 1h10 for the fastest. A short, intense effort: pace stays high from start to finish and transitions weigh heavily on the final time.
About 80% of your volume in zones 1–2 (conversational) and 20% in zones 3–5 — the polarised split supported by research (Seiler, 2010). Zones are computed as % of heart-rate reserve (Karvonen): target HR = resting HR + % × (max HR − resting HR). The classic mistake: doing everything moderately hard in zone 3.