Peaking sample plan
Beginner 70.3 Training Plan
A first 70.3 is held together by consistency, not 20-hour weeks. 20 weeks to reach ~9 h, 6 sessions, and a brick that teaches you to run on bike legs. Aerobic swimming, Z2 riding, easy running at 19:57 /km.
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Start freeA 20-week 70.3 plan for beginner runners. Peak week 9 h, key long session 16 km, 6 training days. Peaking periodization: Base → Build → Peak → Taper.
- Peak week
- 9 h
- Key long
- Long bike + 16 km brick
- Days / week
- 6
- Race pace
- 19:12 /km
- Easy
- 19:57 /km
- Tempo
- 18:21 /km
- Intervals
- 17:36 /km
Week-by-week overview
Weeks 1–8
Base
Aerobic volume, easy running, and a durable long run. Intensity stays mostly conversational.
Weeks 9–15
Build
Threshold and race-pace work land on top of the base. Long run stretches toward its peak.
Weeks 16–18
Peak
Highest quality + highest fatigue. Race-specific sessions, then a down week before taper.
Weeks 19–20
Taper
Volume drops 40–60%. Keep a little intensity so you stay sharp, then race.
| Wk | Phase | Focus | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | base | Aerobic consistency | 7 h |
| 2 | base | Growing the long run | 7 h |
| 3 | base | Easy economy | 7 h |
| 4 | base | Settling-in week | 7 h |
| 5 | base | Aerobic consistency | 7 h |
| 6 | base | Growing the long run | 7 h |
| 7 | base | Easy economy | 7 h |
| 8 | base | Settling-in week | 7 h |
| 9 | build | Threshold + long run | 8 h |
| 10 | build | Race-pace work | 9 h |
| 11 | build | Quality on volume | 9 h |
| 12 | build | Loading week | 9 h |
| 13 | build | Threshold + long run | 9 h |
| 14 | build | Race-pace work | 9 h |
| 15 | build | Quality on volume | 9 h |
| 16 | peak | Peak specific load | 9 h |
| 17 | peak | Controlled down week | 9 h |
| 18 | peak | Controlled down week | 9 h |
| 19 | taper | Taper — short quality | 5 h |
| 20 | taper | Race week | 4 h |
Sample week 16
Peak specific load · 9 h
Week 16 (peak): keep 19:57/km honestly easy. Quality lives at 19:12/km. If the long run feels heavy, cut 10% — don't add a day.
Mon
swimming
Technique + aerobic
45 min · RPE 4
- Warm-up400 mEasy
- Drills8×50 mTechnique, 15s rest
- Aerobic6×200 mCSS+8s
- Cool-down200 mEasy
Tue
cycling
Tempo / sweet spot
75 min · RPE 6
- Warm-up15 minZ2
- Sweet spot3×8 minZ3–Z4 88–94% FTP
- Cool-down10 minZ1
Wed
running
Easy run
50 min · RPE 3
- Warm-up10 minEasy Z1
- Main set8 km19:57/km
- Cool-down5 minWalk / jog
Thu
swimming
CSS threshold
50 min · RPE 6
- Warm-up500 mEasy
- CSS8×100 mCSS, 10s rest
- Cool-down200 mEasy
Fri
cycling
Long ride
189 min · RPE 4
- Z2 endurance189 min56–75% FTP
Sat
running
Brick / 70.3 pace
56 min · RPE 6
- Off the bike10 min19:57/km
- 70.3 pace6 km19:12/km
- Easy close10 min19:57/km
Sun
Rest
Who this plan is for
beginner level, 6 days, peak 9 h. If that describes your current week ±20%, this block fits. Peaking then asks for real availability, injuries and PBs; this preview is the skeleton for the query “Beginner 70.3 Training Plan”.
How the weeks are periodized
Weeks 1–8: Base — Aerobic volume, easy running, and a durable long run. Intensity stays mostly conversational. Weeks 9–15: Build — Threshold and race-pace work land on top of the base. Long run stretches toward its peak. Weeks 16–18: Peak — Highest quality + highest fatigue. Race-specific sessions, then a down week before taper. Weeks 19–20: Taper — Volume drops 40–60%. Keep a little intensity so you stay sharp, then race. Volume doesn't climb in a straight line: each phase has its own wave, plus a down week before taper. Peak load 9 h. The long base is the point: more cheap weeks before you spend on quality.
Key sessions (swim, bike, brick)
A typical peak week: pool technique + aerobic, sweet-spot bike (88–94% FTP), a Z2 long ride, CSS, and a brick that finishes at 70.3 run pace (19:12 /km). Easy running stays at 19:57 /km. You don't copy a marathon long run: 70.3 is won on the bike and in the transition.
70.3: the brick and your FTP
70.3s blow up on the run because the bike was ridden above FTP. Sweet spot and Z2 in this plan protect the legs. The brick (bike + 19:12 /km run) is non-negotiable in peak. Swim: a stable CSS beats heroic 100s. Peak ~9 h — if life can't hold that load, Peaking cuts the long ride, not the technique swim.
From this preview to a plan that's yours
The preview is anchored to “Beginner 70.3 Training Plan”: 6 days, 9 h, 19:12 /km. At signup Peaking preloads distance (Ironman 70.3), 20 weeks and beginner level. The live engine then asks for PBs, available days and constraints, and regenerates whole weeks — not a static PDF. The CTA below opens registration with those fields and this page's UTMs.
Generate your personalized 20-week 70.3 plan
We preload distance, weeks and goal. Start free — the engine builds the plan from your PBs and real days.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
Is this 20-week 70.3 a generic plan?+
The overview and week 16 come from Peaking's periodization composer (same phases and session types as an in-app plan). It's persisted per slug — it doesn't change on every visit. The paid plan personalizes from your PBs and real days.
How many kilometres / hours per week does it peak at?+
Peak 9 h, key long session Long bike + 16 km brick, 6 days. Base weeks sit well below that; the taper (Weeks 19–20) cuts volume and keeps short quality.
What pace should I use if my mark isn't 6:45:00?+
This preview anchors race to 19:12 /km, easy to 19:57 /km and threshold to 18:21 /km. In the app, paces come from your PBs or a Riegel predictor — don't copy these splits if your current 10K sits at a different level.
Can I skip days or squeeze this into fewer than 20 weeks?+
Skip an easy day, never the long run or both quality sessions in the same week. Compressing 20 → 16 often works if the base is already there; the hub lists other durations for this Ironman 70.3.
How do I go from this page to a plan generated for me?+
Start free preloads Ironman 70.3, 20 weeks and beginner. You finish onboarding (sports, PBs, days) and the engine builds the full plan. This URL stays as the SEO reference; your plan lives on the dashboard.