Season at a glance
63
Weeks of preparation
5
Race events
510
Race kilometres total
2
Peaks · winter ski + tri
Race calendar
Race 01 · tri
Sprint Triathlon
23 Aug 2026
First race back Race 02 · ski
La Diagonela
17 Jan 2027
Controlled effort Race 03 · ski
Vasaloppet
7 Mar 2027
Winter peak Race 04 · tri
Ironman 70.3 Rapperswil
6 Jun 2027
Fitness test Race 05 · tri — main goal
Ironman Port Macquarie
17 Oct 2027
Target race One year, two seasons. It opens with a no-pressure sprint triathlon (Aug 23) — a first race back to blow off the cobwebs and test the return, nothing more. The winter races stay on: La Diagonela (Jan 17) is a controlled tune-up, Vasaloppet (Mar 7) the winter peak. XC skiing is low-impact aerobic gold — it builds the engine that carries into the Ironman while sparing the legs a return-from-injury needs. Marcialonga is skipped this year to protect a clean transition. After Vasaloppet you convert to triathlon: Rapperswil 70.3 (Jun 6) is a fitness test and race-day rehearsal, and Port Macquarie (Oct 17) is the season's only A-race. It is 10+ time zones away, so the taper doubles as a travel plan — arrive early, rehearse the heat, race fresh.
Season overview — click a phase to expand
AugOctDecFebAprJunAugOct
Intensity split
Z1
90%
Z2
8%
Z3
2%
Primary disciplines
SwimBikeRoller skiWalk-runStrength
Weekly volume
5–8
hours / week
Run reintroduction
Walk-run only, pain-free is the gate
Increase run minutes ≤ 10% / wk
Load through swim, bike & roller ski
Increase run minutes ≤ 10% / wk
Load through swim, bike & roller ski
Key focus points
- Fix the cause of the injury — rehab work daily, not only when it hurts
- Rebuild the aerobic engine with low-impact swim, bike & roller ski
- Reintroduce running as structured walk-run, strictly pain-free
- Aug 23 sprint tri is a low-key opener — race what you have, keep the run controlled
- Seed winter skills early — easy roller ski & double-pole patterns
- 2× strength + mobility per week — hips, posterior chain, single-leg
Typical week
| Mon | Rest / mobility |
| Tue | Swim · 45 min Technique + easy aerobic |
| Wed | Bike Z1 · 1 hr Easy spin + strength 30 min |
| Thu | Roller ski Z1 · 1 hr Easy double pole |
| Fri | Walk-run · 30 min Run/walk intervals · pain-free |
| Sat | Bike Z1 · 1.5–2 hrs Long easy ride |
| Sun | Aqua-jog / mobility Low-impact + strength 2 |
Intensity split
Z1
80%
Z2
15%
Z3
5%
Primary disciplines
Roller / XC skiSki ergBikeSwimStrength
Weekly volume
8–11
hours / week
Microcycle
3 build + 1 recovery (~65% vol)
On-snow from November onward
Run kept minimal — protect the return
On-snow from November onward
Run kept minimal — protect the return
Key focus points
- Ski-specific aerobic base — this engine carries into the Ironman too
- Double-pole technique & volume grow week over week
- Ski erg bridges the gap until real snow arrives
- Maintain swim & bike lightly; keep running low and pain-free
- Strength for skiing — trunk endurance, lats, posterior chain
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Roller / XC ski Z1 · 2 hr Aerobic double pole |
| Wed | Ski erg + strength · 1.5 hr Trunk + lats |
| Thu | Bike Z1 · 1 hr + optional short run 20 min |
| Fri | Swim · 45 min Maintain feel |
| Sat | Long ski Z1 · 2.5–3 hr Steady aerobic |
| Sun | Ski technique · 1.5–2 hr DP refinement |
Intensity split
Z1
70%
Z2
20%
Z3
10%
Primary disciplines
XC skiSki ergEasy bike
Races this phase
La Diagonela · Jan 17 — controlled effort
Vasaloppet · Mar 7 — winter peak
Marcialonga (Jan 31) skipped this year
Vasaloppet · Mar 7 — winter peak
Marcialonga (Jan 31) skipped this year
Race-pace work
2–3 × 20 min at goal pace weekly
Short taper before Vasaloppet
Short taper before Vasaloppet
Key focus points
- Diagonela is race feel, not a result — 49 days out from Vasaloppet
- Vasaloppet is the winter goal — a clean 2-week taper into it
- Recover cleanly afterward — the whole tri season depends on it
- Double-pole race endurance & pacing confidence
- Wax testing & race logistics dialled before travel
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Race pace · 1.5 hr XC ski · 3×20 min |
| Wed | Easy Z1 · 1 hr Ski erg / walking |
| Thu | Threshold · 1.5 hr XC ski · Z3 efforts |
| Fri | Easy Z1 · 45 min Ski erg |
| Sat | Long Z1 · 2–2.5 hr XC ski |
| Sun | Easy Z1 · 1 hr XC ski / running |
Intensity split
Z1
75%
Z2
15%
Z3
10%
Primary disciplines
BikeRunSwim (OWS)Bricks
Weekly volume
9–11
hours / week
The transition
Ski left a big aerobic engine — not run legs
Rebuild swim feel + run volume from low
Careful run ramp given the injury history
Rebuild swim feel + run volume from low
Careful run ramp given the injury history
Key focus points
- One week fully recovered from Vasaloppet before building
- Reintroduce swim & run progressively — bike holds the volume
- Weekly brick: bike → run to train off-the-bike legs
- Open-water swimming as the season warms — sighting, starts
- Rapperswil is a dress rehearsal — pacing & nutrition tested
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Bike threshold · 1.5 hr 4×8 min Z3 |
| Wed | Swim · 1 hr CSS sets + strength |
| Thu | Run tempo · 45–60 min Building, Z3 blocks |
| Fri | Swim + easy spin Recovery day |
| Sat | Long bike · 3 hr With 70.3-pace efforts |
| Sun | Brick · bike 1.5 hr + run 30 min Run off the bike |
Intensity split
Z1
80%
Z2
15%
Z3
5%
Primary disciplines
Bike (long)Run (long)SwimNutrition
Weekly volume
12–15
hours / week · peak of the year
Anchor sessions
Long ride 4.5–6 hr + long run to 2 hr
IM effort, not threshold
Fuel every long session — no exceptions
IM effort, not threshold
Fuel every long session — no exceptions
Key focus points
- Biggest aerobic volume of the year — durability is the goal
- Race-day nutrition & pacing fully dialled in the long sessions
- Ride at IM watts, run at IM effort — rehearse the actual race
- Begin heat preparation for Australia — sauna or overdressed sessions
- Strength drops to maintenance; sleep & recovery become training
Typical week
| Mon | Recovery swim / rest |
| Tue | Bike Z2 tempo · 2 hr Sustained aerobic |
| Wed | Swim 1.25 hr + run 45 min Endurance + easy run |
| Thu | Run · 1.25–1.5 hr Z1/Z2 durability |
| Fri | Swim 1 hr + strength Maintenance |
| Sat | Long ride · 4.5–6 hr IM watts + nutrition rehearsal |
| Sun | Long run · 1.5–2 hr Some off long-ride bricks |
Intensity split
Z1
80%
Z2
15%
Z3
5%
Primary disciplines
SwimBikeRunTravel
Volume cut
−45%
from peak week
TSB target race morning
+5 to +20
Key focus points
- Volume down sharply, frequency stays — short race-pace bursts keep sharpness
- Fly to Australia 10–14 days early — beat the 10+ hour time change
- Finish heat acclimation before race week, not during it
- Lock logistics: bike build, nutrition supply, race-morning timeline
- Race: swim controlled, bike to power & nutrition plan, run within yourself
Typical week
| Mon | Rest |
| Tue | Bike · 1.5 hr Short race-pace bursts |
| Wed | Swim 45 min + run 30 min Sharpeners |
| Thu | Bike 1 hr + run 20 min Easy brick / travel |
| Fri | Easy swim / travel day |
| Sat | Shakeout · swim-bike-run Short openers |
| Sun | Race day |
Core principles
01
Aerobic base first
~80% of all time below the first threshold. Z2 is the danger zone — the most common mistake is drifting there on easy days. Easy stays genuinely easy; both a Vasaloppet and an Ironman are won aerobically.
02
Consistency over heroics
Coming back from injury, the plan only works if you stay healthy. Ramp run volume ≤10%/week, keep rehab work daily, never chase a missed session. Twelve boring weeks beat one brilliant one.
03
Skiing is low-impact base
The winter block isn't a detour — XC skiing builds a huge aerobic engine while sparing the legs. That base converts directly into the spring triathlon build, and the races keep training fun.
04
3 + 1 microcycle
Three build weeks, one recovery week (~65% volume). Adaptation happens during recovery — the build only creates the stimulus. Non-negotiable while returning from injury.
05
Race the calendar in order
Diagonela controlled, Vasaloppet the winter peak, Rapperswil a rehearsal, Port Macquarie the A-race. Each serves the next — never let an earlier race compromise a later one. Marcialonga is dropped to keep the transition clean.
06
Race the travel
Port Macquarie is 10+ time zones away. The taper is also a travel plan: arrive 10–14 days early, adapt to the reversed day, and rehearse heat & nutrition long before race week.