Practical takeaways for Ironman preparation

We dive deep into Ironman training and preparation in today's episode, and discuss how to best get ready for an Ironman whether you're looking to achieve an ambitious time or position goal, or you're looking to complete your first full distance triathlon and simply want to beat the cut-off times.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: 

• What are the prerequisites for doing an Ironman? Can anybody do one? 
• How much time should you have to prepare for an Ironman? 
• Ironman periodisation
• Key workouts, training volume and intensity, brick and simulation sessions, and more
• How to taper for an Ironman
• Nutrition and equipment considerations
• Sample Ironman training weeks
• The most common mistakes age-group triathletes make in their Ironman training

DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES: 

• We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. 
• The shownotes for today's episode can be found at https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts689/

LINKS AND RESOURCES: 

• Ironman Course Ratings - how fast or slow are the different Ironman courses? By Trirating. 

WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?

If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following related episodes:

• Gordo Byrn on optimising Ironman training, the importance of volume and low intensity training, and practical age-group training - already a 2026 classic for That Triathlon Show, Gordo is a fantastic coach, athlete, thinker and communicator. This is one not to miss!
• Ironman World Champion Solveig Løvseth on her race day strategy in Kona, her training block at altitude, heat training and more! - Less relevant for age-groupers perhaps, but from a pure triathlon and Ironman performance perspective, it’s fantastic to hear exactly what the current Kona Champion did leading up to her great victory. 
• Craig Alexander – Three-time Ironman World Champion - Crowie is one of the legends of the sport, and provides a fantastic perspective on how triathlon training and Ironman training specifically has evolved over the last two decades. 

You can find our full episode archives here, where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc.

You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes, TTS Thursday episodes, and Beginner Tips episodes. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON: 

• The Scientific Triathlon website is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do
• Contact us through our contact form or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs)
• Subscribe to our Newsletter
• Follow us on Instagram
• Learn more about our coaching, training plans, and training camps. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals. 

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)? 

I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time. 

• Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released.
• Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far! 
• Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones).
• Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack. 

SPONSORS: 

• Precision Fuel & Hydration produce our favourite gels, sports drinks, and electrolyte and carbohydrate products here at That Triathlon Show and Scientific Triathlon. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event, and get 15% off your first 2026 order by using the code TTS2026 at checkout.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.