How to Train For and Race Short-Course Triathlons

Short-course triathlons, Sprint and Olympic distances, present a unique challenge, and succeeding at them requires a distinct approach. In these races (lasting ~1–3 hours), athletes must sustain higher intensities, execute rapid transitions, and deploy smart tactics that differ from long-course (Half/Full Ironman) racing. This comprehensive guide will help both first-timers and seasoned Ironman triathletes sharpen their speed and skills for short-course success.

I’ll cover training principles (intensity, skills, transitions, pacing), race-day execution (warm-up, pacing, fueling, transitions), common mistakes to avoid, and how short-course racing can benefit long-course performance.

Sprint vs. Olympic vs. Ironman: Different Demands, Different Strategies

Sprint (approx. 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) and Olympic (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) triathlons are not simply mini-Ironmans. While all triathlons are predominantly aerobic events, the shorter race durations demand a higher relative intensity and different tactics than long-course races. In an Ironman, you aim to hold a steady, moderate effort for 8+ hours, but in a Sprint or Olympic tri you’ll be pushing near your limits for 1–3 hours. For example, a sprint-distance cyclist might sustain ~90% or more of their threshold power on the bike, whereas an Ironman cyclist might sit around 70%. Similarly, run pacing differs: you might run a 5K off the bike in a sprint tri at ~95–100% of open 5K effort, but a marathon in an Ironman is closer to 80–89% of open marathon effort. Short-course racing is about tapping into a higher gear: you’ll be operating closer to your redline compared to the measured, endurance-focused output of long-course.

The high-intensity nature of short-course racing affects several aspects of training and race execution:

• Pacing: In a Sprint/Oly, you can race at or just below threshold for much of the way. There’s little time to “settle in”, the swim and bike are tackled aggressively, and the run becomes a fast, if painful, push to the finish. In long-course events, by contrast, going out too hard early is a recipe for disaster hours later. Short-course athletes must learn to handle surges and recover on the fly, whereas Ironman athletes focus on even pacing and energy management over the long haul.

• Transitions and Skills: Transitions (swim-to-bike T1 and bike-to-run T2) play a much bigger role in short races, where mere seconds can separate places. In a Sprint, spending an extra 30 seconds dawdling in T1 could be the difference between a podium and mid-pack. Ironman transitions, while important, are more forgiving. Short-course triathletes need to practice swift, efficient transitions as a critical skill, not an afterthought.

• Nutrition/Fueling: Ironman racers must master a detailed fueling and hydration strategy to avoid running out of energy over 8–17 hours. In a Sprint or Olympic, nutrition during the race is much simpler. You won’t burn through all your energy stores in an hour or two, so short-course athletes can race with minimal intake: perhaps a bottle of sports drink and maybe a gel for an Olympic-distance, and just some water or sports drink for a Sprint.

• Mental Approach: Long-course triathlon is often about pacing oneself mentally, staying calm, patient, and consistent for a very long time. Short-course racing is mentally intense in a different way: you have to be ready to go from the gun, handle the discomfort of high heart rates and burning legs, and make quick decisions (Can I surge to catch that competitor? How hard can I push and still hang on for the run?). There’s less time to think or correct mistakes. Sprint/Olympic racing rewards those who can embrace a fast start (especially in the swim) and maintain focus through sustained discomfort, whereas Ironman rewards strategic patience and resilience over an extended day.

Training Principles for Short-Course Success

Training for a Sprint or Olympic triathlon centers on quality, intensity, skill, and specificity. While you still need a solid aerobic base (endurance is the foundation of any triathlon), short-course success comes from layering higher-intensity work and skill practice on top of that base. Here are the key training principles to focus on:

1. Emphasize Intensity and Speed Development

Short-course races demand a higher gear. You’ll be swimming, biking, and running at paces much closer to your all-out effort than you would in long races. Your training should include ample intensity: interval workouts at threshold and sometimes above, fartlek/speed play sessions, and hard brick workouts that simulate the race feeling. These workouts train your body to tolerate and clear lactate, and operate at a high percentage of your max for the duration of a sprint/oly race.

The aerobic base still matters. You can’t neglect your endurance and expect to hold a high intensity for an hour or two. However, compared to Ironman training, you’ll spend relatively more time near your threshold.

2. Quality Over Quantity: High Return on Training Time

One of the refreshing aspects of short-course training is that it’s generally more time-efficient than Ironman prep. You don’t need 5-hour rides and 3-hour runs to prepare for a sprint triathlon. In fact, doing excessive volume can be counterproductive. It might leave you fatigued without further boosting the specific fitness you need. Instead, focus on maximising the return on your training time. This is a core tenet of the Sense Endurance philosophy: every session should have a purpose and deliver value, rather than piling on junk miles.

For example, a well-structured 90-minute bike trainer workout with interval sets can yield more fitness gains for a 40K bike leg than a sloppy 3-hour ride where much of the time is spent coasting or in low Zone1. It’s about targeting the adaptations that matter for short bursts of speed and power. Similarly, a focused 45-minute run with 20 minutes of race-pace efforts and some strides at the end can be more beneficial than a two-hour slow jog for a short-course athlete.

This doesn’t mean you never do longer aerobic sessions. Regular long-ish rides (e.g. 2 hours) and runs (60 minutes) at an easy pace will build endurance and should remain in your plan, especially for Olympic distance. But even those can be kept in check. You might not need to run much beyond 10 miles or ride beyond 50–60 miles in training for an Olympic tri, for instance. The priority is maintaining aerobic base while ensuring you’re fresh enough to nail the key high-intensity sessions each week. Avoid the trap of doing “too much volume, too often”, a common mistake where athletes train as if more is always better. Many short-course athletes actually err by training too much like an Ironman (lots of moderate miles) and not enough like a miler (fast repeats and explosive work). Sprint and Olympic triathlons reward a smart blend of intensity and recovery, not just volume.

(If you’re a long-course triathlete integrating a short-course block, this focus on quality will likely feel different from the grinding volume of Ironman prep, but it can rejuvenate your training and make you faster, as we’ll discuss later.)

3. Build Strength and Resilience (Strength-First Approach)

No matter the race distance, a stronger athlete is a more resilient and often faster athlete. Short-course training should include strength work, especially sport-specific strength-building. A strength-first approach (another Sense Endurance pillar) means prioritising exercises and sessions that make your muscles, connective tissues, and movement patterns robust and efficient.

Off the bike and run, include at least 1–2 short strength training sessions per week. These can be simple 20–30 minute routines focusing on core stability, glute/hip strength, leg and upper body exercises, and mobility. Lifting weights (or doing bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups) will improve your power and guard against injury by correcting imbalances. Stronger core and leg muscles also help you maintain form under fatigue, which is crucial when you’re redlining in the final mile of a 5K run or grinding up a short hill on the bike.

On the bike, you can incorporate low-cadence, high-force intervals to build muscular strength specific to cycling. For example, doing repeats at a low cadence (50–60 rpm) in a big gear, at moderate intensity can develop leg strength without needing extremely high heart rate, making it effectively a form of resistance training on the bike. This kind of training can improve your FTP without endless hours of riding, by making each pedal stroke more forceful. Swimming with paddles can similarly build swim-specific strength. The Sense Endurance approach often uses such methods to get strong aerobically, and I’ll have you swimming with a pull buoy and paddles at steady effort to build shoulder endurance, rather than doing only short all-out sprints.

Resilience is a byproduct of strength and smart training. As you build muscle and connective tissue strength, you’ll handle training stress better and recover faster. This means fewer injuries and setbacks. It also means by race day you can handle that hard swim or rapid bike cadence change without cramping or falling apart. A resilient athlete can bounce back from surges and maintain form when others are fading.

4. Practice Skills & Transitions (Execution Matters)

In short-course triathlon, how you execute skills can significantly impact your performance. The race moves quickly from one sport to the next, so you need to be well-drilled in the practical aspects: swim technique, open-water navigation, bike handling, run form off the bike, and especially transitions. Here’s how to hone these skills:

• Swim Skills: If you’re not a confident swimmer, prioritise improving your stroke efficiency and comfort in open water. Short-course swims can be aggressive (particularly in draft-legal races or mass start events). Practise sighting regularly so you swim straight, and learn to draft on faster swimmers if possible. Practise fast start efforts in training before settling into pace. This helps avoid the shock of a racing heart at the triathlon start. The swim sets the tone for your day, so start smart: go out hard only if you’ve trained for it; otherwise, pace evenly to avoid spiking your heart rate too early. Above all, come out of the water ready to execute T1 smoothly.

• Bike Handling and Mount/Dismount: In Sprint/Oly races, especially on technical courses or draft-legal events, good bike handling and quick mount/dismount skills save time. Practicse cornering, riding in aerobars (if non-drafting) or in a group (if draft-legal). Rehearse mounting the bike quickly: learn to do a flying mount with shoes clipped in. Similarly, practise your dismount before T2. These seconds saved can add up when races are often decided by small margins.

• Run Off the Bike: Running on “bike legs” is a skill unto itself. Incorporate brick workouts where you run immediately after cycling, at least once a week. For example, bike 30–60 minutes with some hard intervals, then run a mile or two at race pace. This trains your body (and mind) to transition to running while fatigued. Focus on quick turnover (cadence) and good form. Your legs may feel like bricks, but maintaining form will actually help shake out the heaviness. Over time, you’ll adapt so that in races you can find your run legs faster. Short-course races often require you to hit a fast run pace right away off the bike, so practise that feeling of going from biking hard to running hard.

• Transitions (T1 and T2): Aim to make your transitions efficient and automatic: set up your gear in an organised layout and rehearse the sequence of actions. For T1 (swim-to-bike): practise running from the water (or pool), stripping off your wetsuit quickly, putting on your helmet, and grabbing your bike. Small choices like racing without socks for a sprint (if you’ve trained for it) or using elastic laces on run shoes can save precious time.

• Pacing Skills and Mental Execution: Short-course racing requires knowing your limits and how to toe the line without going over. Practise pacing intervals precisely so that you can hit target efforts reliably. Learn to negative-split or evenly pace workouts. This helps to avoid the common mistake of “fly and die” (starting too fast then fading badly). Equally, practise the mental skill of pushing through discomfort. Interval workouts are as much mental rehearsal as physical training. When that familiar burn in legs and lungs arrives in a session, practise positive self-talk and focus. By training your mind to handle short-course intensity, you’ll execute much better under pressure. Remember, triathlon rewards skill and resilience, not just raw suffering. The best short-course athletes are those who execute each segment efficiently and respond to the race dynamics intelligently, not merely those who can endure pain. Train to be sharp in decision-making (e.g. knowing when to chase a competitor on the bike or when to pace your own race) and you’ll race with more confidence.

5. Plan With Purpose and Progression

As you integrate the above elements – intensity, efficiency, strength, skills – it’s important to structure your training weeks and season with a sensible progression. Beginners might start with a 15–22 week plan building from shorter workouts to race-distance workouts. Experienced long-course athletes pivoting to short-course might incorporate a focussed block of higher intensity training to sharpen up.

Crucially, listen to your body and avoid overtraining. Short-course training can actually be more intense than Ironman training, which means recovery is key. Don’t cram too many hard days together. If you start noticing persistent fatigue or niggles, back off and prioritise rest, easy sessions, or consult a coach to adjust your plan. The goal is to arrive at the start line in peak form. Consistency is still the holy grail: it’s better to be slightly undertrained but healthy than overcooked and injured. By training with purpose and not merely accumulating miles, you’ll reduce injury risk and improve consistently. Every workout should fit the puzzle, if you’re unsure how to structure this, seeking a coach or a good short-course training plan can ensure you hit all these principles properly.

(At Sense Endurance, our coaching philosophy revolves around these ideas. We cut through the noise so that each athlete’s training is purposeful and adapted to their needs. The idea is to get the highest return on each training hour while building a strong, resilient, well-prepared triathlete.)

Race-Day Execution for Sprint & Olympic Triathlons

When race day arrives, having a solid plan for execution is crucial, especially because short-course races don’t leave much margin for error.

Pre-Race Warm-Up: The Shorter the Race, the Longer the Warm-Up

One key difference with short-course events is the importance of a thorough warm-up. Because you will be starting at a high intensity almost immediately, your body needs to be primed for hard effort. For a Sprint or Olympic triathlon, plan to warm up all three disciplines if possible: a light jog and some run drills (to get your heart rate up and muscles loose), a few minutes of cycling (if allowed, or on a trainer/stationary if available) to wake up the legs, and most importantly some swimming before the start. If you can get in the water, do 5–10 minutes easy swimming plus a few short 15–30 second pick-ups at race pace. This elevates your heart rate and prepares you for the brisk pace off the line. Arrive early enough to allow for this multi-part warm-up routine; it can dramatically improve your swim performance and overall race feeling.

The idea is to start the race ready, not flat. It’s common to see beginners skip the warm-up due to nerves or time, but then they spend the first part of the swim or bike feeling awful as their body tries to adjust on the fly. Avoid this mistake: get warmed up so your engine is firing on all cylinders from the first stroke.

Swim Start and Swim Pacing

The Swim in a sprint or Olympic tri can be hectic but is relatively brief. Race-day adrenaline often causes novices to start way too fast in the swim. Have a swim pacing strategy before the gun: for most, it’s wise to start controlled for the first minute, then build into a strong rhythm. If you’re a strong swimmer aiming for the podium, you might need to start fast to get on fast feet and avoid being caught in slower traffic. For beginners, a better approach is to ease into the swim over the first 200m, then pick it up. This prevents the dreadful scenario of blowing up early.

Seed yourself appropriately at the start (for rolling start races, line up by your estimated swim time; for wave starts, don’t get in the front row unless you are confident at that pace). Use the open water skills you practiced: draft when possible, sight every few strokes to stay on course, and stay relaxed in your breathing. The short distance will be over before you know it. As a gauge, in a sprint or Olympic you might swim around 90–95% of your threshold effort, hard, but not an all-out sprint the whole way. If you exit the water gassed as if it were a 100m swim race, you probably pushed a bit too hard; ideally you come out feeling like you worked, but can immediately run to T1 without needing to catch your breath too much.

Transition 1 (Swim-to-Bike)

As you run to T1, start executing your plan. If you practiced a flying mount and it’s allowed/safe, go for it; if not, just get on and start pedaling swiftly. One tip: keep it simple.Short-course transitions should be streamlined. For instance, in a Sprint you likely don’t need to put on socks or gloves or sunglasses. The more you try to do, the more time you spend. Get onto the bike course as quickly as possible, then you can adjust small things while riding (drink water, settle into shoes if they were pre-clipped, etc.).

Bike Pacing and Strategy

The bike leg is the longest portion of time in both Sprint and Olympic races. It should feel like a time trial. You’ll likely be pushing an effort around high Zone 3 to Zone 4 in heart rate or ~85–95% of FTP in power. Distribute your effort evenly if possible: a steadier bike effort produces a better run than wildly surging and coasting. Aim for a fairly consistent output, adjusting for hills (yes, you can surge a bit on short climbs, but don’t spike so high that you’re panting for minutes after).

For draft-legal Olympic racing (if you ever do an ITU-style event or a club race that allows drafting), the dynamics differ. You might have to surge to stick with a pack, then get some recovery in the draft. That’s a more tactical scenario. But for the majority of age-group short-course (which is non-drafting), think steady power. Use your aero position and bike handling to your advantage: take corners smoothly, keep pedaling on flats and downhills when you can (free speed), and pass others decisively. Remember to stay within yourself. A classic mistake is overcooking the bike leg only to suffer greatly on the run.

Fueling/Hydration on the Bike: Even though the race is short, don’t ignore hydration. In a sprint, you might only need one small bottle of sports drink or water. In an Olympic, you might have one bottle of sports drink (and maybe a second water). Aim to sip periodically. The goal is to stay hydrated and give a bit of carbohydrate to the muscles. You probably won’t need solid food; if anything, a single gel halfway through the bike in an Olympic tri can help top off energy. For a sprint, many athletes take no gels during. Just a swig of sport drink can suffice. Don’t overdo it: too much fuel you can’t digest at high intensity may cause stomach issues. Keep it light and simple.

Transition 2 (Bike-to-Run)

Approach the dismount line at a controlled speed, hop off (hopefully with a flying dismount), and run your bike into T2. A common mistake is hesitation: your legs feel weird coming off the bike and some athletes sort of saunter out of T2. Instead, keep urgency in mind. Yes, your legs will feel jelly-like, but start running and they will come around after a few hundred meters.

Run Pacing and Finish

The run is often where the race is decided. Ideally, resist the temptation to blast out of T2 at a pure sprint. It feels like you’re going slow because of the bike sensation, but check yourself. It’s wise to ease into the first half-mile until you find your open-run form and breathing. That might only take a minute or two. After that, build into your target pace and hold it. A well-paced triathlon run will often be a steady effort or even slight negative split. Banking time (running much faster early “while you feel good”) usually backfires with an ugly fade at the end.

In terms of intensity, expect the run to feel hard but controlled for the first two-thirds, and then it becomes an outright push. Your heart rate will be high (in a sprint 5K, likely near 90–95% of max for most of it). In a sprint, by the halfway point you should be at a discomfort level that is significant but sustainable, then try to empty the tank in the final kilometer. In an Olympic 10K, you might hold a tad reserved for 7–8 kilometres, then give what you have left in the final 2 kilometres. This is where mental toughness and those high-intensity workouts pay off: you’re accustomed to the feeling of pushing on tired legs. If you did your training bricks, you know that the heavy-leg sensation fades. Also, remember that everyone is suffering on the run.

Common Mistakes in Short-Course Training and Racing (and How to Avoid Them)

Short-course triathlons may be less daunting in duration than an Ironman, but they come with their own pitfalls. Here are some of the most common mistakes athletes make when focusing on Sprint and Olympic distances, plus tips on how to avoid these errors:

Mistake 1: Training Like It’s an Ironman (Too Much Volume, Not Enough Intensity)

Many athletes assume that more is better, even for short races, and end up doing “Ironman-lite” training. This may lead you to never developing the higher gear needed for short-course racing. Avoid this by dialing back the excessive volume and ensuring you do those key interval sessions and fast bricks. You’ll improve far more by hitting targeted paces/power in workouts than by simply adding junk mileage. Remember, you’re not trying to build an ultra-endurance engine for a 12-hour day; you’re honing a finely tuned sports car engine for a 1–3 hour race. Keep the long rides/runs to what’s necessary, but devote energy to intensity and skill.

Mistake 2: Neglecting Transition Practice

I’ve hammered this above, but it bears repeating: lots of triathletes (even experienced ones) ignore transition practice and then panic or bungle something on race day. Transitions should be smooth and almost automatic, but that only comes with practice. To avoid errors: incorporate transitions into brick workouts (e.g. practice a T2 at the end of a bike ride, or set up a mini transition in your driveway after a swim). Visualize and walkthrough T1/T2 on race morning. Know where you enter and exit, count racks if needed to locate your spot, etc. Stick to the plan: do only what’s necessary. Every second you save by being efficient is “free speed” – and in short races, that can be the margin between hitting your goal or not.

Mistake 3: Poor Pacing – Going Out Too Hard (or Too Easy)

Pacing is tricky in short races because the line between “just right” and “too hard” is thin. A frequent mistake is starting the swim like it’s a 50m sprint, or hammering the first 5km of the bike as if the race will be won right there. Red-lining too early can lead to an agonizing fade where you’re barely hanging on in the latter stages. The flip side is starting too conservatively – sometimes long-course athletes have a hard time adjusting and they hold back more than necessary, finishing with gas in the tank that they could have used. To avoid these issues, practise pacing in training (intervals teach you what a sustainable hard effort feels like) and follow a race plan. Also adjust pacing for conditions: hot day? Dial it back a touch to avoid overheating. Hilly course? Manage your effort on the climbs; don’t fry your legs in one go.

Mistake 4: Overthinking (or Underthinking) Race Nutrition

Nutrition for short races is simple, yet athletes err in both directions. Some overthink it: they carry multiple gels, special mix drinks, maybe even solid food for an Olympic. Others underthink: they take nothing, not even water, in an Olympic and end up dehydrated or bonking in the last miles. The balance: plan a light fueling strategy and practise it. For instance, in an Olympic distance you might aim for ~150–250 calories on the bike (say one sports drink bottle ~200 cal and perhaps one gel towards the end of the bike). This is enough to keep blood sugar up for the run. In a Sprint, as noted, you might not need any calories during, just a bit of sports drink or electrolyte for hydration. Don’t try new products on race day. Stick to what you used in training to avoid gastrointestinal surprises. And definitely have a good pre-race meal 2-3 hours before so you start topped up. In summary, keep the race nutrition plan simple and adequate: enough to support your effort, not so much that it slows you down or upsets your stomach.

Mistake 5: Skipping the Warm-Up

We mentioned how vital warm-up is for short races. Nonetheless, you’ll see people standing around stiffly, then struggle in the first half of the swim. Skipping or skimping on the warm-up is a big mistake that can ruin the first leg of your race. Avoid this by budgeting time for a proper warm-up. If you’re nervous about wasting energy, remember that a good warm-up prepares your body to go harder, so it’s energy well spent.

Mistake 6: Ignoring Technique and Economy

Some athletes think that because the race is short, technique matters less (the “it’s only a 750m swim, I’ll just muscle through it” mindset). In reality, efficiency matters at every distance. A poor swim technique will leave you exhausted coming into T1. Grinding a low cadence in too big a gear on the bike (if that’s not your trained strategy) can spike your legs with lactate. Flailing running form can waste energy needed to maintain pace. Always remember: triathlon rewards skill. Streamline your swim, smooth out your pedal stroke, and refine your run form cadence. The faster you want to go, the more technique matters because the cost of wasteful motion is higher at high intensity.

How Short-Course Racing Benefits Long-Course Athletes

If you’re a long-course triathlete (Half/Full Ironman) who typically races for endurance, you might wonder why dabble in short-course at all. But there are powerful benefits to incorporating Sprint and Olympic races into your training journey. Here’s how short-course racing can make you a stronger long-course athlete:

Increased Speed and Higher Threshold

Short-course training and racing lifts your overall speed ceiling. By doing more tempo, threshold, and VO₂max work, you boost your lactate threshold and aerobic capacity. This means when you return to long-course training, you might find that your Ironman pace now feels easier or faster because your engine is bigger. In essence, raising your top-end makes your sub-max endurance paces more comfortable.

Efficiency and Form Gains

Racing short forces you to pay attention to details like transitions, form, and technique under stress. Long-course racing can sometimes let you be a bit sloppier (e.g. walking through aid stations, slowly changing in transition, etc.). Short-course demands efficiency. As you improve those skills – quick transitions, streamlined movement – you carry them into long-course. Every ounce of efficiency matters more the longer you go, so by mastering it in the microcosm of short races, you set yourself up for success in the long ones.

Tactical and Mental Sharpness

Short-course races are a great playground for practising race tactics and mental strategies without the huge investment of a full Ironman. You can experiment with pacing strategies, nutrition tweaks, or mental cues in a sprint and get immediate feedback. Racing frequently (you could reasonably do several short races in a season) also desensitises you to the stress of competition. Come Ironman day, you’re much calmer and more prepared because you’ve been racing all along at local sprint tris or Olympic events. The intensity of short races builds mental toughness. After you’ve pushed through a 5K with lungs on fire, the slower grind of an Ironman marathon might feel mentally easier in some ways (different pain, but you’ve expanded your range).

Strengthening Weak Links

Short-course often exposes any weaknesses: if your swim is poor, you really feel it when it’s 15–20% of the total race. If your transitions are clumsy, you see the lost time starkly. By working on these in short-course, you eliminate or reduce those weak links before your next long-course. Short races are like diagnostic tests. They will quickly show you where more work is needed, which you can then address in training that benefits all distances.

Variety and Motivation

Ironman training can be a slog at times. Incorporating short-course races adds variety and fun. It keeps you motivated by mixing up the routine and giving you intermediate goals. Doing a few sprints or an Olympic in the lead-up to a long race can rekindle your competitive fire and prevent the accumulated boredom from just doing massive volume. It’s also a reminder of the joy and community of triathlon without the huge pressure that an Ironman brings. This mental freshness indirectly helps your long-course performance because a motivated, happy athlete trains better than a stale, bored one.

If you’re a short-course specialist now, note that the aerobic base from some longer training can help your endurance at Sprint/Oly distances too. But as I discussed, be careful not to convert your training entirely to long slow distance. It’s all about the right balance for your goals.

Ready to Race Short-Course? Next Steps and Closing Thoughts

Sprint and Olympic triathlons offer an exciting arena to challenge yourself in new ways. Whether you’re a beginner aiming to finish your first triathlon strong or a seasoned Ironman finisher looking to inject some speed into your arsenal, short-course racing can be incredibly rewarding.

Perhaps most importantly, enjoy the process. Short-course races are often high-energy, community-friendly events where you can really soak in the fun of triathlon. The training can be fun too. You get to mix it up with track workouts, fast group rides, and maybe some exciting local races leading up to your “A” race. Embrace the change of pace (literally!).

If all this sounds a bit overwhelming to tackle alone, or you simply want to ensure you’re getting the most out of your training time, consider seeking out coaching. A good coach can create a personalised short-course training plan tailored to your life schedule, current fitness, and goals, ensuring you hit the right intensities and build up properly. They can provide accountability, expert feedback on your technique, and adjustments when life throws curveballs. For example, at Sense Endurance, I offer targeted programmes for short-course racing. I can help you apply the  principles outlined in this article in a way that fits you, providing the clarity and direction that cuts through all the conflicting info out there.