Masters (40+) IRONMAN®️ 140.6 Training Plans
"Excellent plan and super helpful email service. Honestly the best training plan I have ever used!"
Is An IRONMAN®️ 140.6 Masters Plan Right For You?
Our Masters IRONMAN 140.6 training plans are designed for athletes over 40 years old. Although plenty of younger athletes love them too.
The workouts are just as tough as with our normal training plans, but with more scheduled recovery days. And more strength and conditioning work, so you stay strong and flexible.
Aside from the effects of ageing, Masters triathletes face different challenges to younger athletes. Families, busy careers and lack of sleep are just a few. That said, not all over 40 triathletes require a Masters-specific training plan. Some find it easy to carry on with a normal training load, while others need to change their approach to training. It can depend on your genetics, your training background and your lifestyle.
- Premium plans with coach support for any level
- FREE TASTER PDF versions of our shorter plans!
When to Consider Choosing a Masters Plan:
- Your training time availability is reduced with work and family commitments.
- You feel sleep deprived from daily stresses.
- Your body has different needs in terms of recovery, strength and flexibility training.
- You suffer recurrent injuries.
- You feel constantly fatigued or overwhelmed by your regular training.
- You keep catching colds and other viruses.
Can I Still Race Successfully?
Yes, you can. In fact, by following our Masters plans, you may well race better than ever. The key to success is training consistently, without missing workouts due to injury, fatigue or time limitations. It’s not always about “who can do the most training?”.
All our training plans adhere to the principle of “Progressive Overload”. Meaning that the stress placed upon your body gradually increases over time. By training consistently with regular recovery periods, you’re more likely to absorb the gradually increasing training loads.
How is a Masters Plan Different?
Rest and Recovery
Strenuous IRONMAN 140.6 training will cause muscle damage. As we mature it can (arguably) take longer for your muscles to adapt and remodel. This decline in rate of recovery will vary according to genetics and training history. Insufficient recovery time can lessen the effect of the workout and leave you more prone to injury. Masters IRONMAN 140.6 plans have more rest days each week (1 or 2 days per week) and a 1:2 ratio of active recovery weeks to hard weeks (this is 1:3 in regular plans). That means you’ll do two weeks of challenging training, and then take an active recovery week (with around half the training stress).
Strength and Conditioning
As we get older, our muscle density begins to decline, and it becomes crucial to counter the effects of age-related muscle loss.
When you choose to follow Phil’s IRONMAN 140.6 Masters plans, you can download the associated FREE Strength and Conditioning plan. These have two scheduled strength and conditioning workouts per week, designed to promote:
- Performance through improved strength and power.
- Increased muscle mass.
- Injury prevention by strengthening connective tissue, muscles, and tendons.
- Flexibility to maintain power through a full range of movement.
- Improved bone density.
- Fat-free body mass (a leaner physique).
All Strength and Conditioning workouts can be carried out at home. There are also alternative exercises if you prefer a gym based workout.
Training Intensities and Volume
Training intensely is the key to success in any sport, regardless of age. Strong performances come from having a solid base and workouts that maximise your anaerobic fitness, speed, power and skill. Evidence suggests that higher intensity work with less volume is beneficial for the Masters athlete, even for IRONMAN 140.6 triathlon. Shorter, more intense workouts will also free up valuable time for recovery and work/family commitments. Masters plans optimise your training time with the right ratio of volume and intensity relevant to each plan.
Approach to Training
As an older athlete with a full life, prioritising is an essential skill. Ideally schedule your week, planning times for family, training, work and sleep. You should also be prepared for the curve balls that cause chaos in your best laid plans. Consistency in training is arguably the most important trait amongst successful Masters athletes. Here are some ideas to help you stick to your regime:
- Use your commute as an opportunity to train.
- Add in strength and conditioning at home, with the kids if necessary!
- If you can’t do a whole session, do part of it, something is always better than nothing.
- Commit to a lunchtime workout.
- Double up sessions if necessary, for example run or bike to the pool or tack your strength and conditioning straight after a bike or run (save showering twice).
- Life will occasionally get in the way and if you need to miss an odd workout, let it go and move on. It happens to us all.
Top Training Tips For An IRONMAN®️ 140.6 Triathlon
Swimming Tips
This is most people’s weakest area, and the aspect they are most concerned about. If you’re not a confident swimmer, it’s a good idea to sign up for a series of adult improver swim lessons before you start a triathlon training program. Swimming is the smallest part of an IRONMAN 140.6 triathlon, and you’ll spend far more time running and cycling. But 3.8km (2.4 miles) is still a long way!
The main goal of your IRONMAN swim training is getting fit enough to swim 3.8km in relative comfort. This is done in two ways: 1. Improving your swim fitness and 2. Improving your technique.
You should break up your swim workouts into smaller chunks with regular rest periods. Slowly increase the duration of your workouts each week, so that you’re eventually able to swim a 4 to 5 km session (with frequent short rests). By this stage you could also test yourself with a 3800 non-stop swim. Our IRONMAN 140.6 training plans include varied swim workouts with video swim drills, to help improve different aspects of your stroke.
An IRONMAN triathlon includes an open water swim, so it’s important to practice swimming in that environment too. It doesn’t have to be every swim you do but aim for several open water swims before you race in open water. We include these kinds of workouts in our training plans too, in the lead up to race day.
Cycling Tips
Aim to cycle a couple of times per week (or more) and build one of your rides up to a point where you can eventually cover 100 miles in training. If you can eventually ride 100 miles without it taking several days to recover, you should be fit enough for IRONMAN race day. Most of your bike training can be done at chatting pace, but it’s also good to include some harder efforts.
The cycle workouts in our training plans can be exported to platforms such as Zwift, TrainerRoad and devices such as Garmin. This means you can follow your workouts on screen in real time. You can ride outdoors, or on an indoor training. Just make sure you do at least some of your training outside on the bike you intend to use during your triathlon. This ensures you’re used to the feel and handling of your race-day bike.
Running Tips
Aim to run two or three times per week, but be sensible about your speed and distances, to avoid injury. One of your weekly runs should be a long one, where you eventually build up to around 2 hours 30 of low intensity running. Don’t be tempted to make these runs too long, otherwise you’ll increase your recovery time, increase injury risk and interrupt your training pattern. You should also include some runs straight after cycling, just to get used to the feeling. Do most of your running at chatting pace, even if it means you must include some walking. It’s also good to include some harder efforts once per week, interspersed with plenty of easy stuff.
Strength Training Tips
We include two sessions per week in our FREE Strength and Conditioning plans. Not everyone can fit them in around their busy lives, on top of their swimming, cycling and running, but it’s great if you can. These workouts can help improve your strength and flexibility, which leads to more efficient movement patterns and fewer injuries. We suggest you only do strength work in addition to at least two swims, two runs and two cycles per week. Rather than instead of them.
Using A Masters IRONMAN®️ 140.6 Triathlon Training Plan
Online training plans are for athletes who don’t feel the need for a personal coach, but who still want the structure and planning of an expertly-written training program. Research has shown that you are twice as likely to reach your goals if you train with a structured plan.
If you already have some experience of swimming, cycling or running, we recommend you give yourself an absolute minimum of 24 weeks to get fit for an IRONMAN triathlon. Whereas, if you’re starting from scratch, with no experience of swimming, cycling or running, it might take you a year or two of regular training to build up your fitness. Either way, the sooner you start, the more time you have to build up your fitness gradually.
Compatible with over 100 apps & devices, including:
Compatible with over 100
apps & devices, including:
Head Coach & Founder: Phil Mosley
Why Use Our Training Plans?
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Research-backed plans for any experience-level that fit around your lifestyle. From leading endurance coach Phil Mosley.
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1. Choose from over 32 plans from 9-39 weeks long
With beginner, intermediate, advanced, masters (40+) and off-season plans – we’ll have the perfect one for you.
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About Phil Mosley
Phil is a recognised expert with over 20 years of experience, having featured on many endurance sports publications. He founded MyProCoach in 2010 to to offer the world’s most comprehensive range of online training plans, all designed to help you enjoy the same success that himself and his athletes have, while still making sure you have quality time for your family, friends and career.
Masters IRONMAN®️ 140.6 Plans (9-39 Weeks)
WITH FREE EMAIL COACH SUPPORT
We use TrainingPeaks to deliver your plan – the world’s most popular endurance coaching platform. Free to use, TrainingPeaks is an online calendar that lets you record, track and analyze your training sessions.
It has a host of great features allowing you to get as in-depth as you like, including the ability to export your workouts to your training devices (Garmin, TrainerRoad etc) and follow them in real time.
TrainingPeaks enables us to set you in-depth training plans in a way that other formats cannot. Phil Mosley is a Certified Coach and one of the best-selling coaches on the platform.
Whenever you need help with your training plan, we aim to respond to your emails within 24-hours. Our Certified coaching team are on hand to answer any questions during the first use of your plan, plus a bonus three months after its completion.
During checkout, please also share your email so I can send you a series of 5 helpful emails to get you started.
As you can understand, some limits apply (for example, we can’t analyse your data or edit your training plan) but for anything else relevant to your training, we would love to help. You also have full access to our online help centre, with videos and articles to help you train effectively.
We have a huge range of plans that enables you to select one that best meets your goals, schedule and ability. If you’re not sure where to start, read on below for a quick overview.
What type?
Our Standard and Masters plans are designed to get you ready for your target event, while our Off-Season plans are designed to allow you to recover from a tough season whilst maintaining your well-earned fitness. Generally, Masters plans are designed for athletes over 40 years old, although plenty of younger athletes love them too. The workouts are just as tough as with our standard training plans, but with more scheduled recovery days. Some find it easy to carry on with a normal training load, while others need to change their approach to training.
What length?
For the best outcome, count back from your “A” target race date and simply choose a plan to fill that gap (you can still work in other, smaller races during your plan). Note that longer plans start easier and progress more gradually than shorter plans. The body responds best to constant, gradual progression with regular recovery periods, and that’s exactly what our plans are designed to give you!
What level?
Choosing the correct level will help you get the most out of your plan. Generally, if you’ve never done this event before or currently train up to a few times per week, you might consider a Beginner plan. Alternatively, if you’ve done this event many times before or currently train 5+ times a week, you might consider an Advanced plan.
But don’t worry too much – we also let you swap the level for free within 14 days of purchase, if you find it too easy/hard!
Visit the MyProCoach Help Center for further guidance and to contact our Certified coaching team.
Certainly! Our training plans allow you to easily swap a few days around each week to suit your availability. Or you can swap out a session, to attend a similar group workout instead. That’s fine. If you opt for TrainingPeaks Premium (from $9.92 per month) you can even drag & drop your workouts onto different days. We give a few recommendations on how to best do this in our help centre.
And you can also train for multiple events! Our training plans guide you up to your target “A” race, but it’s also good to include some “B or C” races along the way. Our help centre goes through the exact steps you should take to enable you to get full benefit, without detracting from your key focus
Trial Us With Our FREE TASTER Plans! (8- And 12-Week PDFs Only)
- No coach support, personal intensity zones or tracking software
- Standard (non-masters) version only
Beginner (9-39wks)
Perfect in your first season- Premium, flexible plan
- Intuitive tracking software
- Help centre & FAQ support
- Email access to coach
- From just $3.49/week!
Intermediate (9-39wks)
For seasoned triathletes- Premium, flexible plan
- Intuitive tracking software
- Help centre & FAQ support
- Email access to coach
- From just $3.49/week!
Advanced (9-39wks)
Slash your race-times- Premium, flexible plan
- Intuitive tracking software
- Help centre & FAQ support
- Email access to coach
- From just $3.49/week!
Under 40? Check our IRONMAN 140.6 standard plans.
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