The TriForce Busy Athlete’s Toobox

Are you a busy triathlete with big dreams, wondering how to find the time?  I’ve been there.  

I was juggling a full-time job and attending school at night, all while chasing my goal of completing an Ironman. I knew I had to find an alternative to the traditional “big training” model. That’s when I started to develop my powerful strategies for getting faster and fitter on a tight schedule, ultimately completing a Sub 10 Ironman in 10 Hours per Week of training, and years later I won my age group at Ironman Santa Rosa on 10 hours per week.

As I transitioned into coaching, I continually tested and added more tools to help my athletes succeed—no matter how busy their lives were. Whether they were juggling a new baby, managing high-pressure jobs at companies like Google, or serving as police officers, I designed strategies to fit their unique challenges and help them achieve their goals.

A toolbox, not a rigid system.

These tools offer the flexibility to adapt to your unique circumstances. For example, some athletes may rely on time-saving techniques during the workweek but enjoy longer rides on the weekends. Others might have a small block of time in the AM and one in the PM, needing two short, efficient “no fluff” workouts instead of one longer brick. A teacher might use nearly all the time-saving tools below during the school year, then enjoy shifting to “big training” over the summer. Together, we’ll choose the right tools to fit your life and make your big dreams achievable.  

OK, enough preamble….

Here are some of my most powerful tools for busy athletes:

Tool #1 Reverse Periodization

Focus on Speed First.

One of the most effective methods I use is Reverse Periodization, a strategy championed by my mentor, Brett Sutton, who recently coached another Olympic medalist. While this approach works wonders for elite athletes, it’s even more suited for busy age groupers.

In traditional periodization, you spend months building up easy volume before pushing through intense workouts to “peak” for your big race. With reverse periodization, we flip the script. We start by focusing on speed, incorporating hard intervals early in the training buildup. As the race approaches, we shift our focus to longer endurance sessions. This approach helps you maximize limited training time while ensuring you’re race-ready.

Tool #2 Minimum Effective Dose

Do enough, but no more

 The principle is simple: we do just enough to keep you progressing—no more, no less. Early on, it won’t take much to see improvement, but as you get fitter, you’ll need to gradually increase your training to continue making gains. The goal is to hit your Minimum NECESSARY Dose (see below) in the final six weeks before your race, ensuring you’re primed for peak performance at just the right time.  Read more.   

Tool #3 Minimum NECESSARY Dose.

Ensure You’re Doing Enough

As a coach and athlete, it’s crucial to answer the question: “How much training is enough?” When preparing for an Ironman, we focus on hitting key long workouts in the final 4-6 weeks. These include 4-hour rides, 2-hour runs, and Ironman-distance swims. The key isn’t just completing these workouts but doing them at a solid, steady effort—slightly harder than race pace. If you can handle these sessions with consistency, you can be confident you’re ready for race day, provided you nail your pacing strategy (more on that below).

Tool #4: Solid Steady Long Workouts

Train Faster Than Race Pace to Make Race Day Easy

As noted above, we will do our long workouts mostly at a SOLID STEADY effort that’s faster than our race day effort.   That usually means spending plenty of time right at the top of zone 2, just before it becomes a “medium” zone 3 effort.   Then on race day we’ll hold back and race at an easier endurance effort.  (see below for more about race day execution for the minimalist)

Tool #5 “No Fluff” Workouts

Make Every Minute Count- No Wasted Time!

When time is limited, we can’t afford to mess around with “fluffy” workouts full of drills and excessive easy training. Instead, we focus on maximizing every minute with efficient, high-impact sessions. Here are a few examples:

• The Tempo Brick Run: The quickest way to knock out a key workout and still have time for life. After a bike ride, hop off and run for 20 minutes at a “comfortably hard” pace, around your anaerobic threshold. BOOM! Key run done!

• Build Rides: After a short warm-up, ride for 15 minutes at Ironman effort, 15 minutes at half-Ironman effort, and finish with 15 minutes hard, using whatever energy is left. In under an hour, you’ve taken your body close to race conditions. I love pairing this with the tempo brick run, completing a key ride and run in just 80 minutes.

• No-Nonsense Swims: Jump in and go, just like race day! Brett Sutton swears by simple, powerful swim sets like 40×100 or 10×400. Here’s one of my favorites: 2 sets of 5×200 at a strong, hard effort with 20 seconds of rest between each. You’ll knock out 2000 meters close to your anaerobic threshold. No long warmups, no drill sets—just effective, focused work.

Tool #6: The TriForce 666 Beast Build Method

Applying Reverse Periodization, Solid Steady Long Workouts and Minimum Necessary Dose

(Don’t worry, I had a priest exorcise this tool!)

The number 6 holds a certain magic in training. It takes about 6 weeks for your body to adapt to a stimulus, and your current fitness is largely a reflection of the past 6 weeks of training. With that in mind, here’s the 666 Ironman Build I love to use with busy athletes (after about 6 weeks of preparation if you are ‘off the couch” plus 6 weeks of ramp-up).

Here’s how it works, using the bike as an example:

• 6 weeks of VO2 max focus, featuring 2-hour long rides.
• 6 weeks of anaerobic threshold work, with 3-hour long rides.
• 6 weeks of Ironman-specific training, incorporating solid, steady 4-hour rides (our Minimum Necessary Long Ride).

The devil, as they say, is in the details, particularly in how you progress through the workouts. But this structure ensures a progressive build that aligns with reverse periodization, solid steady long workouts, and the minimum necessary training dose.

Tool #7: Bricks

Combine Workouts for Big Time Savings

One of the best ways to maximize time is by combining two workouts into a “brick.” For example, doing a bike followed by a run (like the tempo brick run mentioned earlier) saves you from having to go through the entire routine of getting ready, warming up, showering, and fueling twice. You only do all that extra stuff once!

That’s why I often schedule transition runs after most rides—it’s a powerful and efficient way to increase run frequency without adding extra sessions. Plus, the psychological advantage on race day is huge. You’ll be used to strapping on your shoes and heading out for a run after a tough ride, no matter how tired you feel. You can also combine other workouts, like swim + run or swim + bike, to further enhance your training efficiency and boost race specificity, all while saving time.

Tool #8: Simplicity

A Simple (But Not Easy) Weekly Schedule

We believe in keeping things simple so you can stay consistent. Your “basic week” of training remains fairly constant—typically with shorter, faster intervals early in the week, a midweek brick, and longer workouts on the weekend. The key is that the emphasis shifts as you progress, really pushing challenging workouts early on then emphasizing the longer ones as we get close to the race (see the 666 Build Method above).

Your weekly plan might be simple, but it’s far from easy. Life is already complicated enough, so we keep your training schedule straightforward yet effective, ensuring you get the most out of every session without unnecessary complexity.

Tool #9 Your Pain Cave.

Set yourself up for no excuses

• Creating the right indoor training setup can be a game changer, eliminating barriers and keeping you consistent, no matter the circumstances.

  • Indoor Riding Setup: I’m a huge fan of using a smart trainer with Zwift (or similar software). In many ways, it’s better than riding outdoors. You can do big gear reps on virtual mountains, ride with pacer groups to keep your effort in check, or follow structured workouts. Plus, you can complete your “solid steady long rides” without interruptions from stoplights or traffic— but with hills, etc, just like on race day. Many athletes ride indoors during the week and head outside for longer weekend sessions.

  • The Dreadmill FTW: Whether it’s freezing, blistering hot, or the air quality is poor due to wildfire smoke, a treadmill ensures you have no excuses. I love my treadmill for VO2 max intervals (e.g., 40 seconds at just above 5K pace, 20 seconds rest, repeat). You can tweak the pace and incline to keep things interesting while maintaining consistent effort. My affordable Sole F80 treadmill, priced around $1700, has been a reliable workhorse.

  • The Vasa Swim Erg: Pool closures or tight schedules can mess with swim training, but the Vasa Swim Erg offers a great alternative. With a realistic “underwater” pull feel, it’s an excellent substitute for pool time. I often hop on the Swim Erg before a bike ride to squeeze in extra swim training without eating up too much time.

Tool #10 Meticulous Race Execution

Smart execution for a strong finish

If you’ve followed your busy athlete’s training plan, you’re almost as fit as someone who completed a full-volume plan, but not quite. That’s why we’ll race a bit smarter—and a bit easier. The good news? With a humble approach and meticulous race execution (focusing on pacing, nutrition, hydration, etc.), you can outperform many athletes who put in more hours of training.

While others may be burned out from an overloaded Ironman build, you’ll have the energy to fine-tune your race plan and prepare mentally. Stick to the plan, race wisely, and enjoy the satisfaction of moving up the field in the later stages of the race!

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