Olympic triathlon : Standard format (1.5 km / 40 km / 10 km)
IntensityThe official Olympic Games format: 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, 10 km run. Typical duration: 1h45 to 2h30.
Olympic triathlon has been the international standard since 1989 (first Olympics appearance: Sydney 2000). Intensity is high throughout : near ventilatory threshold on the bike and in zone 4-5 on the 10 km run. It is the recommended stepping stone before long-distance: the technical foundations (open water swim, transitions, time-limited cycling) are the same, but the duration remains manageable. With 10-12 h/week over 16 weeks, an intermediate athlete can target a solid time.
In TriPaced:
In TriPaced, the Olympic format triggers an adapted plan: 12-16 week cycles, high-intensity key sessions, shorter long sessions compared to long-distance. Speed and power zones are the same as for ironman, but emphasis shifts to high-intensity segments.