Recently retired 2013 Ironman World Champion Frederik Van Lierde shared with Train Smooth his Ironman training program.
“I’ll give you the example of five weeks out of Lanzarote Ironman that I was able to win last year. This week was executed at home in Belgium where I live. Just mention that I raced 70.3 Campeche on 17th of March. The week in attachment is the one starting on Monday 22nd of April. Ironman Lanzarote was on 25th of May 2019.
You’ll know that every lead up is different, but this was a successful one.
And thanks to my coach Luc Van Lierde to put this together of course.”
| Swimming | Cycling | Running | Notes | |
| Monday | 6km | 16km | R=L1A+ S=1 | |
| Tuesday | 4km | 80km | B=VO2max 7.5km L2+5km L3 met 2.5km A1+ S+L1 | |
| Wednesday | 60km | 12km | B=A1 + R =1a | |
| Thursday | 3km | 120km | B=L1a/L1b Hills + S=pull:30x100m R:10” Long slag-ext long slag | |
| Friday | 4km | 24km | R: L1a + S = intervals | |
| Saturday | 80km | 10km | B= Fartlek + R=A1 | |
| Sunday | 200km | B = L1a (flat) | ||
| Total Week | 17km | 540km | 62km | Volume |
Freddie’s Tests, paces, power, heart rate
| Sport/Pace | Regeneration | Ext-Long | Int-Long | Tempo-Long | Farlek | Ext-Int | Int-Int |
| Run | A1 | L1a | L1a | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
| 4:31 | 4:06 | 3:49 | 3:36 | 3:25 | 3:14 | 3:07 | |
| Bike | A1 | L1a | L1b | L2 | L3 | L4 | L5 |
| Bike HR | 91 | 92-119 | 120-133 | 140 | 149 | 156 | 162 |
| Bike Watts | 200 | 201-261 | 262-292 | 307 | 332 | 336 | 378 |
| Swimming | Long Slag | La1 | ext | La2 | La3 | La4 | La5 |
| 100m | +4” | 1:12” | 1:10’ | 1:08” | 1:06” | 1:04” | 1:02” |
| 200m | +8” | 2:29” | 2:25” | 2:21” | 2:17” | 2:13” | 2:10” |
| 400m | +16” | 5:02” | 4:52” | 4:43 | 4:38” | 4:33” | 4:28” |
| Account swim | +4” | 1:28” | 1:16” | 1:14” | 1:12” | 1:10” | 1:08” |
What were the key test sessions you would do in the leadup to a big race and how far out from your race would you do the tests?
I have never been a big fan of testing but I did some lactate testing with my coach at least once a year in the month of January or February. Swim, bike and run to have my training paces. And to see how I was compared to other years. The fact that you and your coach knows your system helps a lot to analyse.
My training paces from last year after analysing lactate testing (you’ll find above).
Swim test would consist of 3 x 400m build and a 100m all out
Bike test would consist of a build up: starting at 100W for 8min, next block 140W for 8min, … until you can’t go any further. Usually in my history of testing I manages to get into the 420W block 1 to 6min. Only one time I managed to get 30sec into the 460W block.
Testing was always indoor on a trainer.
Run test always on the track. Starting with 2 x 1000m solid pace, followed by 3 x 2000m build ideally Lactate 2 – 3 -4.
In the end a 600m all out.
To visit Frederik Van Lierde’s website – Click Here
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