Sessions that help you know if you are race ready- Ironman and 70.3

Over the course of preparing for more than 5Ironman and 15-plus 70.3 events, I’ve come to rely on a core group of sessions that tell me everything I need to know about where I stand — both physically and mentally. These workouts aren’t groundbreaking in structure, but they’ve proven time and again to be high-value indicators of race-day readiness. When I nailed them, I knew I was in form. When I missed them, I knew there was more work to do.

Now, I use these same or similar sessions with my athletes to benchmark fitness and build confidence as race day approaches. Here’s a breakdown by discipline, with distinctions between Ironman and 70.3 prep.

***Swim Sessions***

Ironman: 400s

• Structure:

  • Warm-up

  • Main Set: 8×400m at goal pace off 30 seconds rest

  • Cool-down

• Purpose:

  This is all about pacing, endurance, and mental discipline. Holding consistent splits across the set mimics the steady pressure of a 3.8 km swim. It’s not flashy, but it’s brutally honest. If you’re fading halfway through this might indicate you've a little more work to do 

70.3: High-Intensity Heart Rate Set 

• Structure:

  • Warm-up

  • Main Set: 20×100m max effort off 3 minutes rest

  • Cool-down

• Purpose:

  This is a top-end speed and recovery test. The long rests allow for quality in each rep, pushing heart rate to the limit. A good gauge of both fitness and resilience—key for a fast 1.9 km swim in race conditions.

***Bike Sessions***

 Ironman: The Long Ride 

• Structure:

  • 5-hour ride, no set intervals—just honest riding with pressure through the pedals, including hills

• Purpose:

  No need for numbers here. It’s about feeling strong late into the ride, holding form, and riding smart. Group rides pulling turns add mental and physical stress—perfect simulation for the Ironman bike.

70.3: Power Under Pressure

• Structure:

  • Warm-up

  • Main Set: 6×8 minutes above FTP, 2 minutes rest

  • Cool-down

• Purpose:

  This is an excellent race simulation. Pushing over FTP while controlling effort mimics the tactical surges you’ll face on a 70.3 course. When you can complete this set strong and controlled, you’re in a good place.

***Run Sessions***

Ironman: Controlled Intensity

• Structure:

  • Warm-up

  • Main Set: 16×1,000m with 45 seconds jog recovery

    • Every second rep is 10 seconds faster than the previous

  • Cool-down

• Purpose:

  Alternating slightly above and below threshold, this session stresses the ability to control and recover without a full break—very Ironman-esque. It teaches rhythm, pace discipline, and mental sharpness late in a long set.

70.3: Threshold Repeat

• Structure:

  • Warm-up

  • Main Set: 5×8 minutes at threshold, 3 minutes jogging recovery

  • Cool-down

• Purpose:

  Sharp, race-specific, and a great measure of sustainable power. This workout is about holding the line—just like you’ll need to in the final third of a 70.3 run.

 ***Brick Sessions***

 Ironman: Simulation 

• Structure:

  • Bike: 6×30 minutes at race pace with 5 km rolling recovery

  • Run off the bike: 4×15 minutes building to race pace

• Purpose:

  This is a full-body and mental test. Pacing the bike reps well and then hitting controlled run intervals is the blueprint for Ironman success. If you can finish this workout without cracking, you’re well on your well to knowing you are in good ironman shape

70.3: Controlled Race Pace efforts

• Structure:

  • Bike: 3×20 km at race pace with 3 km rolling recovery

  • Run off the bike: 3×3 km at race pace with 500m jog recovery

• Purpose:

  This is high-quality, specific work. It tests speed off the bike and the ability to stay efficient under fatigue. An excellent final tune-up in a 70.3 build.

The Bigger Picture

All of these sessions are built on a foundation of long aerobic work—swim, bike, and run. The aerobic engine is the base; these workouts indicators but are not stand alone by any means, there is A LOT that goes into race day prep. When you’re in the depths of a race—whether it’s the final 10K of the marathon or the last 30 minutes of the bike leg—these are the sessions to mentally pull from. They’re proof of the work you’ve done. When it’s time to perform, it’s not about hope. It’s about execution. Trust the process. Trust the work. #Getinthelocker