2.0 Half-/Middle Distance Peak Plan (Nils Goerke) 12 Weeks is a 12-week triathlon plan. This article combines the actual plan description with a example week from the stored workout entries.
What this plan is built for
Now it's time! The winter weeks of the base and build phase are over, and the peak phase, the crucial phase of your half-distance preparation, is upon us. There are 8 weeks left until the big day.
If you have been able to mostly complete the last two phases, you are now optimally prepared for the upcoming sessions. Your VO2max should have significantly increased, your lactate threshold should have slightly decreased, and you should be mentally and physically (muscularly and structurally in terms of ligaments and tendons) prepared for the upcoming long sessions. These will increasingly be performed at the desired race pace.
The next 12 weeks are designed around two half-distance competitions. In both competitions, you will be able to deliver top performance. We have intentionally included two competitions in the peak phase, as many athletes have more than one season highlight and often do not know how to structure the weeks after the first season highlight. We aim to give you enough rest after the race so that you can use the competition as a stimulus for your form. However, it is crucial that you listen to your body - in the first 10 days after the first race, "less is more"! So make sure to give yourself enough rest.
Training logic and load
In the peak phase precision matters: key sessions count, but freshness and clean execution decide the outcome. The important part is not upgrading easy days into hidden hard days. The workout data shows which sessions are structured and which ones are intentionally simple.
The plan contains 145 scheduled entries across 12 weeks. The sequence matters as much as the total hours: hard, technical, or long workouts only work when the surrounding days allow you to absorb them.
Example week: Week 8
This week is not a generic template. It is built from the actual training plan entries, and the workout charts use the stored workout data.
In "Deload" strength training, the weight is reduced again and the number of reps is increased back to 15-20 reps.
1x variable on / 0 min easy | 4x variable on / 0 min easy | 4x variable on / 0 min easy | 4x variable on / 0 min easy + 10 more steps
300 Warm-up swim in different strokes 4x50 Freestyle with pull buoy 25 technical drill/25 Freestyle P20sec 4x50 Freestyle legs with board P20sec 4x50 Freestyle 10 strokes/12.5 meters full without breathing Rest easy P20sec 150-100-50 Freest
40 min @ 75% | 4x 0 min on / 1 min easy
The goal is to optimize fat metabolism and to perfect running technique in a fatigued state with the strides at the end.
300 m | 6x variable on / 1 min easy | 1x variable on / 0 min easy | 1x variable on / 0 min easy + 10 more steps
Today's series is for race preparation. If you want to swim with a wetsuit this weekend and the pool is not too warm, feel free to swim the series in the wetsuit.
15 min @ 75% | 4x 4 min on / 2 min easy | 10 min @ 70%
This session is designed to prepare the body for the race this weekend: The intervals should be run slightly faster than the target race pace, and the rest should be consciously relaxed.
25 min @ 55% | 3x 4 min on / 4 min easy | 10 min @ 50% | 3x 1 min on / 3 min easy + 1 more step
LIT Training. Time: 1h31 with 2-3 IM70.3 loads (depending on how you feel and do not overdo it!) + 2-3 short minute intervals Perceived exertion: 5 out of 10 Effect: Today you can still build a bit of tension in your muscles.
1 min @ ?% | 4x variable on / variable easy
Quickly check the swimming course - if you are not at the competition venue yet, then do it at an outdoor pool with a wetsuit (if this will be used) or at a nearby lake.
10 min @ 70% | 3x 1 min on / 1 min easy | 5 min @ 70%
Session to prepare for the competition: Easy jog focusing on "clean technique and ease" with 3 x 30sec race pace or slightly faster, with 1 min easy in between each effort.
10 min @ 55% | 3x 3 min on / 3 min easy | 3x 1 min on / 4 min easy | 10 min @ 50%
This workout comes directly from the training plan.
1900 meters/yards m
This workout comes directly from the training plan.
2:30 h @ 85%
This workout comes directly from the training plan.
21000 m
This workout comes directly from the training plan.
How to read the workout charts
The chart is based on the workout data: longer segments take more width, higher intensities sit higher, and harder work is marked with stronger colors. For swim or distance-based segments, the graphic represents the planned sequence rather than GPS data.
Practical execution
What to watch
- Execute the key days precisely instead of making the easy sessions faster.
- Use the plan description as context: equipment, fueling, mobility, and realistic threshold values are part of the training.
- When life or fatigue adds pressure, trim secondary work first and keep the most important session stable.
Training effect
Executed well, the plan improves your ability to absorb the intended stimulus repeatedly. Depending on sport and phase, that means more aerobic stability, better pace durability, stronger technique under fatigue, or more confidence at target effort.