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 managed to complete the last two phases for the most part, you are now optimally prepared for the upcoming sessions. Your VO2max should have increased significantly, your training load 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 targeted race pace.
The next 12 weeks are designed for 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 because many athletes have more than one season highlight and often do not know how to structure the weeks after the first season peak. We aim to give you enough recovery 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" for sure! 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 137 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.
Deep Stretch Yoga Routine by Mady Morrison! Mady Morrison offers a variety of videos to follow along with on YouTube, which we highly recommend!
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 at the end with the strides.
300 m | 8x variable on / 1 min easy | 4x variable on / 1 min easy | 15x variable on / 0 min easy + 3 more steps
300 meters/yards warm-up (alternating 25 meters/yards backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle) 8*50 meters/yards (12.5 meters/yards sprint, 37.5 meters/yards easy) with 30 seconds rest each 4*100 meters/yards GA1 (25 meters/yards freestyle
15 min @ 75% | 4x 4 min on / 2 min easy | 10 min @ 70%
This session is designed to prepare the body for the race on the weekend: The intervals should be run slightly faster than the target race pace, and the rest should be consciously relaxed.
400 m | 4x variable on / 0 min easy | 4x variable on / 0 min easy | 100 m + 6 more steps
400 meters/yards warm-up swim 4x50 meters/yards freestyle kick, Rest: 20 seconds 4x50 meters/yards freestyle: 10 strokes intense, Rest easy, Rest: 20 seconds 100 meters/yards easy swim 3 sets of 3x100 meters/yards freestyle, increasing from
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 not overdoing it!) + 2-3 short minute intervals Perceived exertion: 5 out of 10 Effect: Today you can add a bit of tension to your muscles.
3x variable on / variable easy
Briefly check the swimming course - if you are not yet at the competition site, use a public pool with a wetsuit (if a wetsuit is worn) or 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 30 seconds at race pace or slightly faster, with 1 minute 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.
100 m | 3x variable on / 0 min easy | 1 min @ ?%
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.