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 to shine! The winter weeks of the Base and Build phases are over, and the Peak phase, the crucial part of your half-distance preparation, is upon us. There are 8 weeks left until the big day.
If you have mostly completed the last two phases, you are now optimally prepared for the upcoming sessions. Your VO2max should have significantly increased, 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 intended race pace.
The next 12 weeks are designed for two half-distance competitions. In both events, 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 don’t know how to structure the weeks after the first 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"! 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 146 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.
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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 | 8x variable on / 1 min easy | 4x variable on / 1 min easy | 15x variable on / 0 min easy + 3 more steps
300 warm-up swim (25 meters backstroke/breaststroke/freestyle alternating) 8*50 meters (12.5 meters maximum sprint + 37.5 meters easy) with 30 seconds rest 4*100 meters GA1 (25 meters freestyle build-up + 50 meters freestyle GA1 + 25 meters
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 kept relaxed.
400 m | 4x variable on / 0 min easy | 4x variable on / 0 min easy | 100 m + 7 more steps
400m warm-up swim 4x50m freestyle with legs, rest: 20 seconds 4x50m freestyle: 10 strokes at full power, rest easy, rest: 20 seconds 100m easy 3 sets of 3x100m freestyle, intensity increases from GA1 to GA2, rest: 20 seconds 100m easy 400m
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.
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.