Olympic & Sprint Distance Peak Plan (Nils Goerke) 12 Weeks - 2 Competitions 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 phases are over, and the Peak phase, the crucial phase of your triathlon preparation, is upon us. There are now 10 weeks left until the big day.
If you have largely completed the last two phases, 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 completed at the desired race pace.
The next 12 weeks are designed for two Olympic distances. In both competitions, you will be able to deliver top performance. We have deliberately 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 races. We aim to give you enough rest after the race so that you can use the competition as a stimulus for your form and possibly even achieve a performance increase. 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. Then, the next races often go better than the first, as the processes work more smoothly.
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 135 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 10
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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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) 8x 50 meters/yards (12.5 meters/yards maximum sprint, 37.5 meters/yards relaxed), with 30 seconds rest 4x 100 meters/yards at GA1 pace (25 meters
40 min @ 75% | 4x 0 min on / 1 min easy
The goal is to optimize fat metabolism and perfect running technique in a fatigued state with the strides at the end.
15 min @ 75% | 4x 1 min on / 1 min easy | 4x 1 min on / 2 min easy | 1x 1 min on / 2 min easy + 1 more step
The goal of this session is to optimally prepare you for race day this weekend. The 200m should be run significantly faster than race pace, but not at full throttle.
400 m | 4x variable on / 0 min easy | 4x variable on / 0 min easy | 100 m + 4 more steps
400 meters/yards warm-up swim 4x50 meters/yards freestyle kick with a 20 seconds pause 4x50 meters/yards freestyle: 10 strokes at full effort, rest relaxed with a 20 seconds pause 100 meters/yards easy swimming 3 sets of 3x100 meters/yards
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 OD 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 create a little tension in your muscles again.
200 m | 4x variable on / variable easy | 100 m
Briefly check the course of the swim training - if you are not yet at the competition venue, choose the outdoor pool with a wetsuit (if swimming with one) or a local lake.
1 min @ ?% | 1 min @ ?% | 1 min @ ?%
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.
1 min @ ?% | 5x variable on / 2 min easy | 2x variable on / variable easy | 5x variable on / 2 min easy + 2 more steps
1. Warm-up swim: 10' easy freestyle, then 5x 1.5' breaststroke arms with butterfly legs.
70 min @ 90%
This workout comes directly from the training plan.
10000 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.