The Truth About Missing Triathlon Training Sessions
Isn't it funny how nearly every coach says don't worry, missing one day's training won't make a difference to the big picture.
But what if you miss one session a week? That's 52 potential sessions in a year. Imagine what you could achieve with those 52 sessions as a triathlete. I'm not even going to go down the road of missing 2 sessions a week 😂
Now, if you're training twice a day, 6 days a week, you've got room to miss the odd session. But if you're doing one session a day, 6 days a week? Every session matters. Every session is an opportunity to get better.
How One Athlete Went Sub-9 at IRONMAN Hamburg
Guy is an experienced age group athlete with many years of training under his belt. He's a sports doctor by day with a busy life and young family. His goal was to go sub-9 hours at IRONMAN Hamburg for the first time.
Here's what Guy's last 6 months of triathlon training looked like:
13 hrs 36 mins/week average
Bike: 52% of total training
Run: 22%
Swim: 15%
Strength: 10%
But here's what really stands out:
No track sessions
Just 2 open water swims (total)
Lots of time on the TT bike
Only one missed session in 6 months
A handful of tweaks for travel or niggles
Guy didn't have perfect training conditions. He didn't have unlimited time. He didn't do every "optimal" session in the book.
What he did have was relentless consistency.
And it's fair to say Guy absolutely smashed his race, crossing the line in 8:45 - his first sub-9 IRONMAN.
Making Consistency Work for Time-Crunched Triathletes
Guy's breakthrough didn't come from finding more hours in the day or waiting for life to get easier. It came from deciding that showing up mattered more than having the perfect session.
As a triathlon coach working with busy athletes in Birmingham and across the UK, I see this pattern repeatedly: the athletes who make consistent progress aren't the ones with unlimited time - they're the ones who protect their training sessions.
So here's what I want you to ask yourself:
Not "does it matter if I skip this session?"
But "how can I make this happen - even if I can only get some of it done?"
If you're time-crunched, get up and get it done early before life throws its inevitable curveball. Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier. Get to the pool before work. Squeeze in that turbo session while the kids are doing homework.
Why Missed Training Sessions Add Up
The sessions you complete build the athlete you become.
Guy proved that 13.5 hours a week with zero missed sessions beats 15 hours a week with "just one" skipped session here and there. Because those skipped sessions compound. They add up. They cost you momentum, fitness, and ultimately - race day performance.
You don't need more time. You need more commitment to the time you have.
Make the session happen. Your race-day self will thank you.
Coach D
Need help building training consistency around your real life? I work with time-crunched triathletes in Birmingham and across the UK who want honest coaching that addresses what's actually holding them back. Book a free consultationto discuss 1-1 coaching that fits your schedule.
Coach Damo Littlewood | Birmingham Triathlon Coach | 25 Years in Triathlon, 15 Years Coaching
Masters Triathlon Training Over 50: Why You Need to Train Harder, Not Easier
If you've hit your 50s and think it's time to slow down, think again. If you ask me it's actually the time to ramp up the intensity and push yourself harder. As the saying goes, "Use it or lose it." That couldn't be more true for us masters athletes who, more often than not, might opt for comfort over challenge.
I'm right there with you. Who doesn't prefer a coffee ride over a hard session on the turbo trainer or intervals on the running track?
Rethinking Your Approach to Masters Training
As a triathlon coach and athlete in my 50s, I think that I've gained a good insight into what we, as masters athletes, truly need. And it's ironic, that as a coach I'm spending most of my days urging my younger athletes to ease off and embrace Z2 training while reminding my older athletes to speed up and embrace those hard intervals.
I must admit I also find it extremely difficult to push myself, especially when I train alone. High intensity sessions are tough, uncomfortable, and the risk of injury is real; especially running – if you're not a bullet-proof runner that is. But shying away from these sessions could mean missing out on crucial benefits.
What Happens to Your VO2 Max as You Age
As we age (generally from 30–40 onwards), our maximal aerobic power, or VO2 max, starts its gradual decline, dropping up to 7% each decade in trained athletes. This is due to ageing effects on the cardiovascular system (i.e. reduction in maximal HR, decreased efficiency in pumping blood etc.), muscle mass loss, and increased body fat.
While this decline is inevitable with age, research indicates that engaging in consistent and systematic training can significantly slow down this process. It's definitely not about slowing down and making training easier as we age; it's about making it smarter and staying consistent.
The Three Pillars of Masters Triathlon Training
Strength as Your Foundation: Building strength and maintaining muscle mass is not only your first line of defence against injuries, maintaining lean muscle mass also helps to counteract the natural decline in VO2 max. But you need to lift heavy which means proper form is critical (if you're new to lifting, please seek out a professional).
Speed is Crucial: Incorporate quality sessions into your training; high intensity sessions to boost VO2 max and lift lactate threshold (think fartlek sessions, sprint intervals etc.) but also neuromuscular work like cadence work, big gear work or short sprints for cyclists in particular. These build not just speed but also resilience.
Don't Skimp on Endurance: While it's tempting to ditch those long rides or runs, don't do it. It's the endurance that keeps you going the distance. Stick with it.
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
Mix it up and try and schedule one hard session per discipline per week. I know it sounds like a lot but don't be intimidated by it – try the following tips to ease the process:
Train in a Group: There's unparalleled motivation in training with others which will boost your performance too. I'm super grateful for example that I have a great swim group in Birmingham which motivates me to keep pushing myself. Reserve your solo workouts for steady, endurance-focused sessions instead.
Participate in Events: Join a local 5k park run, mid-week time trials on the bike or a Zwift race to inject some competitive spirit into your training.
Schedule Sprint Triathlons: These can serve as high-intensity training milestones, sharpening your focus and training intensity.
Sample Masters Training Week
Putting it all together, a balanced training week for masters triathletes could look as follows:
Monday: Run (Endurance)
Tuesday: AM Swim (Speed), PM Strength Training
Wednesday: Bike (Speed)
Thursday: AM Swim (Endurance), PM Strength Training
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run (Speed)
Sunday: Bike (Endurance)
This schedule is a basic framework with lots of scope to add sessions if you have time.
Train Smarter as You Age
Aging is a given, but as endurance athletes we can mitigate its effects on aerobic capacity with focused and well-planned training approaches. Remember, consistency is key. It's not about how hard you train in a single session but how consistently you engage with your training over time.
Working with an experienced triathlon coach who understands masters athletes can help you balance intensity with recovery, preventing injury while maintaining performance.
Here's to pushing harder, not slowing down, and, above all, keeping it fun.
Coach (spring chicken) Damo
Training over 50 and want honest advice on what's actually holding you back? I coach masters athletes in Birmingham and across the UK who refuse to slow down. Book a free consultation to discuss training that addresses your real limiters—not age-related excuses.
Coach Damo Littlewood | Birmingham Triathlon Coach | 25 Years in Triathlon, Still Getting Faster
Why Your Triathlon Swimming Isn't Improving (And How to Fix It)
Over the years coaching triathletes, I've watched countless age group swimmers spend hours trying to improve their swim, often with little reward. As a coach with 25 years in the sport, I know the frustration of not improving firsthand. So, why do some pick it up relatively quickly and see good improvements, while others stagnate and struggle for years?
Here's my take on what's potentially holding your swimming back, and how you can break through the plateau.
1. You're Not Comfortable in Open Water
It might seem basic, but many triathletes never truly get comfortable in the water. I can't stress this enough—it's a game-changer. What I mean by that is being able to put your head under the water and feel completely at ease, without feeling like you're gasping for breath.
In my years coaching swimmers in Birmingham and across the UK, I've worked with so many who struggle with this. Think about it: every time you lift your head to breathe, your hips and legs drop, which slows you down. You need to be relaxed and calm, rotating your body to breathe instead.
There are plenty of drills that can help with rotation and breathing—like side kick, 6-1-6, and 6-3-6. But the first step to real improvement is mastering comfort in the water.
One simple but effective drill I highly recommend for this is the sink down drill. It's simple: exhale all the air from your lungs while upright in the water and let yourself sink. This drill helps you train to feel more relaxed and calm underwater. Once you're at ease, everything else becomes easier.
2. You're Overdoing Swimming Drills
This may sound contradictory, but spending hours doing drills to get the "perfect" technique can sometimes do more harm than good. I've seen swimmers get so caught up in perfecting drills that they miss the point. The truth is, unless you're doing a specific drill to work on a particular element of your technique, you're probably wasting your time. Worse, some drills can even slow you down.
For example, if you already have a slow stroke turnover, doing the catch-up drill can encourage an even slower turnover—not ideal for rough open water swims.
Drills should be purposeful. In my own swimming and coaching, I focus on using drills to target specific weaknesses, not just to fill up the session.
3. You're Stuck in Cruise Mode Training
One of the biggest mistakes I see in age group triathletes is sticking to "easy" swimming, thinking that it's all about maintaining perfect form. While good technique is crucial, there comes a point where you need to push yourself beyond comfort to make real progress. In my experience, once you can hold a pace of around 2:00 per 100 meters, you've built a solid foundation.
If you're struggling to hold that pace, you might not be fully comfortable in the water, or there's a major flaw in your technique that needs addressing. In these cases, I always recommend working with an experienced triathlon coach to figure out what's holding you back.
But if you're hitting that pace, it's time to step it up. Swimming easy will only get you so far.
4. You're Not Swimming Hard Enough
Improving your triathlon swim means swimming with intent. I always tell my athletes to swim with purpose, not just to check off the miles. The best way to do this is to swim under pressure, using a swim clock and structured send-off times.
One of my favorite sets—and one I swear by as a coach—is 20×100 at threshold effort with 10-15 seconds rest between reps. For example, if your threshold pace is around 1:45 per 100 meters, you would leave on 2:00. This way, the pressure builds because the clock waits for no one. If you're just swimming with 15 seconds rest, there's no real urgency, but when you're up against the swim clock, it keeps you honest.
Give it a try—you'll be amazed at the difference it makes to your swimming.
5. You're Not Swimming Enough Full Stop
Here's the harsh truth: if you're only swimming once or twice a week, you won't see significant improvement. Swimming is a skill that requires repetition, and without frequent sessions, you simply won't develop the muscle memory or endurance you need to get faster.
I've experienced this firsthand, both personally and with a young lad who joined our squad. I've been swimming consistently for over 20 years, and the difference between two swims a week and four is huge. In recent weeks, I've been getting by on the minimum—just two swims a week—and believe me, I've felt the difference. I went from leading the lane to hanging at the back.
By contrast, the young lad who joined our group increased his swims from 2 to 4 times a week. In just 12 weeks, his 400m time dropped from 6:10 to 5:27. Those extra swims weren't easy—one focused on strength, with lots of band work and individual medley (IM), while the other was a threshold session. But the results speak for themselves. You need to show up and put the work in, period.
Take a Step Back and Reevaluate Your Swim Training
If you're feeling stuck, it's time to reevaluate your approach. Ask yourself:
Am I comfortable in the water, or do I feel tense every time I swim?
Am I relying too heavily on drills without understanding their purpose?
Am I pushing myself hard enough, or am I staying in my comfort zone?
Am I swimming frequently enough to see progress?
It's not about doing more, but about doing things differently. Address the areas that are holding you back, and you'll start to see improvement.
The Best Time to Work on Your Swimming is Now
With race season behind us in the Northern Hemisphere, now is the perfect time to focus on your swimming. Consider adding an extra swim session each week, or set yourself a goal—like completing a Christmas swim set challenge.
This is your chance to put in the work, reset your habits, and finally start seeing the improvement you've been chasing.
See you in the pool, Coach D.
Ready to fix what's holding your swimming back? I work with triathletes in Birmingham and across the UK who are tired of plateauing. Book a free consultation to discuss 1-1 coaching that identifies your actual limiters—not generic programs.
Coach Damo Littlewood | Birmingham Triathlon Coach | 25 Years in Triathlon, 15 Years Coaching