Winter Training Program - Early Prep for 2025 Escape from Alcatraz - 8 weeks

Are you entered in the 2025 Escape from Alcatraz triathlon?
Race day in June will be here before you know it! This plan will help you bridge the gap in time from the winter to the official start of the Hypercat Racing training program to prepare for the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon. The plan features a balanced approach is building your fitness in swim, bike and run. 

This plan works best immediately preceding the 16-week Alcatraz training plan. In this case, the 8-week plan should start by December 16, 2024.
This plan can also immediately precede the 12-week Alcatraz training plan. For this scenario, the 8-week plan should start by January 13, 2025.

This 8-week training plan is to help you gradually and sensibly get into a swim/bike/run groove
with a modest training regimen that will have you ready to start "official" Alcatraz training in February or March.

The overriding purpose of this 8-week Alcatraz prep training plan is to help you be ready to start the 12- or 16-week Hypercat Racing Alcatraz training program upon completion.

This plan can also:

-help you get back into training gradually
-help you maintain fitness while scaling back to recover and rejuvenate over the winter months
-help you keep a balance in each triathlon discipline (swim/bike/run) at a lower volume to keep the body fresh
-establish habits and routines that you’ll want to carry over into the new season and coming year
-build a foundation of strength via the scheduled strength workouts

This plan has one rest day, 2 swims, 2 bikes, 2 runs and 3 strength sessions each week. 

Swims distances range from 1200 to 2500 yards
Bikes workouts durations range from 40 minutes to 90 minutes
Run workouts duration range from 40 to 75 minutes
Strength sessions range from 10 to 30 minutes based your preference on the day.

Key bike and run workouts are Zwift compatible and written according to % of threshold heart rate or for specific sessions % of FTP.