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The complete guide to training for a triathlon in France: distances, training volumes, key sessions and pitfalls for each of the 5 formats. Plus the French triathlon community to find your training partners.
Training for a triathlon isn't just 'run + bike + swim'. It's learning to chain the 3 disciplines, manage your energy over the total duration, and adapt your prep to a specific format. A Sprint prep (~1h30 total effort) is nothing like an Ironman prep (~10-16h effort). Picking the right format is therefore the first decision before planning your training.
This guide presents the 5 official triathlon formats, what each means concretely in training load, prep duration and key sessions. And because training alone for a triathlon is long and frustrating, we also show you how to find triathlon training partners near you via TriMates — free and no membership.
Each format requires specific preparation. Pick the one that fits your current level and ambition.
| The 5 triathlon formats, explained | Distances | Weekly load | Prep duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Discovery / First triathlon | Variable depending on organisers (typically swim 200-400 m, bike 10-15 km, run 2-3 km). A learning format to discover your first multisport experience. | 3-5h/week | 8-12 weeks |
| ⚡ Sprint | 750 m swim + 20 km bike + 5 km run (~1h-1h30 effort depending on level). | 4-7h/week | 10-14 weeks |
| 🥉 Olympic | 1.5 km swim + 40 km bike + 10 km run (~2h-3h effort depending on level). The historic Olympic format. | 6-10h/week | 12-18 weeks |
| 🥈 Half Ironman (70.3) | 1.9 km swim + 90 km bike + 21.1 km run (~4h30-7h effort). Also called 70.3 (total distance in miles). | 10-14h/week | 16-24 weeks |
| 🏆 Ironman (140.6) | 3.8 km swim + 180 km bike + 42.2 km run (~9h-15h effort depending on level). The crown jewel of long-distance triathlon. | 12-18h/week (can rise to 20h in specific phase) | 24-36 weeks (often a full season, with a progressive build over 6-9 months) |
Distances : Variable depending on organisers (typically swim 200-400 m, bike 10-15 km, run 2-3 km). A learning format to discover your first multisport experience.
Weekly load : 3-5h/week
Prep duration : 8-12 weeks
Key sessions :
⚠ Pitfall to avoid : Trying to go too fast. The goal is to finish relaxed and gain confidence — not performance.
Distances : 750 m swim + 20 km bike + 5 km run (~1h-1h30 effort depending on level).
Weekly load : 4-7h/week
Prep duration : 10-14 weeks
Key sessions :
⚠ Pitfall to avoid : Underestimating the swim 'because it's short'. 750 m in open water with 100 other triathletes around is harder than 750 m alone in a pool.
See the full Sprint programmeDistances : 1.5 km swim + 40 km bike + 10 km run (~2h-3h effort depending on level). The historic Olympic format.
Weekly load : 6-10h/week
Prep duration : 12-18 weeks
Key sessions :
⚠ Pitfall to avoid : Over-training one discipline at the expense of the other two. The key to Olympic is balance between all 3.
See the full Olympic programmeDistances : 1.9 km swim + 90 km bike + 21.1 km run (~4h30-7h effort). Also called 70.3 (total distance in miles).
Weekly load : 10-14h/week
Prep duration : 16-24 weeks
Key sessions :
⚠ Pitfall to avoid : Trying to attack the run after the bike. The Half is won with patience: if you feel like you're running too easy at km 1, it's probably the right pace.
See the full Half Ironman programmeDistances : 3.8 km swim + 180 km bike + 42.2 km run (~9h-15h effort depending on level). The crown jewel of long-distance triathlon.
Weekly load : 12-18h/week (can rise to 20h in specific phase)
Prep duration : 24-36 weeks (often a full season, with a progressive build over 6-9 months)
Key sessions :
⚠ Pitfall to avoid : Underestimating nutrition. An Ironman is won as much at the table as in training. Learn to eat 60-90g carbs/hour on your long rides — it's the most neglected session.
See the full Ironman programmeApply to every format, from Sprint to Ironman.
Increase your weekly volume by 10% max per week. One recovery week (60-70% of normal volume) every 3 weeks. It's the golden rule to avoid injury.
80% of volume in easy endurance (zone 2), 20% in intensity (threshold, VO2 max). It's the method that works best for endurance sports. Many beginner triathletes do too much 'grey zone 3' (neither easy nor hard).
Once a week in prep: a brick session (bike+run back-to-back). This is what will gain or cost you 5 minutes on race day.
It's the discipline where solitude weighs most. A pool partner pulls you 5-10 seconds per 100 m without you even noticing. Find swim partners on your pool via TriMates.
You do NOT introduce new kit on race day. Wetsuit, bike, helmet, shoes, gels, nutrition: everything must have been tested on at least 2-3 long sessions.
Training volume = matching recovery need. 8h sleep minimum, 3 proper balanced meals, tracked hydration. It's more important than the 10th training session of the week.
Find a triathlon partner
The head page of the French triathlon community.
Bike-run brick training
The key triathlete session, explained in detail.
Find a swimming partner
The discipline where solitude weighs most.
The TriMates concept
How the French triathlon community works.
Pick your race and train for it
The race calendar: training partners, nearby routes and carpooling for every event
Create your free TriMates account, set your target format, and find training partners near you.