I've trained for three years for ONE race - This Messy Happy

Intro: This is a quick summary of I’ve trained for three years for ONE race from This Messy Happy. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key points

• The plan is built on periodisation: 3 weeks of focused work followed by 1 recovery week (a 4‑week block repeated throughout the base phase).
• Base phase (winter) emphasised steady bike and run volume with regular turbo, interval and tempo sessions.
• Transition to a build phase adds swimming and brick sessions while reshuffling the weekly schedule.
• Core philosophy: protect the swim time, let the bike and run dominate, and keep the training realistic for a full‑time life.

Workout example (sample week)

• Monday – 1 h bike (high‑intensity intervals or turbo).
• Wednesday – 1 h bike (tempo).
• Thursday – Half‑marathon run (≈13 mi / 21 km) at race‑pace effort.
• Saturday – Open‑water swim (12‑13 min) or pool swim 30 min + strength work.
• Sunday – Long bike ride 3–5 h, followed immediately by a 30–60 min easy run (brick).
• Monday & Friday (optional) – 30 min pool swim to keep the stroke fresh.
• Swim goal for race – 3.8 km (≈2.4 mi) in the sea; aim for ~10‑12 min per 1 km in training.

Practical tips

• Keep the swim volume low but consistent; a 10‑minute open‑water session each week is enough to stay comfortable.
• Move the long bike from Saturday to Sunday to give a full recovery before the brick run.
• Shift the weekend half‑marathon to Thursday so the long bike‑run brick lands on Sunday.
• Use Strava/Instagram daily to log workouts and stay accountable.

Closing note: Try this balanced bike‑run‑swim week today, tweaking the paces to match your own fitness in the Pacing app. You’ll feel more prepared for race day – and you’ll still have time for life outside training. Keep it fun, stay consistent, and enjoy the journey!

References

• I’ve trained for three years for ONE race - YouTube (YouTube Video)

Workout - Key Endurance Brick

• 15min @ 5'30''/km
• 180min @ 5'30''/km
• 30min @ 6'00''/km
• 7min @ 10'00''/km

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