Understanding Your Norwegian Training Triathlon Plan

by Matt Fitzgerald

Be sure to read Intensity Guidelines for Triathlon and Understanding Your TrainingPeaks Structured Workout Plan after reading this article.

The purpose of this document is to help you get the most out of your Norwegian Training run plan. The same plan can yield very different results depending on whether the athlete understands it, adheres to it, and adjusts it as needed. Nothing is guaranteed in endurance sports, but we can almost guarantee you will get great results from your Norwegian Training plan if you do these three things:

Understand the plan.

Each run in your Norwegian Training plan has both a text description and a coded structure. The text description is for you to read and remember before you start the run so you know what’s ahead of you. The coded structure is a digital version of the text description that is downloaded to your training device for step-by-step guidance during the run. Executing your runs correctly requires that you fully understand the text descriptions and the prompts you receive on your device; we’ll address this need in the next section.

Follow the plan.

It almost goes without saying that you can’t get the full benefit of your plan if you don’t follow it. We say “almost” because many athletes stray from the plan without realizing it. For example, instead of following our instructions for setting their 80/20 Endurance intensity zones, they use default zones supplied by their watch or training platform that don’t accurately represent their current fitness level. We’re not asking you to heed our instructions because we’re control freaks; we’re doing it because athletes get disappointing results when they don’t!

Adjust the plan as needed.

No training plan is ever a perfect fit for the athlete who chooses it. Although following the schedule is always plan A, there will be times when you need to switch to plan B to get what you need on a given day. For example, if the plan calls for you to do a challenging interval run on a given day but you’re feeling under the weather, going through with the workout will not give you what you need that day, whereas resting will.

On this point, always fee; free to replace a scheduled run with a nonimpact cross-training session (e.g., bicycling) of equal duration and intensity if you’re feeling too sore to run.

Anatomy of a Workout

Each workout has three basic elements: 1) duration or distance, how long the workout is; intensity, or how fast/hard the workout is; and structure, or how the workout is divided into segments of various lengths and intensities. The workout descriptions you see in the training schedules provide information about duration/distance, intensity, and structure in a condensed format.

Let's look at a couple of examples:

Critical Velocity Intervals Run

5:00 in Zone 1
5:00 in Zone 2
8 x 1:30 in Zone Y/0:30 rest
5:00 in Zone 1
5:00 in Zone 2

We chose this example because it has a fairly complex structure. Nevertheless, it's not at all difficult to decode and follow. The workout has three segments: a warm-up, an interval set, and a cool-down.

"5:00 in Zone 1, 5:00 in Zone 2" is the warm-up segment. You'll execute this part by jogging easily for 5 minutes at Zone 1 intensity and then running for 5 minutes at Zone 2 intensity.

"8 x 1:30 in Zone Y/0:30 rest)" is the interval segment. What these instructions are telling you to do is run for 90 seconds in Zone Y, which equates to 100-102% of your lactate threshold heart rate, pace, or power. After each interval, you will stop at rest passively (walking and shaking out your legs are okay) for 30 seconds

"5:00 in Zone 1, 5:00 in Zone 2" is the cooldown segment. You might be wondering why the workout ends in Zone 2 instead of Zone 1. The reason is that accelerating slightly through the cooldown feels natural for many runners after an interval set due to a phenomenon known as post-activation potentiation. Starting the cooldown in Zone 1 makes sense because you’re still recovering from your last interval. But after 5 minutes at this intensity you’ll probably want to speed up a bit, hence the closing 5-minute segment in Zone 2, which is still a low intensity and gentle enough for a cooldown.

There is an almost infinite variety of workout structures, but if you understand how to interpret and apply the example we just covered, you can do the same with any other workout.

Zone 3 + X + Y Interval Swim

4 x 100 in Zone 1/0:10 rest

8 × 50 build/0:25 rest

4 x 100 pull/0:10 rest

5 × 300 (150 in Zone 3 + 100 in Zone X + 50 in Zone Y)/0:30 rest

4 x 100 in Zone 1

Like all of our Norwegian swims workouts, this one has three parts separated by spaces in the text description: a warm-up, a main set, and a cooldown. In this particular workout, the warm-up itself has three parts. "4 x 100 in Zone 1/0:10 rest" indicates that you are to swim 100 meters/yards in Zone 1, rest for 10 seconds at the wall, and repeat three more times. "8 x 50 build/0:25 rest" indicates that you are to swim 50 meters/yards at a steadily increasing pace, starting in Zone 1 and finishing in Zone 4 (the structured workout that you will follow on your device provides this additional zone guidance), then rest for 25 seconds and repeat seven more times. "4 x 100 pull/0:20 rest" indicates that you are to swim 100 meters/yards in Zone 2 (the structured workout that you will follow on your device provides this additional zone guidance) without kicking and with a pull buoy, then rest for 20 seconds and repeat three more times.

"5 × 300 (150 in Zone 3 + 100 in Zone X + 50 in Zone Y)/0:30 rest" is the main set. It's telling you to swim 300 meters/yards with the first 150 in Zone 3, the next 100 in Zone X, and the last 50 in Zone Y, then rest for 30 seconds and repeat four more times.

"4 x 100 pull/0:10 rest" is the cooldown, which is identical to the first part of the warm-up.

Swimming in Yards or Meters

While the 80/20 swim workouts default to measuring the workout in meters, it's easy to perform them in yards with one of four options.

The easiest way is to change your pool size directly in the TrainingPeaks workout card.
Our free 80/20 Workout Library includes all the swim workouts in 50-meter, 25-meter and 25-yard options, all ready to be downloaded to your compatible device.
Our Team 80/20 Endurance subscriptions provide access to all 300+ swim workouts in both yards and meters format natively within TrainingPeaks.
In a pinch, the swim workouts can be performed in yards even if the workout calls for meters, you will just be swimming 10% less than the plan calls for. This does not impact the 80/20 ratios, and a deviation of 10% will not negatively impact the overall triathlon plan.

Please note that If your TrainingPeaks/Final Surge account settings are to imperial then the meters workout will be automatically converted to the precise yardage distance on the workout card. This is obviously not practical when it comes to pool swimming, so we recommend opening the workout card to see the intervals and total meters distance for each workout.

What Do the Codes Mean in the Workout Names?

The codes you see in workout names are for our internal use and do not contain any information you need to execute the workouts correctly. For example, the code associated with the workout described in the previous section is CVR1. This helps us find the workout quickly in our workout libraries when we’re building training plans, but the information you need to execute the workout correctly is contained in the text description and the coded structure.

Tips for Executing Different Types of Workouts

It’s easy to make mistakes in executing all types of runs, from easy runs to long runs to interval runs. Doing it once is no big deal, but if you keep making the same mistakes—and the overwhelming majority of runners do—you’ll fail to get the full benefit of your Norwegian Training plan. Here are some tips for avoiding the most common mistakes:

Low-Intensity Workouts

By “easy runs” we mean runs that target Zone 1 and Zone 2. The most common mistake in executing easy runs is doing them too fast, so they’re not really easy as far as your body is concerned. The second most common mistake is doing all of these runs at the upper limit of Zone 1 or Zone 2. The proper way to execute an easy run is to stay in Zone 1 or 2 but allow your subjective perception of effort to determine where you settle within the targeted zone, for reasons explained in this article by Matt Fitzgerald.

Endurance Rides and Runs

The most common mistake in long runs (also called endurance runs in our plans) is slowing down involuntarily toward the end. If this happens in a race it means you’ve paced yourself poorly and will finish with a slower time than you could have achieved by holding back a little more in the beginning. And if you allow this to happen routinely in training, it’s almost guaranteed to happen on race day.

To avoid this mistake, implement the “Fastest Mile Last” rule, which is described in this article by Matt Fitzgerald.

Interval Workouts

There are three common mistakes in interval runs. The first is starting each interval too fast and losing speed as the interval unfolds. The second is running the first interval too fast and losing speed across intervals. And the third mistake is slowing down in the active recoveries between intervals or extending the passive rest periods between intervals as a consequence of running the intervals too fast. This article by Matt Fitzgerald explains why these mistakes are detrimental and how to correct them.

A common thread in poor execution of all run types is device overdependence. The most successful runners are the most skillful pacers, and the most skillful pacers are those who are able to regulate their pace and effort by feel with minimal support from their device. Read this article by Matt Fitzgerald to learn more about the why and how of overcoming device overdependence.

Getting to Know Your Zones

Perhaps the trickiest part of executing the workouts that are prescribed in a training plan is running at the right intensity in each segment. You will find complete guidelines for using our seven-zone intensity scale in our Intensity Guidelines. But simply reading these guidelines alone won't enable you to fully master the skill of running in the right zones. A certain amount of experience is also required.

Don't worry: It doesn't take long to develop a feel for the various zones, so that, for example, when you start a 3-minute interval in Zone 3, you are able to settle into the right effort level even before your device confirms that you're in the correct zone. Here are some specific tips for mastering each individual zone:

Zone 1

Zone 1 is a very low intensity. Staying within it usually requires that you actively hold yourself back to a pace that's slower than your natural running pace. The common exception is when a Zone 1 recovery jog follows a tiring high-intensity effort. The important thing to understand is that it's almost impossible to go too slow when you're aiming for Zone 1, whereas it's very easy and all too common to go too fast.

Zone 2

Zone 2 is fairly broad. You might wonder, "Where exactly within this zone should I be?" As a general rule, we encourage runners to go by feel. If you feel strong, run near the top end of Zone 2. If you feel tired or sluggish, go ahead and allow yourself to run near the bottom end.

Zone X

Zone X occupies the low end of the moderate intensity range. It is sustainable for 1 to 2 hours and is associated with a perceived effort rating of 5 on a 1-10 scale. Most runners do their easy runs in Zone X, which is too hard and limits their benefits. Reserve your Zone X running for Steady State Interval Runs and other workouts that target this intensity.

Zone 3

The upper limit od Zone 3 aligns with lactate threshold intensity, which is sustainable for 45 to 60 minutes and is associated with a perceived effort rating of 6 out of 10. Runners often describe the feeling of running in Zone X as “comfortably hard”.

Zone Y

Zone Y occupies the upper end of the moderate-intensity range. It aligns with critical velocity, which is sustainable for around 30 minutes and associated with a perceived effort rating of 7 our of 10.

Zone 4

Zone 4 occupies the lower end of the high-intensity range. Its upper limit aligns with VO₂max intensity, which is sustainable for 6 to 7 minutes and associated with a perceived effort rating of 8 out of 10.

Zone 5

Zone 5 is almost always used in interval workouts, including Hill Repetitions Runs. This intensity zone ranges from the highest speed you can sustain for a few minutes all the way to a full sprint. So, how fast should you actually run your Zone 5 efforts? Tailor your pace to the specific format of the workout. The rule of thumb here is to run closer to the bottom end of Zone 5 when these efforts are longer and closer to the top end when the intervals are shorter. For example, if a workout asks you to run a bunch of 1-minute intervals in Zone 5, you'll want to control your pace so that you are able to run all of the intervals at the same speed without slowing down. But if a workout prescribes a set of 20-second intervals, you'll want to run them as relaxed sprints.

When using heart rate to measure intensity, you'll soon discover that your BMP takes 1 to 2 minutes to "catch up." As a result, you'll often not reach the heart rate target during very brief Zone 4 or 5 intervals. Pace and Power are more reliable methods to measure those high intensities. If you prefer to train by heart rate, you can mitigate this lag issue by using the 80/20 Run and Bike Zones Garmin App, which allows you to have real-time HR and your custom 80/20 pace or power zones displayed on your device at the same time.

Days with Two or More Workouts

In our Level 2 and Level 3 plans, some days have two workouts scheduled in the same day. On days with both a bike and run scheduled in the same day, the two sessions are not intended to be done as a brick workout (running immediately after the bike) unless specified otherwise. Ideally, you'll allow at least four hours for recovery between workouts, but if your schedule requires you to do them back-to-back, that's okay--just make sure you're fueling yourself properly throughout. Note that the first workout is always the harder of the two sessions and should always be done first when possible.

If you have added an 80/20 Endurance Strength Plan into your primary plan, you may see 3 workouts scheduled in a day. If so, the strength session can be moved to any other day of the week as long as there is at least one day between strength workouts (Monday and Wednesday, but not Monday and Tuesday, for example). If you must keep the strength workouts on the same day as the bike and run workouts perform the strength session last.

Still Don’t Understand? Just Ask!

We get it. There is a lot to learn as you get started with Norwegian Training. But thousands of athletes just like you have gone through this initial learning process and found a comfort level with their plan very quickly. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath — if you need support, email us directly at results@8020endurance.com.