Training Plans for Full Triathlon Races

I completed my second 140.6 on the weekend (both Ironman Texas). Here are some numbers:

• 2011 at age 62: 15:13
• 2019 at age 70: 14:05 (3rd in 70-74 age group).

The difference? David Glover! Great plan and support. I am swimming, cycling and running better than I have in years. 😀

Thanks David. I am very grateful.

Beyond thankful to YOU for your Ironman COZUMEL Training plan. I followed it to a “T.” Well, maybe I swam a little bit more, haha, cuz I’m a mermaid! I have not done a triathlon in six years and this is my first ever Ironman!!!!!!!!! The fact that I got to this Ironman healthy, uninjured, being the most fit ever in my entire life at 51 years old, mentally focused AND then to be able to finish healthy and strong …. most importantly accomplishing my goal of raising over $6,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association is beyond a blessing to me and my family. The performance I had and my 2nd place finish was the icing on the cake and in my mind – My Kona! Looking forward to next year training and racing! Thank you again for everything.

I have finally achieved my dream, and managed to complete IM Texas in 12 hours 21 minutes, which is well beyond my target of sub 13 hours.

Thank you for your support and guidance!

I had a blast this past weekend in CDA. I went in cold turkey (never did a tri event of any length) going into this event with your training plan as my guide. I pretty much stuck to the plan and finished with a smile.

Finished with a 13:57 and learned a huge amount about the need to figure out the hydration/fuel strategy. I was scared to death of getting behind in those areas in the run and consumed so much fluid that I stopped at most of the potty stops to unload. I kept passing people on the bike ride over and over again! The run was as high as 94 degrees so maybe the strategy worked. I walked through every drink station, but ran (at a pretty slow pace) for the entire course. I was wondering when my legs were going to say “we’ve had enough” but all of a sudden I hit the finish line. I attribute this to your great training program as well as the associated support pieces. Thanks so much.

Just a quick follow up thank you. Earlier this year, I purchased a training plan from you for the Busselton Ironman. Your plan & resources were a great help. My Busselton Ironman time was 10:55 this year – last year was 11:31 – so this was a PR. Anyway thanks again for your plan & help!

You helped me with my first IM last year in CDA. What makes your training plans unique is your timely follow up and insights you provided via email and online resources. I didn’t just get workouts; I got an experienced coach to help me through the process. What an experience and achievement I will never forget. Thank you for all the support and advice.

Just wanted to say thanks for the training plan.  I finished the Boulder Ironman in 11hrs 41min.  It was so great to just start every week knowing what was on the agenda.  I stuck to almost all the workouts and knew I was prepared when the day came.

This summer, at the age of 40, I finished my first full course Ironman, Ironman Lake Placid. This once inconceivable accomplishment was made possible by the tremendous and dedicated efforts of Coach Glover.

From 12:56 to 11:39!!! Thanks Coach! You program really works! I was just aiming for a 12:30 with a sub-12 (11:56 perhaps) stretch target but this really blew it out of the water. I’ve never done so well and yet the program isn’t as heavy or taxing to my body as my previous ones.

I bought your 24 week training program for Wisconsin. I followed it as close as schedules would permit. I guess I would say I was spot on or did a little more for 95% of the program. This was number 3 for me.  I’m simply writing this to thank you. I finished in 12:47…as a 47 year old male, I was upper mid pack and happy with the results. Best of all, I hit it with confidence and finished with gas in the tank (albeit not too much! )

When I heard the words from Mike Reilly: ‘Greg Wharton – you are an IRONMAN!!’ I was pumped up and very happy & proud!!! I want to thank you personally. I love your program and what it delivers – RESULTS. The time was never important to me but finishing in 10.26 in my first Ironman was extremely satisfying. Your training plan and its resources are first class. I recommend your plan and endorse it.

Just wanted to let you know IM Louisville was on Sunday and I am an Ironman! I could not have done it without you. Your training plan prepared me and still left me time for my full time job and my family. I owe you big time, brother.

Well, I am an Ironman! What an amazing and fulfilling experience. My family was there the whole time. Some pictures they captured I could do without! Anyway, thank you for your very workable training plans. You help build this middle age grouper into being able to complete two 70.3’s and a full 140.6 Ironman all in one year.

I just wanted to let you know that I completed Ironman Canada this last Sunday and it was fantastic! The bike hills were brutal and the temperature was 95 degrees but it still went better than I imagined!  Your plan worked to perfection and I wanted to thank you very very much! During training I was never injured or had any major issues and I believe your plan had a lot to do with that. I think I will be taking some time off from training but I’m sure at some point I will pick it back up again.

So again, thank you for providing a super solid training plan that helped me live out my long time dream.

Just finished the Ironman Florida today. I did a little better than plan on the swim at 1:18 and nailed the ride at 20.6mph. Started the run at 8:15 min miles and felt terrific. I ended up in 11th place in my age group.

For my first ever full distance triathlon and second triathlon ever (1st was a 70.3), I am elated! Your training plan was, in a word, spectacular. As you know, I was a little skeptical of the z2 training but learned how great your training plan is. I was ready and physically capable to hit my goals.

Thank you so very much for your help and plan. I really couldn’t have done it without you and your team. A thrill of a lifetime to hear “Your are an Ironman!!!

My year began with Oceanside 70.3 as an “A” race where I PR’ed by 15 minutes and then ended at IRONMAN Arizona where I PR’ed by 47 minutes! I attribute my continued success to arriving fresh and ready to race as a direct result of the ENDURANCEWORKS training plans for each event. I feel like the plans kept me right where I needed to be and provided an excellent platform for a great race day showing.

I wanted to thank you for your plan and your advice how to adjust my training due to the injury. I finished the IM Maryland last weekend and improved my time by over an hour from last year.

I purchased your training plan for Ironman Santa Rosa and had a fantastic race – this was my third Ironman and was definitely the most prepared for this race because of your plan. While I utilized training plans for the previous two, I really appreciated that your plan was much more focused and actually less training than I had previously done. I have a very busy career and previous plans were quite frankly just not achievable with the amount of load during the week. That tended to lead towards quicker burnout and also just being in a habit of having to miss workouts which was a negative mental aspect. I was able to probably land closer to 90-95% of the workouts this time (mostly missing due to travel) and had a PR by nearly 40 minutes (I think it could have even been a greater PR if the bike course wouldn’t have had such poor road conditions). For me, having key targeted workouts during the week makes the most sense and then on the weekends I can devote the time needed to getting the long distance workouts in.

Just finished IM Florida. Thanks for an awesome plan. I couldn’t have done it without your help and plan. Worth every penny!!!

After a year of IM structured training “coaching” for my first IM in 2015, I decided to use the lessons learned and resources available to me locally to help guide me through the early part of the 2016 triathlon season. I realized that having a dedicated triathlon coach was not financially viable to me given my other goals and aspirations outside of triathlon. As my key races approached in the fall/winter of 2016 with both a 70.3 and a 140.6, I realized that I needed a bit more guidance and structure if I wanted to achieve my goals of racing a strong 70.3 Augusta followed by a sub 10 hour 140.6 at IM Florida.

In early August, I began using a generic “free” training plan available online which didn’t provide any structure in the form of base, build, peak, taper and the race phases of periodization. I shared my plan with a close friend who had just qualified for Kona (CDA) who encouraged me (at a minimum) to look into a plan from Training Peaks which turned out to be some of the best advice received to date. I came across Endurance Works (David Glover’s) 10 weeks to IMFL advanced training plan which was perfect for me. It provided the guidance, structure and insight that I needed at a very reasonable price point while also providing flexibility in the form of accommodating a 70.3 race during the 10 weeks of IM training. More importantly, on numerous occasions, David was available to chat and/or email me about questions I had regarding his training program, my expectations and race strategy without ever asking for additional funds, etc. David’s plan was critical in helping me make podium at both races to include obtaining my goal of going sub 10 hours at IM Florida with a time of 9:43. I would highly recommend David’s training program and/or coaching services to athletes of all levels from introductory to advanced.

Just wanted to send a short note to say, “Thanks.”  Just completed my first full Ironman and couldn’t have done it without your IM plans.  I purchased your 14-week IM 70.3 plan and then the 10-week IM 140.6 plan. This year I was able to complete three 70.3 races and a 140.6. Looking forward to next year. Thanks again.

Using your Masters training plan, this past weekend I completed my first Ironman at Vineman. 6 months of focused training all for this. Estimating a finish time of 12-13 hours, I was extremely happy with my outcome. Total time: 11:51:37. Thank you for all your help!

Hi David: Just thought I’d follow up with you on IMMT. I had a successful race at Mont-Tremblant and came in at 12:26. As 12:30 was my goal, I was happy to beat it by 4 minutes. I thought your plan was very helpful and thank you. Have my eye on IM Nice…now that I have some confidence on a hilly bike.

I used your training plan for Ironman CdA this year and had a great result. It was my first full Ironman and I finished 11:47!!! So first let me say thank you! The way you lay out your plan really made sense and worked well for me.

Wow, really hard, long race. I guess they don’t call it an iron distance for nothing. So…. overall and in hindsight… I felt well prepared for my first full Ironman. I have never swum, biked or run those distances before (aside from running a marathon in ’98). I was steady during the swim, my legs were good on the bike and most surprisingly, my legs were good on the run. Thank you so much for helping me to achieve this goal!!!