Peak phase
Peak Phase One-Pager
Two to four weeks of quality, not volume. The dress rehearsal, on one sheet.
The rules
- Peak is not your highest volume. That already happened in build.
- Volume runs at 85–95% of your biggest build week.
- Intensity holds the same or nudges slightly higher. Specificity is the point.
- Recovery becomes deliberate: naps, nutrition, sleep, all scheduled.
What moves, and by how much
| Variable | Versus build | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 85–95% of peak build week | Trending down so quality can rise |
| Intensity | Same or slightly higher | Keeps top-end fitness engaged |
| Specificity | As close to race conditions as possible | No surprises left on race day |
| Recovery | Much more intentional | Going into taper stale costs more than it gains |
Keep / drop
Keep
- One full race-simulation brick in the block
- Short sharpening intervals
- Pacing rehearsals held by power or heart rate, not feel
- The exact kit, shoes, bottles and nutrition you will race in
- A written plan B for rough swim, flat tyre, heat
Drop
- Any attempt to build new fitness
- New gear, new gels, new drinks. The whole phase is a freeze
- Extra sessions added because you feel good
- Untimed transitions. Time both T1 and T2 on a practice course
- Ignoring a stale week. Cut a session before you add one
The session menu
- Race-simulation brick
- Open-water swim at race pace, bike at race power for 60–90% of race distance, short run off the bike. Once per block.
- Sharpening intervals
- Short and high quality, e.g. 8 × 2 minutes at VO2. Engages top end without adding fatigue.
- Pacing rehearsal
- Long session with disciplined pace control, held to goal race pace by power or HR.
- Dress rehearsal
- Full race kit, full morning routine, full nutrition plan. Rehearse the day, not just the workout.
Red flags
- Chasing last-minute fitness. You cannot build it in two weeks; you can only dig a hole.
- Treating a stale peak week as a badge rather than a warning.
- Anything new: shoes, gels, drinks, a bike fit. Defer it all until after the race.
- No written plan B. Decide now what happens if the swim is rough or a tyre goes.
Next step
Turn the rehearsal into an actual splits-and-fuelling plan you can print for race morning.
Race Day PlannerCondensed from the full Peak Phase Training Guide. mytriathloncalculator.com
Get the other phase one-pagers
Base, build, peak and taper: the printable sheets, plus the calculators as they ship.
Free Tools
Weekly Tips
No Spam
Unsubscribe anytime. We respect your privacy.