How to Pick & Plan Your Triathlon Races — And What You Should Focus on in the Off-Season

Planning your triathlon season isn’t just about choosing cool locations and race swag. It’s a strategic process that sets the tone for your entire year of training. Pick the right races, in the right order, and you’ll build fitness progressively, stay motivated, and avoid the common trap of doing too much, too soon.

Here’s how to structure a smart race calendar — and what you should be doing right now in the off-season to lay the foundation for your best season yet.

1. Start With Your “A” Race (Your Main Target)

Every season needs a clear north star.

Your A race should be:

• The event that excites you the most

• Realistic for your fitness and experience

• Timed far enough away to allow proper build-up

This could be an Ironman, a 70.3, or even an Olympic distance you’re targeting for a big breakthrough.

Bonus tip: Only choose one or two A races per year. Anything more dilutes your focus and recovery.

2. Add B Races for Fitness & Experience

Once your A race is set, place B races 4–10 weeks out.

These are:

• Opportunities to test nutrition

• Practice transitions

• Simulate race-day pacing

• Sharpen fitness without needing a full taper

Choose distances similar to (or slightly shorter than) your A race.

3. Sprinkle in C Races for Fun & Training

C races are low-pressure events you treat as high-quality training sessions.

These help you:

• Stay motivated

• Add variety

• Work on race execution skills

Local 5Ks, open-water swims, bike time trials — perfect C-race material.

4. Consider Your Life Calendar (Super Important)

The best race plan is useless if it doesn’t match real life.

Think about:

• Family commitments

• Work travel

• Vacation

• Climate (avoid hot races if you hate heat, unless you’ll train for it)

• Budget

Your race calendar should support your lifestyle, not stress it.

5. Build the Season With Progression

A smart race season moves from short → long, or easier → harder.

Examples:

• Sprint → Olympic → 70.3

• 70.3 → 70.3 → Ironman

• Local tune-up → regional race → major championship

Your training adapts best when the race schedule flows logically.

What You Should Be Doing RIGHT NOW (Off-Season Focus)

The off-season is the most misunderstood — and most wasted — time of the year.

This is where your next level is built.

Here’s what the focus should be:

1. Improve Mechanical Efficiency

This is your chance to FIX the things you can’t fix during heavy training:

• Swim technique & body position

• Run form & biomechanics

• Bike pedal stroke & mobility limitations

A small change in efficiency now = massive gains when intensity returns.

2. Strength & Mobility First

Off-season is not about volume.

It’s about building the engine — the durable, strong version of you that can handle big training blocks later.

Key work now:

• Functional strength

• Stability & core

• Mobility (hips, thoracic spine, ankles)

• Glute activation

• Single-leg strength

This is where injuries are prevented… months before they start.

3. Aerobic & Technique-Based Training (Not Big Volume Yet)

You don’t need long rides or monster runs now.

Instead:

• Easy aerobic sessions

• Technique swimming

• Shorter, high-quality runs

• Cadence work on the bike

This keeps you fit without fatigue creep.

4. Reset Mentally & Physically

A good off-season includes:

• More sleep

• Less structure (but not zero structure)

• Fun activities outside triathlon

• Lower training stress

Let your body supercompensate. You should feel excited to train again — not burned out.

5. Work With a Coach to Set the Roadmap

This is where expert guidance matters most.

A coach helps you:

• Evaluate last season

• Identify your biggest opportunities

• Map race choices around your life

• Build an off-season plan that sets up your whole year

• Avoid training mistakes that creep in when motivation is low

Off-season is when athletes need the most direction, because decisions made now determine how everything else unfolds.

Final Thoughts

Great seasons don’t happen by accident. They happen because athletes choose races with intention and use the off-season to build the strength, mechanics, and foundations they can’t work on once the big-volume training starts.

Get your plan right now — and by the time race season arrives, you won’t just be ready…

you’ll be ahead.

If you want help choosing your races or structuring your off-season roadmap, that’s exactly what I do with my athletes — and it makes all the difference.