What a Full Month of Ironman 70.3 Training Looks Like…

Have you ever wondered how people training for an Ironman find enough hours in the day to...train?!

When I decided to start a run 5km every day for 30 days challenge, I didn't think that a simple 30 day challenge would lead me to competing in my first ever Ironman 70.3.

But in the process of training for my Ironman, I discovered something surprising about the power of consistent routines.

In this post, I'll walk you through my morning, evening, and night time routines and training schedule.

These are the daily routines and schedules that helped me transition from barely being able to run 5k, to conquering a 5km Oceanman, training for a full marathon, and ultimately training for the Ironman 70.3.

All while maintaining my businesses and keeping (somewhat of) a social life.
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The Journey Begins: More Than Just Another 30 Day Run Challenge

Most people who start a 30 day fitness challenge quickly discover that consistency is the biggest hurdle.

Consistency is actually the main reason why people tend to start 30 day challenges.

Because if you improve - even by just 1% every day - within 30 days, your results will start to compound.
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But when you're training for an Ironman, consistency becomes your best friend.

The first 30 days were crucial for me in building up my daily habits and routine.

The most surprising part? It wasn't the physical demands that proved challenging - it was the mental game of time management.

When you need to fit in two hours of training every single day, you quickly learn that every minute of the day counts.

Not just the 2 hours you spend training, but what are you doing in the other 22 hours of the day?

This is where the magic of a well-structured routine comes into play.

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My Ironman Morning Routine

My day starts at 6:30am sharp, seven days a week.

While many fitness routines advocate for immediate workout sessions first thing in the morning, I've found that dedicating my mornings to my business is the most productive way to start.

The idea here is to have a productive day at work, so when I finish at about 6pm, I can train for 2 hours guilt-free!

My first non-negotiable habit, within 10 minutes of getting out of bed, is hydration. I usually drink between 500ml to 1 liter of water.

This simple practice counteracts the natural dehydration that occurs during sleep and primes my body for the day ahead.

It goes without saying because we all know this, but it's easy to forget! Proper hydration is fundamental to maintaining energy levels throughout intense training days.

I then shower, get changed, feed the cats and dog, walk the dog, then head straight to work - always aiming to leave the house within 45 minutes of getting out of bed.

Urgency is important here. If you have a slow, lazy morning, you'll probably have a slow, lazy day.

If you start your day with intention and urgency, your day is likely to continue like that.
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The 4 Hour Deep Work Session

One of the most valuable discoveries during my journey was the power of deep work in the morning.

By dedicating the first four hours of my day to focused work, I create the space needed for afternoon and evening training sessions.

This means, for me, going to a coffee shop, putting in active-noice cancelling earphones (usually my Airpods) and turning off all notifications on my phone and laptop.

I then start working on the single task that will move the needle more than anything else.

My team know that I'm practically unreachable during this time, allowing me to accomplish more in these four hours than in the entire remainder of the workday.

This approach has proven more effective than trying to squeeze in workouts between meetings or starting the day with training when energy levels might be suboptimal.

Productivity isn't just about getting a lot of things done. It's about getting the most important tasks done, on a consistent basis.

The aim is to be productive, not just 'busy'.

If I have a productive morning, then it opens up time for in the evening when I can start my 2 hours of Ironman training - guilt-free.
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The Ironman Training Strategy

As I mentioned earlier, I accidentally stumbled across training for an Ironman.

It all started off with wanting to improve my cardiovascular health - so I started a run 5km every day for 30 day challenge.
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However, Ironman training demands a more comprehensive approach. Running is just one of the three disciplines.

Because of this, my weekly training schedule is divided into four main blocks:

Running: Minimum three sessions per week, varying from 5k to 15k distances

Swimming: Three sessions weekly, including both pool and open water training (with a swim coach)

Cycling: Three sessions weekly, combining indoor and outdoor rides

Strength training: Three gym sessions weekly for conditioning and injury prevention (with a personal trainer)

It is important to me to keep my training schedule simple. To track this schedule, I use a simple widget-based system on my phone.

Each discipline needs three "ticks" per week, creating a visual accountability system that ensures balanced progress across all areas.

This approach has proven far more effective than rigid scheduling, allowing for flexibility while maintaining consistency.
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My Ironman Evening Training Routine

For me personally, I like training in the late afternoon or evening.

I've experimented training all times of the day from very early mornings (5am-7am), to even earlier mornings (12am-2am), to early afternoons (12pm-2pm).

But late afternoons and evenings work best for me. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Around 6pm, when the sun's intensity diminishes and temperatures become more manageable, I block out two to three hours for my main training sessions.

This daily training session is blocked out on my calendar so no one can book calls or meetings with me at this time. Very important!

I treat my training block like a doctor's appointment - it's in my calendar, a non-negotiable, that I prioritise over (almost) everything else.

Because, I hear this a lot,

"I don't have time to train for an Ironman"

When really, a more accurate statement would be,

"I don't prioritise training for an Ironman"

Two very different things.

Handling Disruptions: The Travel Challenge

One of the biggest tests to my own training routine comes with travel.

During a recent trip to Cam Ranh, Vietnam, for my first 5k Oceanman swim, maintaining the usual schedule proved challenging.

However, the foundation built through consistent training made it possible to adapt rather than abandon the routine entirely.

The key lies in planning ahead and being flexible with training times while maintaining the non-negotiable aspects of the schedule.

For me, I learned two things.

1. Book a hotel with a gym.

This reduces the friction of going to the gym as much as possible.

By the time you open Google and start researching "closest gym near me" or "where can I run in [city]?", it's so easy to just think, "eh, I'll do it tomorrow".

And one day can turn into two, then three, then four.

2. Book a hotel with a hotel breakfast.

This is all about having a productive morning routine when you're travelling.

As soon as you wake up, you head to the gym, you have breakfast at the hotel (no Googling trying to research the 'best' place to eat), and you start your day having already completed that day's training, and with a full belly.
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Measuring Progress

After three months of this routine, the results speak for themselves.

What started as a basic 30 day challenge has transformed into a comprehensive lifestyle change.

The improvements aren't just physical - the mental clarity and sense of accomplishment from hitting numerous personal bests have made training for an Ironman one of the most rewarding periods of my life.

More importantly, this journey has proven that you don't need to sacrifice your professional or personal life to pursue ambitious fitness goals.

With proper planning and routine optimization, it's possible to excel in multiple areas simultaneously.
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Final Thoughts: The 30 Day Challenge

Whether you're considering a simple 30 day run challenge or contemplating something as ambitious as an Ironman, the principles remain the same.

Success lies not in heroic efforts but in sustainable routines that you can maintain day after day.

Remember, the goal isn't to completely overhaul your life but to make incremental changes that compound over time.

Start with small challenges - something like running 5k every day for 30 days - and build from there.

If you are inspired to prioritise your health every day for the next 30 days, I created the Fit in 30 challenge to help.

Fit in 30 is a course and community to help you complete your 30 day challenge.

Whether it's to run 5k every day for 30 days, or walk 10,000 steps every day, or swim 10 laps, or do yoga for 30 minutes every day.

You choose the challenge, and we'll help you achieve it.

To find out more about Fit in 30, click here.

And I wish you all the look in the world with your fitness endeavours!