The Most Important Ironman Workouts Nobody Brags About

About this episode

The episode discusses essential but often overlooked workouts that build durability for Ironman racing.

Everyone focuses on the epic long ride. The monster brick. The lung-busting VO2 session. But the workouts that actually matter for Ironman are often the least glamorous. In this episode, we break down the meat-and-potatoes sessions that build durability — the kind that determines who holds it together after five, eight, or ten hours of racing. We cover: • Frequent supporting runs that build resilience and protect the marathon • Long, steady, form-focused swims that develop confidence and control at Ironman pace • Cycling sessions that distribute tempo throughout the ride to build real fatigue resistance None of these workouts are flashy or light up Strava, but they compound fitness over time. Ironman rewards consistency. It rewards durability. It rewards athletes who fall apart the least. If you can train in a way you could repeat for 20 weeks straight, you’re probably on the right path.

People in this episode

Hosts: Derek Stone, Conrad Goeringer

Topics covered

• Ironman training
• durability
• fitness consistency
• swimming
• cycling
• running

Keywords

• Ironman workouts
• durability training
• fitness
• long rides
• brick workouts
• VO2 sessions
• resilience

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• Ironman Swim Training for Working Triathletes: The 5 Things That Actually Matter · February 2, 2026 · 44 min
• If Glycogen Isn’t the Limiter, Why Do Pros Eat So Many Carbs? · January 27, 2026 · 50 min
• Why Rigid Ironman Plans Fail — and What Actually Works · January 16, 2026 · 56 min