IRONMAN Coach & 70.3 Coaching UK

First-timers: you have entered your first full or half IRONMAN and want to reach the start line fit, healthy and confident, with a plan for every hour of race day.

PB chasers: you have done the distance and know there is more in you. We find where the time is (pacing, fuelling, swim efficiency or bike strength) and build your training around it.

World Championship qualifiers: you are targeting a slot at the IRONMAN World Championship or the 70.3 World Championship. That means more specificity, closer monitoring and a race calendar planned around qualifying.

Every plan is built backwards from race day. A typical build moves through four phases:

1. Base: aerobic volume, technique and strength work in the gym, laying the foundation for the harder training to come.
2. Build: longer key sessions, race-pace efforts and back-to-back weekends, with volume increasing steadily.
3. Race-specific: race-simulation sessions, practising your fuelling and pacing strategy, and rehearsing your kit.
4. Taper: less volume while keeping the intensity sharp, so you arrive fresh.

Training around work and family. Most of our athletes have full-time jobs and families, so the plan fits around your week, not the other way round. Key sessions are planned around your commitments. When life gets in the way (a work trip, a sick child, a bad night's sleep), we adjust the plan through Training Peaks rather than letting weeks slip. Unlimited contact and scheduled calls mean it always reflects where you are right now.

Every IRONMAN course asks something different, and your training should reflect the one you have entered:

IRONMAN Wales: a hilly, relentless bike course, a sea swim and a lumpy run through Tenby. Hill strength and pacing discipline matter.

IRONMAN Lanzarote: heat, wind and serious climbing. We build in heat preparation and train you to ride steadily into a headwind.

IRONMAN Barcelona: a flat, fast course that rewards holding a strong, steady effort on the bike and a well-rehearsed nutrition plan.

UK 70.3s and European races: from Copenhagen to Tallinn, every race gets a detailed race plan covering pacing, fuelling, transitions and contingencies.

OE has had IRONMAN World Championship qualifiers for Kona every year since 2019, and OE men and women qualify for the 70.3 World Championship in solid numbers every year. Coach Ross races too, finishing 2nd overall at T100 London.

"Ross has coached me for over 5 years to run my fastest 10k, half, marathon (2:58), 70.3 and full distance (10hrs 28mins)."
Amy, Long Distance Triathlete

"In 2021 I worked with Optimal Endurance to complete a full distance IRONMAN in Tallin... I had a clear plan on race day and I finished in 10hr 53mins!!"
Katie, Runner & Triathlete

"This year I took on my first full distance IRONMAN in Copenhagen. The planning of training around my work/life and adjustments meant I was able to stand on the start line fit and healthy..."
Francisc, Long Distance Triathlete

"The big goal for 2024 was performing in Hawaii for the IRONMAN World Champs. The experience and attention to detail on the specifics of the race were amazing!!"
Russell, Long Distance Triathlete

Read more athlete testimonials

1-2-1 IRONMAN and 70.3 coaching with OE costs £125–175 a month, depending on your coach and the level of support. Every athlete starts with a free consultation. If you are not ready for 1-2-1 coaching, the OE Club costs £25 a month and includes structured sessions and our athlete community.

As a guide, allow 9–12 months for a first full IRONMAN if you already have some swim, bike and run fitness, and 4–6 months for a 70.3. If you are starting from scratch, give yourself longer. We will set a realistic timeline in your free consultation.

Yes, and most of our athletes do. Training peaks at around 10–15 hours a week for a full IRONMAN, with a lot less in the early phases. The key is putting quality where it counts and adapting when life changes, which is exactly what 1-2-1 coaching is for.

Coaching is delivered online through Training Peaks, so you can be anywhere in the UK or beyond. In-person key sessions, gait analysis and bike position checks are available with Coach Ross in Harpenden & Hertfordshire and London.