A fully comprehensive 52 week programme for those looking to take on their first aquabike event with a low level of current fitness

Prepare for your first multisport event 

A standard distance aquabike event (1500M open water swim followed by a 40KM bike) is a test of endurance that will take the firs timer somewhere around the two hour mark to complete. While the aquathlon is not a well known discipline, in many ways it is equivalent to a half marathon, with the added bonus of two sports to master.

The 1500M open water swim will be the biggest hurdle for most to train for. Right now you may struggle to string four lengths together in the pool, so the thought of jumping into cold water and swimming 1500M without being able to see the bottom and without anything to hold onto will no doubt be very intimidating. 

The 40KM bike ride will be less intimidating for many, but there is a big difference between going down the local towpath with the kids on a bank holiday weekend and constant pedalling without stopping for around 90 minutes on the road is a very different prospect. 

This isn't the kind of challenge you can just pull out of the bag on the day, You need a structured approach to prepare sufficiently and avoid embarrassment on race day.

Most athletes will choose to work with a coach or follow a training plan. Check out the pros and cons of each below.

Training Plan

Written by an experienced coach, these take the form of a series of workouts for you to follow to help you prepare for your event.

These help remove the guesswork from your training. Preventing you from going out too hard and burning out, while also reducing the risk of injury.

While some plans are simply a list of workouts, my training plans self adjust for your fitness level. They also include videos demonstrating different exercises, and come with a free training guide which helps you navigate issues such as illness, injury and schedule clashes.

Delivered via TrainingPeaks, my plans send workouts direct to your watch or cycle computer with individual targets based on your current fitness. 

No more hours trawling YouTube or creating workouts to follow in Garmin Connect. It streamlines the process and reduces the mental load.

However, there is still no accountability or feedback loop. Nobody to ask questions, or seek reassurance from when things start to go wrong. The plan may also be too easy, or hard for you. Especially if you are much stronger in one sport than the others.

Bespoke Coaching

Working with a coach on an intensive 1to1 basis is the most reliable way to improve. 

This isn't just about having someone write you a training plan around your schedule every week, it's having someone to message with your questions and to hop on a call with when the motivation takes a wobble. 

It's having an experienced eye to review videos of your form, help you pick out the best equipment for race day, choose the right events and plan your season to help you tread that tightrope between high performance and burnout. 

It's daily data analysis, comments on all your workouts, adjustments to your plan and optimisation of your diet.

The biggest downside to this is the cost. As a highly qualified and experienced coach, my bespoke coaching costs £250 a month. While I'd like to think this offers good value for money, it still puts it out of reach for many.

Additionally, some may just not want that much contact, and prefer to get on with things themselves, preferring a more hands off approach. 

MEET YOUR COACH

My name is Simon Olney, I've have spent the last ten years helping athletes achieve their goals in multisport. I have been racing myself since 2012 with over 50 triathlon finishes and a handful of wins to my name. 

I work with athletes like you. Not professional athletes, but athletes who work full time jobs, have a family and have to pay for their own kit. I worked in the film industry for ten years, so understand the challenges that come with fitting training in around a stressful, demanding job. 

My plans are written to be simple to understand yet effective. My job is to get you round your first event, not try to bamboozle you with complex language. That's not to say that my plans are basic though. They are carefully curated, tried and tested plans to help athletes achieve their goals without overwhelming them or making unreasonable demands on their time. 

I have taken my professional development very seriously. I am a British Triathlon High Performing Coach, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Certified Nutrition Coach, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Level 2 Swimming Teacher and Level 4 Personal Trainer. 

I am committed to helping everyday athletes like you achieve their dreams at the right price.

Supporting your training with nutrition

Nutrition is critical to your performance. Get it wrong, and you will fade rapidly on race day as your body runs out of fuel. Neglect good nutritional practices in training and you will struggle to adapt to your training, resulting in excessive levels of fatigue. 

While the subject of nutrition can be confusing and a bit dry, as a Certified Nutrition Coach I can help explain the concepts you need to know in easy to understand language, with supporting materials you can refer back to in future

Race Day Nutrition

Race day nutrition is an underrated area of endurance sport, that is completely new to many just dipping their toes into the world of performance. . If someone is taking on an event that last for around 60-90 minutes they might be able to get by without taking on any nutrition if they ate a hearty breakfast that leaves them with topped up glycogen levels. 

As we will likely be out there for at least two hours, we need to take on additional calories to support our effort. 

Attempting to race without additional carbohydrate is like trying to run a car without fuel or charge, it just won't go anywhere. We need to find a way to replace lost glycogen stores out there on the race course to ensure that our performance is dictated by our leg and lungs, rather than by our digestive system.

We will work together in the build up to your aver to to create a strategy for:

-What foods to fuel your training and race day with
-How many grams of carbohydrate you should be consuming per hour
-Fluid and electrolyte consumption targets for the environmental conditions
-How to reduce nausea 
-Budget friendly alternatives to sports nutrition
-How to digest food while training and racing at a high intensity
-How to carry your nutrition on race day

Day to Day Nutrition

What you eat before a session, after a session and for your meals has an enormous impact on your performance. 

What you eat before a session will often dictate the success of your workout. If you are under-fuelled you may struggle to hit your targets, or fade towards the end of your session.

If you eat too much, or the wrong foods ahead of a workout, you will feel nauseous, sluggish, and probably have to pull the plug.

After a workout you need to refuel your body.  Carbohydrate will help replenish your glycogen stores, making sure you are ready to go for your next session. Protein will help your body recover and adapt to each session. This doesn't simply mean chugging protein shakes, it's about finding the best way to increase protein levels in your day to day diet.

We also have fat intake to consider, as well as micronutrients. These are vitamins and minerals which are required to help keep our body healthy. While many people can play this fast and loose, as a triathlete you will get found out if you neglect these.

I can help you make small, but meaningful changes to your diet to ensure you're optimising triathlon performance while also ensuring you don't miss a beat in your work and personal life. 

The focus here is on performance rather than weight loss, and there is no requirement to track your food.

Let's take a look at what's included

52 Week Training Plan

You will gain immediate, full access to your 52 week training plan, ready to download into your TrainingPeaks calendar. Every month I will edit the plan to fit around your ability, job and family life to ensure it is realistic and achievable.

With one workout a day of no more than an hour in length on weekdays and hitting a maximum of 15 hours per week, this plan is written for real people with real lives. 

Never used TrainingPeaks before? Don't worry, I also include my TrainingPeaks for Triathletes mini course. It helps you setup your account, sync your devices, set your thresholds and understand the jargon.

Even if everything seems a bit overwhelming, I can talk you through it all during your first coached session.

Thirteen Coached Sessions

As part of the programme you get thirteen online 1to1 coached sessions with me, a British Triathlon High Performing Coach and IRONMAN Certified Coach. 

Each session starts with an update from you about how the last block of training has gone, You can share what went well, what didn't go so well, and what your next month looks like.

I then tweak the training plan to suit you. We can extend some sessions, shorten others, add in an extra rest day, or even some additional sessions. 

We then go through a short coached session covering the following topics

Session 1: Getting Kitted Out

There's no getting around it, aquabike requires a lot of equipment. There are dozens of pieces of kit we need, from wetsuits and chain lube to power meters and aero bars. This session is about making sure you get the kit you need to follow the programme in the right size, and at the right price point for you. 

As someone who has spent several years working in a triathlon shop, I can help you pick out the right kit, and steer you away from the white elephants that brands will try to sell you.

By the end of this session you will have a shopping list of equipment you need to purchase that will be customised for your needs and budget. 

Session 2: Stroke Analysis

Your homework between the first and second session will be to get a video of your swimming for me to analyse. I can use thousands of hours of experience coaching athletes on poolside to give you feedback on where to improve your technique.

Can't get a video of yourself swimming? I will use some stock videos of myself and others swimming to provide you with pointers on different areas of technique.

By the end of this session you will have a clear idea on what it is you need to do to improve your swim efficiency and prevent months of frustration.

Session 3: Mobility Assessment 

We all move differently. While some of us will be as limber as teenagers, years spent sitting behind a desk will have stiffened many of us up. The result? A short stride length, poor shoulder mobility and an increased risk of injury. As a L4 personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist, I want to help you move better.

If I can extend your stride length, improve stability on the bike and get you breathing bilaterally in the swim, this is the very definition of free speed.

In this session I will ask you to perform a series of mobility tests on camera so I can ascertain your mobility levels and set you appropriate exercises to improve your performance.

By the end of this session you will have a series of exercises and stretches that will improve your athleticism as well as quality of life. 

Session 4: Sports Science 

I don't expect you to blindly follow a training plan. I want you to follow the plan while understanding exactly why you're doing the sessions, and how they're making you faster. The better you understand how your body works and adapts to exercise, the greater the buy in to your training.

By the end of this session you will have a much better understanding of different energy systems, your metabolism, performance metrics, how your muscles work and an understanding of how each session makes you faster.

Session 5: Day to Day Nutrition 

The saying is that you can't outrun a bad diet. While this is generally a reference to those who are using exercise to lose weight, the same is true of those training for performance. Without the proper balance of carbohydrate, protein and fat, you will be leaving performance on the table.

In addition to this we need to ensure we are getting enough micronutrients to support our body as we place it under the load of training for an endurance event. I can help you hit your vitamin and mineral targets to keep you healthy and reduce interruptions to your training from illness 

By the end of this session you will have a much clearer idea of the role that different nutrients play in performance, and be able to make more informed nutritional choices for both yourself and your family. 

Session 6: Bike Maintenance 

You need to look after your bike if you want it to perform for you on race day. Not only will your bike lose efficiency over time, you also run the risk of needing to make very expensive last minute repairs. If you're really unlucky, your bike could let you down during the race, leaving you sitting at the side of the road on your big day staring at your bike with no idea what to do. We can't afford for this to happen.

This session will help acquaint you with the workings of your bike, and help you understand how to perform basic maintenance tasks yourself. While putting your bike in for a service is great, we should be able to perform basic tasks ourselves to save money, as well as to be more self sufficient. 

By the end of this session you will learn how to prevent punctures, prolong the lifespan of expensive components, become more self sufficient and be better placed to protect your investment. 

Session 7: Sports Nutrition

Nutrition is an incredibly important aspect of race day. You wouldn't try to run a car without any fuel, so you can't expect to complete an aquabike event without any food. 

By the end of this session you will have a clear plan on what to eat during your training sessions to help you ensure that race day is a test of your legs rather than your stomach.

Session 8: Open Water Swimming

The open water doesn't care how fast you are in a pool. You could have spent half your childhood in the water, but that won't save you from potential panic attacks, prevent you weaving around without a black line to follow or help you swim round a congested turn buoy. 

Lakes are cold, dark and eerie. The sea is always changing with waves, swells and wildlife to contend with. It's my job to get you confident for your transition into open water.

By the end of the session you will know how to put on a wetsuit, how to sight, how to draft, how to prepare for the race start and how to prepare for the cold.

Session 9: Sports Psychology

As the training load increases and we get closer to the event, we're going to go through a variety of different emotions. Stress, anxiety, maybe even some real fear of what might happen on the day.

In this session I share with you how these emotions can affect your preparation, as well as how to prevent them from jeopardising your performance. 

By the end of this session you will have a better understanding of the emotions you can expect in the final weeks and on race day itself, as well as how to manage them. Please note that I am not a registered sports psychologist, and can only offer general insights. If I believe you require additional support, I will refer you to a qualified practitioner.

Session 10: Bike Setup

Getting your bike ready for race day is no easy feat. What gear ratios should we be using? Which tyres should we be using? What about the chain lube? Where will we be storing our water and nutrition? This may seem simple, but could be the difference between you making the bike cutoff or not.

By the end of this session you will know which upgrades you need to purchase (if any), where to mount your bottles to be most efficient, and how to reduce the chance of mechanical issues. Please note that I will only be advising on the functionality of the bike, and will not be able to assist with bike fit.

Session 11: Course Analysis

Every course is different. Whether it's the currents and conditions in the swim or hills and tight bends on the bike, there's a lot to consider. We cannot afford to line up with zero idea of what's ahead of us. I sit down with you and the course maps to analyse the race in detail. I will also be able to provide insights from athletes I have previously coached who have completed the course and add my own personal experience as an athlete where possible.

By the end of this session you will have a clear understanding of the layout of the course, the location of the feed stations and the most challenging hills.

Session 12: Race Planning

By this point, we will be getting very close to the start of your event. It's time to get clinical with our race planning. We want to have a very clear idea of everything on race day so there's no surprises, and we won't be making it up as we go along.

By the end of this session you will know what time to get to the race venue, what needs to go in  your transition area, where to start, what pace targets to aim for, what to eat and how to manage setbacks on the day.

Session 13: Race Briefing

The final coaching session is normally scheduled for the day before your race. This is your last chance to ask me questions, share updates, make any last minute adjustments to the plan, and seek reassurances. 

After this session you will feel fired up and confident in your ability to complete your goal. This is the culmination of a year of hard work and collaboration. 

Triathlon Courses

Aquabike is a complex sport with many different considerations to make. In some circles, it's just assumed that you will know about things such as swimming etiquette or gear ratios.

Between swimming, cycling, strength, nutrition and all of the equipment required to complete an aquabike, it's very easy to feel overwhelmed. 

When you purchase my programme, you get instant access to all of the following triathlon courses:

Triathlon Swimming Masterclass: RRP £50

Introduction to Strength and Conditioning: RRP £50

Race Day Nutrition: RRP £25

Fat Loss For Triathletes: RRP £30

Aquabike Race Day Success: RRP £10

Hill Climbing Masterclass: RRP £10

Clipless Confidence: RRP £5

That's £180 in free content to help you build towards your aquabike available immediately on my exclusive app so you can learn on the go.

Free TrainingPeaks Premium Subscription

My plans are delivered via TrainingPeaks as it is the best software on the market.

However, the best features are behind a paywall. The ability to see in depth data and move workouts around on your calendar are, unfortunately, premium features.

So I cover the cost for you.

TrainingPeaks Premium costs USD $19.95 per month. As a coach I can get this for a lower price, and cover the price of your premium subscription for the duration of the programme. 

Not only do you gain full control over your calendar and data, you also get access to TrainingPeaks virtual. This software talks to your indoor trainer to provide engaging visuals, simulate riding on varied terrain, participate in races, group rides, time trials and more. 

Please note that you will receive an email after purchasing with instructions on how to redeem your subscription. 

The value of working with a human coach

In the age of AI, some will gravitate towards asking a chatbot for advice. Here's what I can offer that AI can't. 

Telling you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear

AI psychosis is a very real issue. Most chatbots are sycophantic and will tell you what to hear, so you use them more.

As a coach I am 100% in your corner, but I'm also here to give you some hard truths when you need to hear them.

I'm definitely not an old school coach who will berate you for missing a single session, but I will make sure you stay on track to complete your goal. 

Real, lived experience as an athlete and coach

Unlike AI, I've trained for and completed endurance events. I've thrashed up and down the local leisure centre pool gasping for breath. I know how it feels when things start to get though, and I understand just how isolating it can be on the bike course.

I've also coached hundreds of athletes over the years. I have the gut instinct and experience to help steer you in the right direction when things don't go to plan or you need extra support ahead of your event. 

A calm, human voice to lift you up

Aquabike  is probably one of the toughest sports on the planet. Not many people will argue with that. That initial motivation you felt when you signed up will start to fade when the alarm goes off at 5AM for the third time in a week.

There will also be time lost to illness, you'll experience self doubt, have days where every thing feels hard, and think about quitting at least once.

At times like these, there's no replacement for a human calmly lifting you up and helping you get your training back on track. 

Let's talk pricing

I didn't start coaching purely to make as much money as possible. If I did, I would be cold messaging executives on LinkedIn all day rather than building programmes like this.

I want to offer good quality coaching at a fair price.

The value of the training plan, courses and TrainingPeaks Premium subscription comes to over £500 on their own. 

The thirteen coached sessions are with myself are valued at £975. 

The cost of this programme is £800 (or regional equivalent). That's nearly 50% off, and only £15 a week to be guided to your first aquabike finish by a qualified coach. 

In some cases, that could be less than you paid for your event entry. And a fraction of what you'll be spending on your bike, wetsuit, running shoes, pool fees, bike service, travel, accommodation and merchandise. 

It's not just about finances though. It's about the time you will save. No more hours spent trawling through YouTube, double guessing your training or doing unnecessary sessions. My programme helps you protect your time, so you can prioritise your family and social life. 

While it would be incredibly foolish of me to make any guarantees about results, your chances of finishing with a time you're proud of will skyrocket when you choose to work with me. 

Don't just take my word for it

Check out some testimonials from previous athletes