Olympic Distance Program
Welcome to the DC Triathlon Club’s general informational page about the Olympic Distance Program (ODP).
Welcome
Welcome to the DC Triathlon Club’s general informational page about the Olympic Distance Program (ODP). The DC Tri Club is currently the third largest triathlon club in the nation with approximately 500 active members. With such a large membership and with the success of the club’s New Triathlete Program (NTP), we saw the need to create a program which would not only pick up where the NTP leaves off, but one that would also help veteran triathletes get faster at the most popular distance in the sport. This 20-week training program is conducted in a group setting, with a designated goal race. Participants can choose a different goal race, and Coach will adjust the training plan accordingly.
Registration for the 2026 program is open!
(you must be logged in as a DC Tri Club member to access registration)
Program Details
- Registration Status: Registration for the 2026 program opens on November 28, 2025 (you must be logged in as a DC Tri Club member to access registration)
- Program Kickoff Meeting: January 14, 2026 at the West End Library
- ODP WhatsApp Group: Coach Stephan will add you once your registration is complete.
Undecided or want more info? Meet the Coach and Program staff at the Q&A in January. Date and time will be published soon. (Q&A is for all advanced programs: Olympic, Half, and Full distance programs)
What is ODP all about?
Have you already completed a triathlon or maybe even have a few seasons of racing under your belt? Some people have the desire to go for the longer distance races like the Half Ironman distance or the Full Ironman distance races, but the most popular distance race is the Olympic distance level. The Olympic Distance Program is here for those people who do not want to go for the longer distances but want to get faster at the Olympic distance or use the Olympic distance training program as a stepping stone to long course racing.
The Olympic Distance Program (ODP) is designed to take an athlete with some triathlon experience and improve on their previous results with faster swim, bike, and run times. The program offers three different levels of training to accommodate all but the first time / rookie triathlete. Whether you’re at the back of the pack looking to get to the middle or you’re already there and you’re looking to make the jump to the front, one of these training plan options will work for you.
What is the ODP goal race?
The Olympic Distance Program will commence in January and conclude at the summer goal race. The clinic schedule and major training events will revolve around the target race and athletes will benefit most from the clinics and group workouts by doing the featured goal race or another race close to this time frame. The ODP goal race for 2026 is:
- Selected Goal Race: Jamestown Olympic Triathlon
- Race date: June 7, 2026
- Race distance: 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run
Training Plan Overview
The plan consists of 20 weeks of workouts designed to take an athlete with prior triathlon experience and improve their results.
Each week’s plan will incorporate specific swimming, cycling, and running workouts appropriate for that phase of the overall training plan. The program relies on heart rate zone-based training and/or power to help participants estimate or obtain their own training zones. As a participant, you can choose between three different levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Elite. After registration, just let us know know what you prefer.
After selecting your level of training, we encourage you to attend to as many of the Program Only or club training events as you desire. See calendar below. Whether you join the ODP, HIP, or IMP group, you are able to participate in all of the Advanced Program training events. We will even invite other club members to come to events, to maximize your support and motivation!
Informational Clinics Overview
We have identified several areas that we believe are essential to success at the Olympic distance. All of these topics are covered in our program-exclusive clinics held every year. Clinic topics include:
Injury Prevention & Functional Strength Training
The purpose of this clinic is to demonstrate exercises and stretches to help participants avoid injury and improve performance. We will focus on core/abdominal strength, shoulder strength and flexibility, hip flexibility, quadriceps, glutes, balance and other key areas for triathletes.
Bike Handling and Maintenance Review
While we do not anticipate anyone having significant bike fit or handling issues. We will do a brief review of strategies to avoid potential injury and unnecessary energy exertion. Additionally, we will review basic group riding etiquette and bike handling techniques as well as review basic bike maintenance.
Nutrition
One of the biggest challenges to successful racing is taking in the right amount of nutrition at the right time. While the primary means of learning what works occurs during training itself, we believe that a clinic to review the basics and provide suggestions will help everyone to accelerate their learning process.
Foam Rolling
This clinic is hands on and walks you through the key areas for recovery from the affects of training
Race Planning
In order to be prepared and organized for your goal race, this clinic will talk about the important areas that must be addressed during training and before race day to ensure optimal performance on race day.
Swim Clinic
The swim clinic will help participants work on their swim-stroke technique and drills. Participants will receive feedback from a brief swim-stroke analysis.
Run Form Clinic
Running off of the bike provides different challenges regardless of the distance. Running form and efficiency play a key role in a participant’s success.
Running off of the bike provides different challenges regardless of the distance. Running form and efficiency play a key role in a participant’s success.
Olympic Distance Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Training Plan
Is the training plan personalized to each participant?
No, the training plan is not customized to each individual athlete other than orienting it towards your personal goal race and training capabilities. Our goal is to provide a training program for members trying to get faster at the Olympic distance level while doing so at an affordable cost. Personalized coaching can cost anywhere from $150-$500 per month. The DC Tri Club programs attempts to bring an economical option to athletes who want a formal plan and the camaraderie of group training by making concessions for the personalized attention a private coach offers.
Our training plans accommodate athletes of various backgrounds who have the common desire to gain more experience and / or get faster.
What are the training plan options?
See three levels listed above.
How will the training plan be delivered?
The training plans will be delivered via the TrainingPeaks.com website. All participants will be given a 6-month premium athlete account with TrainingPeaks. The club has arranged a significant discount on the accounts so that every participant has full access to all the tools within the website and is able to move workouts around, if desired, and upload their workouts to review and to use the site’s analysis tools to really delve into their workouts to look at how their training is proceeding.
Through the TrainingPeaks website, your training plan will be entered into the system and adjusted so that the start date is appropriate for your goal race. However, there will be no further customization or tailoring to the plan. The plan will consist of 20 weeks of workouts designed to take an athlete and improve their race performance. Participants must have previous triathlon experience (minimum of one sprint distance triathlon) to participate in this program.
Important: After you have registered, you will receive a Welcome Email with all details about the program including, how to register for Training Peaks and how to choose your training plan option. If you are signing up for a race different from the featured race, your training plan will not start until 20 weeks out from your chosen race date. Thus, you will not receive a training schedule until your are within this 20 week period. In addition, please allow us several days from DC Tri Club registration and completion of this email for us to process this information and get your appropriate training plan loaded.
Base Level
Where should I be, training-wise, upon starting the Olympic Distance Program?
The Olympic Distance Program is NOT a couch-to-race training plan. Therefore, we recommend that you have baseline level of fitness going into the program. Recommended base level before program begins:
Minimum/average distances per workout:
Swim: 600-1500 meters (beginner to advanced respectively)
Bike: 60 minutes / approximately 15 miles
Run: 30-40 minutes (beginner to advanced respectively) / approximately 5 miles
Maximum time/distances per week:
Swim: approximately 3000 meters
Bike: 2.5 hours (approximately 40 miles)
Run: 90 minutes (appoximately 9 miles)
I can’t decide between ODP and the New Triathlete Program, can you help me decide?
This is the most popular question that we receive. The NTP and ODP programs are very different. NTP is designed to take you from couch and zero knowledge to Sprint or Olympic race. The NTP group is about double the size of the full Advanced program participants (ODP, HIP, and IMP). The NTP program is designed to give participants every bit of support possible to help them achieve their first triathlon. Your coach and co-leads will help you choose the most minimal gear as necessary and truly just help you finish, which really is: shoes, bike (which you can borrow) and helmet.
ODP is quite different: we put you in a cohort with the Half-Ironman and Ironman program participants who have a wide variety of experiences. The group as a whole will have a ton of knowledge to share, along with provide a bit of FOMO and generally encourage your knowledge of some of the newest cool gear. You will be exposed to a lot. Your training program is delivered via Training Peaks, fully automated and editable. We encourage you to maximize your club membership by participating in as many club training events as possible. You will be invited to attend the programs training camp with participants of all the Advanced programs. We assume that you have done a triathlon, but if you haven’t, it is okay, though fast paced.
ODP and NTP have the same race goal, just two different paths to get there. Both are amazing opportunities, you can’t go wrong.
Group Interaction
Will there be group workouts associated with this program?
Yes, group workouts are held on a regular basis. These will coincide with regularly scheduled DC Tri Club group workouts however program participants will generally form up and ride or run together following the workouts prescribed in their respective training plans. This is a great way to find training partners and meet other club members.
What kind of interaction will I have with the coach, Co-Leaders, and fellow participants?
Olympic Distance Program website: Participants will have access to 1) the ODP participants only web page and 2) the ODP participant WhatsApp group. These are dedicated, restricted parts of the DC Triathlon Club website to facilitate communication between the coach, coordinators and the participants. The webpage will contain the program calendar and any handouts and resources including those from clinics. The WhatsApp group will enable participants to connect with fellow ODP participants to schedule workouts as well as ask questions of the coach and coleaders.
Registration
What is the cost of the program?
The program cost is $350 per participant from November 28 to December 7, 2025. The cost will increase to $400 December 8-31, 2025 and $425 January 1, 2026 until program closing. Participants must be active members of the DC Triathlon Club. Race registration fees are NOT included in the cost of this program. Please make sure that if you sign up for this program, you are at least 20 weeks out from your chosen race. This will give you the benefit of the full program as well as involvement in all of the informational clinics. (Race registration fees are NOT included in the cost of this program.) There is a no refund policy for this training program.
What is the class size?
There were 25 participants in the 2025 ODP group. For the major events, we will join all Advanced Programs together: ODP, HIP, IMP as a cohort to maximize training opportunities and strengthen the community.
Please tell me about the coach!
We would like to introduce you to your coach: Stephan Weyers. Stephan is the Co-Founder of Wingman Multisport. A Sports Lawyer by trade, his multisport journey took him from Ironman “bucket list” wanna-be-athlete to multiple Ironman finishes to coach. Leading by example through his dedication to training and continuous improvement, Stephan has built a core of athletes who have consistently been able to beat their personal best times at events. Cheerleader at heart, but firm in approach Stephan masterfully combines a data-driven approach with the wisdom and insights of his own personal journey to help you tap into your fullest potential.
Stephan is an Ironman Certified Coach, the gold standard of Ironman coaching and also holds accreditations from USAT, TrainingPeaks and Primal Endurance. Fully embracing the motto that “Genetics loads the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger” Stephan’s coaching secret is a powerful combination of intellectual know-how and unshakeable commitment to seeing you at the finish line. As the coach of DC Triathlon Club’s Olympic Distance Program, Stephan looks forward to sharing his knowledge and inspiring others in the DC Triathlon Club.
If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected].