For age-group triathletes, the biggest challenge isn't the swim, bike, or run — it's fitting all three into a life already full of work, family, and other commitments. Coach Des Trindall, who has been racing triathlon since 1983 and still podiuming at 57, has built his coaching philosophy around one core idea: the training plan must fit the athlete's life, not the other way around.
In a recent interview with Peekwire, Trindall shared his approach to coaching masters athletes, explaining how he uses data, prioritizes recovery, and structures seasons to keep athletes improving without burning out.
The Age-Group Difference
Trindall, who coaches exclusively through Trindall TriFit, sees a fundamental difference between coaching professionals and age-group athletes. "The biggest difference is that for an age-group athlete, triathlon has to fit around life rather than life fitting around triathlon," he says.
Most of his athletes have careers and families. They don't have unlimited time to train or recover. "Three well-structured sessions that an athlete can consistently complete may produce a better outcome than five sessions that leave them exhausted or constantly struggling to fit training into their life," Trindall explains.
Using Data Wisely
Modern triathlon coaching relies heavily on metrics like power, heart rate, and HRV (heart rate variability). Trindall uses these tools but emphasizes they are only part of the picture. "I see HRV as another piece of information rather than something that should dictate the entire training program," he says.
He looks at trends over time rather than reacting to single readings. If an athlete's HRV consistently deviates from their baseline — especially alongside poor sleep, elevated resting heart rate, or reported fatigue — that signals a need to adjust training load. "HRV, power, heart rate and training load are useful tools, but they need to be considered alongside work stress, family commitments, sleep and how the athlete actually feels," Trindall notes.
A Typical Week
There is no one-size-fits-all training week. Trindall starts by mapping out an athlete's real availability. "We look at work hours, family commitments and the time the athlete genuinely has available to train. Then we build the program around that," he says.
For a typical age-group athlete, that might mean two or three sessions per discipline each week, with some combined as brick workouts, plus strength and mobility work. "During a busy working week, a focused 30–45 minute session can be extremely productive," Trindall says. Longer endurance work goes on weekends when athletes have more time.
Structuring the Season
To avoid burnout, Trindall helps athletes identify the races that truly matter. "Once we know the key races, we work backwards and structure the season into training blocks," he explains. He generally prefers a three-week build followed by a recovery or adaptation week.
"I would rather arrive at a key race slightly undertrained and healthy than extremely fit but exhausted, injured or mentally burnt out," Trindall says. He reminds athletes that "fitness isn't built during the hard session itself; the adaptation happens when the body is given an opportunity to recover."
Strength and Mobility for Longevity
For athletes over 40, strength and mobility work is non-negotiable. "I don't see strength work as something separate from triathlon training. I see it as part of becoming a more durable athlete," Trindall says.
The goal isn't maximal lifting but maintaining strength, addressing imbalances, and improving movement quality to handle the repetitive demands of swimming, cycling, and running. "A small amount performed consistently can make a significant difference over time," he adds.
Trindall's philosophy for masters athletes rests on four pillars: strength, mobility, endurance, and recovery. "If we can keep those four elements working together, there's no reason athletes can't continue training, competing and setting meaningful goals well into their 50s, 60s and beyond," he says.
For more on balancing triathlon with a busy life, resources like TrainingPeaks' guide to periodization and Triathlete magazine's masters training advice offer additional context. Trindall's own YouTube channel provides free technique breakdowns and race strategies.
"Triathlon should ultimately add something positive to your life," Trindall says. "If training becomes another source of constant pressure, something in the program needs to change."