Ironfit Secrets for Half Iron-Distance Triathlon Success: Time-Efficient Training for Triathlon's Most Popular Distance

by Don Fink, Melanie Fink

Why is the Half Iron-Distance the most popular triathlon distance? Because it is the perfect length for busy athletes with demanding career and family responsibilities. Full Iron-Distance races require such painstaking planning and sacrifice that it's difficult to keep life in balance. The Half Iron-Distance is accessible, while remaining challenging. Also known as the "70.3" for the sum of its 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run, the half-iron triathlon is not simply a race for which an athlete can use a full-iron training regimen chopped in half. Doing so would in no way approach maximizing an athlete's performance. The races are performed at completely different intensity levels, with completely different approaches. As a result, the training is completely different. "IronFit Secrets to Half Iron-Distance Triathlon Success "does for the half-iron what "Be IronFit" has done for the full-iron. It provides three sixteen-week training programs--Competitive, Intermediate, and "Just Finish"--and details everything an athlete needs to know to successfully prepare for and maximize performance at this racing distance. In as little as four months, any athlete can be physically and mentally ready for the world's most popular triathlon challenge.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

256 pages, ebook

First published December 23, 2013

Reviews

[Dirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are going for your first half triathlon and you want to do it on your own (i.e. with no personal trainer), this is a very good book with very practical training schemes !!

[Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original review 7/1/2025:
A basic primer to the sport. As I'm new to the triathlon world, this book has been perfectly adequate in lieu of an expensive coach. The intermediate training plan and hard nutrition truths have been giving me the kick in the butt I needed. Don't expect literary genius, but a kind and well-meaning, if often repetitive and redundant, expert through experience.

Update:
On 9/14/2025 I finished the Michigan Ironman 70.3 in 5:29:39, well under my goal time of 5:50:00. This is in large part due to the training plans in this book. I'm feeling relieved, accomplished, and grateful. A Top 10 experience of my life, no doubt. THANK YOU!

[Rachel Brune · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I’m about to attempt my second 70.3. The first attempt ended up being a 68.3 because I didn’t train or fuel properly, so I wanted to get smarter about the sport. This book gave me exactly what I was looking for - clear, concise information backed by science and the authors’ athletic and coaching expertise. Looking forward to starting the Intermediate training plan to prep for Blue Ridge!

[Thomas Upshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something for everyone

The book was packed full of tips there were especially useful to someone that was new to the sport I would highly recommend

[Christina Nuñez · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the tips are good, I’m just wildly annoyed at all the vignettes at the end of every chapter. They were all meant to demonstrate work-life balance and the triathlon but not a single woman they presented had a job. Only the men and their “supportive wife and children.” So it made me feel like as a woman triathlete I either need to be stay-at-home to make this life feasible or make sure my partner can pick up all domestic slack. Just gave me the ick and was a little discouraging.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource book for someone who wants to do a half Ironman race. Full of relevant information and tips. The authors present the info in a way that is easy to follow and understand. The three training programs provided are also excellent and easy to understand and they give a very good description as to which one you should follow. They provide a lot of background knowledge without getting too technical or science based.

[Sian Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! I’ve just read it cover to cover for my upcoming 70.3 race. I’ve done other triathlons but not at this distance. Excellent advise, tips and reference material. Will be coming back to it over the coming weeks. Great plans too if don’t have a coach. Recommended read for anyone doing this distance

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to help me finish my first 70.3!

[Gary Haylock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with good clear advice, it is in layman's terms.

[Dan Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful guide for someone beginning to dabble with longer triathlons. The training plan included was particularly helpful and worth the admission price.

[Lisalvold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished my 1/2 due to this book alone!

[Emily Esbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sufficiently inspired (scared?) for my race after reading this