Rodney is 61 years old. He had been training for triathlons for years, putting in consistent volume and racing regularly. But his results had plateaued. Despite training 15 to 18 hours per week, his half Ironman times were not improving. Something needed to change.
Over the course of 12 weeks, Rodney improved his 70.3 finish time by 28 minutes. Not through more training, but through smarter training. Here is what changed.
Shifting the Training Model
Rodney had been following a polarised training approach - lots of easy work combined with hard intervals, with very little in between. This is a popular model and it works well for many athletes. But it was not the right fit for Rodney at this stage of his development.
The shift was to a pyramidal training model, which introduces more time spent at moderate intensities just below and around threshold. This approach better reflects the demands of half Ironman racing, where you spend the majority of the event working at a sustained moderate effort rather than alternating between easy and hard.
The result was a significant improvement in Rodney's ability to hold a strong, consistent effort across the entire race.
Improving Fat Oxidation
One of the biggest changes was in how Rodney's body used fuel. Through targeted aerobic development and nutritional adjustments, his fat oxidation improved markedly. This meant his body became more efficient at burning fat as a fuel source during prolonged efforts, preserving glycogen for the later stages of the race when he needed it most.
Better fat oxidation is one of those changes that does not always show up in training metrics but makes a massive difference on race day. You feel more comfortable at race pace, your energy levels stay more stable, and you avoid the late-race crash that comes from running out of glycogen too early.
Less Volume, More Quality
Counterintuitively, Rodney's training volume actually dropped. He went from 15 to 18 hours per week down to 12 to 14 hours. But the quality of those hours improved dramatically. Every session had a clear purpose, the intensities were more precisely targeted, and recovery was built into the program rather than being an afterthought.
More is not always better. Better is better. The right sessions at the right intensities will outperform raw volume every time.
For an athlete in his sixties, this reduction in volume also meant less accumulated fatigue, fewer injury risks, and more consistency week to week. Rodney was able to show up fresh for his key sessions rather than grinding through them in a fatigued state.
Bike Setup and Race Strategy
The physical training was only part of the equation. Rodney's bike fit was refined to optimise comfort and power output over the 90-kilometre bike leg. Small adjustments to position can make a meaningful difference when you are spending several hours in the saddle.
His race strategy was also overhauled. Rather than going out at a pace that felt right in the first hour, a more disciplined pacing plan was developed based on his actual physiological data. This meant holding back slightly on the bike to set up a stronger run - which is where the biggest gains were hiding.
Where the Time Came From
Of the 28 minutes Rodney gained, 22 of them came from the run. This is a pattern that shows up time and time again in triathlon. The run is where races are won and lost, and it is heavily influenced by everything that happens before it - how you pace the bike, how you fuel, and how well your body manages fatigue.
By addressing all of these factors together rather than in isolation, the improvement was not just incremental. It was transformational.
The Takeaway
Rodney's story is a reminder that performance plateaus are rarely about a lack of effort. They are about a mismatch between the training you are doing and the demands of your event. If you are stuck in a similar spot, learning how to break a training plateau is a good starting point. Age is not a barrier to significant improvement. With the right approach, the right structure, and the right adjustments, there is almost always room to get faster - regardless of how long you have been racing.