How to train for an Ironman: Nutrition, conditioning, and sleep tips from triathlon veteran Cameron Wurf

With a combined 3.9km of swimming, 180.2km of cycling, and 42.2km of running, the Ironman triathlon is the ultimate test of endurance.

Competitors face one of the most gruelling challenges in sports as they push their bodies to the limit for an event that can last from eight to over ten hours.

But how long do pro athletes need to train each day? How much should they eat and sleep? Australian veteran Cameron Wurf has shared some insights with us.

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Ironman training plan: How many disciplines and how many hours a day?

After a long career spanning from Olympic rowing to road cycling, Cameron Wurf has been a professional athlete in Ironman triathlon for seven years now, winning four events of the series (Wales 2017, Australia 2019, Italy 2019, Copenhagen 2021).

The 40-year-old Tasmania native admits he trains at least two disciplines every day.

“I train between six and eight hours, so every day I have plenty to keep me entertained,” he said.

Swimming usually takes one to one and a half hours, while his running sessions last between two and three hours. His cycling practices vary from four to six hours.

“I generally don’t get on the bike for anything less than four hours,” he said.

“After swimming, I kind of feel like I want to go and have a nap, so I try to put on my cycling gear as quickly as possible and get out the door; otherwise, I want to take a nap!”

The daily Ironman training diet

“I burn about six or seven thousand calories on most days, so I guess I eat about the same amount. However, when I’m training, I don’t have any restrictions on my diet; it’s just whatever I need to get through the day,” says Wurf, who explained how his wife Fallon, pursuing a master's degree in holistic nutrition, oversees his diet, ensuring he consumes only organic and fresh food prepared by her.

For breakfast, the Australian usually opts for something 'basic': oats with almond or rice milk and maple syrup. Sometimes, if the opportunity arises and to add 'a bit of protein,' he'll have a couple of eggs.

As for his meals, it really depends on his training schedule for the following day:

“Today I had a very hard track session in the morning with some threshold work where you need a lot of energy so we had fish and rice, so a lot of carbs," he told us in May while he was training to qualify for this year's World Championships in Nice.

“Tomorrow I have got more of a fat-burning ride, so I’m happy with just some proteins, usually fish, and maybe some vegetables. So I don’t necessarily need any carbs for dinner.”

Ironman nutrition plan for training and recovery

“I read Andre Agassi's book, and I think he summed it up the best: you've got to fuel the dragon,” Wurf said, emphasizing the importance of fuelling yourself when you train all day.

Smoothies with proteins, sometimes with the addition of “a healthy scoop of (organic) nutella,” chopped bananas on bread drizzld with honey, and a baguette spread with jam and peanut butter – these are some of the favourite foods that the veteran enjoys in the morning and between training sessions.

“I don't measure it; I just consume what I can. I have a very instinctive feel for the fuel I need during the day,” he added.

His favorite guilty pleasure is a slice of carrot cake: “If I do stop at a café at the end of a ride, I order it every single time, even if I'm not hungry. I prefer to do some more exercise to burn off that carrot cake. I’d never eat anything that I'm not prepared to burn off; that's sort of my theory.”

Ironman: Getting the maximum energy from food

“When I’m training, I train like I race; that’s one thing I learned from Chris Froome,” Wurf revealed.

The INEOS Grenadiers athlete explained how gels, caffeine, and sugary drinks are important to support him both in training and competition.

“Getting as much in as you possibly can allow you to train as hard as possible. The more energy you can store, the more it helps with the recovery process,” he added.

A ‘game-changer’ in endurance training came from the use of ketone supplements, which serve as an alternative source of energy alongside carbohydrates.

“That's another big technological advancement as far as nutrition goes, and I think in the next few years, that will become much more mainstream,” he explained.

“Being able to better utilise the fuel that I do put in my body, which, you know, ketosis does, that's huge.

“The food that you do take, just because you eat it, it doesn't mean that that's the energy you get. Often you don't know how much you actually get from that. But, you know, with ketosis, it just allows you to utilise the fuel you do have much better.”

Ironman training: The importance of sleep

Sleep plays a crucial role in Ironman training by facilitating proper physical recovery.

“When you get 8 hours of sleep, you actually get 8 hours of really good sleep; that's when all the gains are made,” the 2004 Olympian explained.

Wurf incorporates power naps into his routine two or three days a week, depending on his training schedule. He has invested in a mattress topper connected to his Wi-Fi that can automatically adjust the temperature to enhance the quality of his sleep.

“It's quite an extravagant piece of equipment, but we've found it's incredible,” he revealed.

On top of being a professional cyclist and triathlete, the Australian is also the father of a three-year-old son.

Balancing high-level training and parenting is “certainly a juggle,” but time efficiency and adequate sleep are part of his winning formula:

“I guess my secret is try to get to bed as early as you can. The earlier you can start the day, the more you can fit into it.”