Typical Training Week — Base / VO2 Phase
Fred's week is structured by Dan Lorang around two principles: managing his high VLaMax and building run volume without injury. Monday is always off. Two hard run days, one VO2 bike session, one Zone 2 bike day, and 4–5 JR-style swim sessions. Cycling totals 300–400 km/week even in a base phase.
The VLaMax Problem — Fred's Core Training Challenge
This is the most important concept in Fred's training. Understanding it explains every decision he and Dan Lorang make about his program.
VO2max — The Ceiling
Fred's VO2max is "quite OK" — strong enough to be competitive at T100/70.3 level. A high VO2max is good, but raising it also raises VLaMax simultaneously, which is the problem. They cannot be trained in isolation — they are coupled.
VLaMax — The Limiter
Fred's VLaMax is "quite sh*t for an endurance athlete" — meaning his glycolytic system is too powerful. He burns through sugar too quickly on the swim and bike, arriving at the run already metabolically cooked. Lowering VLaMax is the primary training goal.
Intensity Distribution — Base Phase
Fred's base block deliberately emphasises Zone 2 (fat max / aerobic) to depress VLaMax. VO2 work is included for a short 2–3 week block to raise the ceiling, then deliberately abandoned to protect aerobic efficiency. This is very different to the Norwegian double-threshold model.
Annual Training Periodisation Sequence
Fred and Dan Lorang follow a deliberate phasing sequence each season. The VO2 block is deliberately short to avoid raising VLaMax too high before moving to the phases that matter more for his physiology.
| Phase | Duration | Bike focus | Run focus | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VO2 Block | 2–3 weeks | 3×10×40/20s VO2 session once/week | Hill reps, short fast intervals | Raise aerobic ceiling before depressing VLaMax |
| Threshold / VLaMax | 4–6 weeks | Low cadence threshold 360–380W · Zone 2 blocks | Longer intervals (5×2K), flat speed | Lower VLaMax, build fat oxidation efficiency |
| Race Specific | 4–6 weeks | 4×25' at 340–360W exact race watts | Race pace reps, brick runs | Convert fitness to race-specific performance |
Fred's Exact Key Sessions
All sessions sourced from Fred's own words in the podcast or verified from published training data. Numbers reflect what he and Dan Lorang actually prescribe.
3 × 10 × 40/20 seconds
Classic VO2max session. 40 seconds full effort, 20 seconds recovery, repeated 10 times per set, with a meaningful recovery between sets. Fred is very specific: he only does this for 2–3 weeks before moving on, because prolonged VO2 work drives VLaMax up simultaneously. "We can't do that VO2max training for too long — we have to move on pretty quickly." Done once per week in this phase, occasionally twice if running a true VO2 block.
6 × 10 min at Zone 2 (~300W) or 2 × 60 min continuous
Fred's foundational aerobic session — the tool to push VLaMax down and train the fat oxidation system. Target is the upper end of his easy zone, where lactate stays consistently below 1.5 mmol/L. He's extended this to 100K continuous (2h15m) spontaneously when feeling good. On altitude camps in Livigno, replaces intervals with two long Z2 climbs. Fuelling critical: ~80g carbs/hr to support the energy expenditure without glycolytic debt.
Threshold intervals at 360–380W + low cadence sets
Once the VO2 block is complete, Fred transitions to threshold and low cadence work to target VLaMax reduction. Threshold done at ~360–380W, accumulating around 60 minutes of work per session. Low cadence threshold — same power but deliberately lower RPM — is a specific VLaMax tool. Difficult to execute but highly effective for improving metabolic efficiency at race pace.
Race watts intervals: 5×15' → 4×20' → 4×25'
Same progressive race-pace ladder described by Marten Van Riel, coached by the same Dan Lorang. Fred is specific: race-specific means 340–360W — lower than his threshold power (360–380W) because this is the power he can actually hold for the full T100 bike leg while still running well. "Don't ego push it." The goal is confirmation and confidence, not a power record.
3 × 5 × 45 sec hill reps (building to 3 × 8 × 60 sec)
Fred deliberately runs a longer VO2 block on the run than the bike. Reason: "On the run, it doesn't matter if you use all your energy — it's the last discipline and you want to be cooked at the finish line." High speed hill reps done on Tuesday, preceded by a rest day (Monday) so legs are fresh. Progression week on week: 3×5×45s → 3×8×60s as fitness builds. Brutal in the Australian heat.
2 × 8 × 200m OR 5 × 2K at threshold
Saturday's run alternates between pure speed (200m reps) and longer threshold intervals (5×2K). The 200m session is a flat, fast, mechanical drill that teaches the legs what high turnover feels like — important for an athlete who still needs to improve top-end run speed. The 5×2K session builds threshold endurance. Both done on fresh legs — the Friday rest day is deliberate. Easy pace when not doing quality: 4:10–4:30/km.
Big warm-up (fins) + main set + long pull/paddles cool-down
The JR Squad (Noosa) session structure Fred describes: ~2K warm-up with fins, main set of 1.5–2.5K (e.g. 20×100m alternating easy/fast on tight intervals, or 30×50m best average with dive entries), then 2–3K pull/paddles cool-down. Total 6–7K. Every session has a hard component. Favourite set: 30×50m on 1:00 with dive every rep — hardest on the shoulders, most race-specific exit simulation. Target: sub-60 sec 100m off a hard set.
4-Week Training Block — T100 Build
Structured around Fred's own description of how he and Dan Lorang build the season. The block begins with a short VO2 phase, transitions through threshold/VLaMax work, then arrives at race-specific preparation. Run volume increases ~10% per week, deliberately conservative to stay injury-free.
The VO2 block is counterintuitive for Fred: it temporarily raises VLaMax while raising VO2max. Fred knows this and accepts it — "while I might do a block to lower VLaMax, my VO2max will decrease as well. It's always a balance." The VO2 block comes first precisely because the higher ceiling makes the subsequent VLaMax work more effective. Think of it as raising the ceiling before you redecorate the room.
Run volume increases ~10% per week — not more. Fred has been injury-free for 10 years by following this rule meticulously. "Consistency is far more important than a few big weeks followed by injury." Even adding easy 30–40 min jogs on rest days is enough to push toward 75K/week. The athlete who runs 65K/week for 30 consecutive weeks beats the athlete who runs 90K for 3 weeks and then gets injured every time.
The VLaMax / low cadence bike work is Fred's most underrated training tool. Low cadence threshold forces the muscles to produce more torque per pedal stroke, which activates different fiber types and shifts the metabolic balance away from glycolysis. It's hard to execute — Fred says so himself. But it is directly targeted at the thing limiting his run performance. Don't skip it in favour of easy riding just because it's uncomfortable.
Fred's race-day physiology lesson for coaches: if your athlete is burning too much sugar early in the race, they won't run well off the bike — regardless of how hard they train the run. The solution is not always more running. Sometimes it's better swim positioning, smarter early bike pacing, or targeted VLaMax training that quietly transforms their run splits over 2–3 seasons of consistent work.
Why It Works — Coaching Keynotes
Fred Funk's approach is the most physiologically nuanced of any athlete in this series. These keynotes come directly from his own explanations of his training, physiology, and the reasoning behind every decision he and Dan Lorang make.
Data Sources
All training data in this blueprint is sourced from Fred Funk's own public statements, verified interviews, and published race data. Nothing is inferred or fabricated.
The Triathlon Hour — Fred Funk Interview (2025)
The primary source for this blueprint. Fred describes his training philosophy, VLaMax challenge, Dan Lorang's coaching approach, Zone 2 sessions, VO2 block structure, run build strategy, and race-day fuelling in his own words. All quoted material and specific numbers (watts, paces, session structures) in this blueprint trace directly to this interview.
Supplementary Research — Published Race & Training Data
Race results, split data, and training context cross-referenced from T100 World Tour and 70.3 World Championship published data. Used to verify the plausibility of stated training numbers and to contextualise Fred's competitive trajectory. No training data in this blueprint comes solely from this source without primary-source corroboration.
Dan Lorang — Published Coaching Philosophy
Dan Lorang's general coaching approach (VLaMax periodisation, race-specific build ladders, taper philosophy) is consistent across multiple athletes he coaches publicly — including Marten Van Riel's blueprint in this series. Cross-referencing between athletes coached by the same person adds confidence to the structural patterns described here.