First Triathlon (Olympic Distance)

Maximilian S.

Hamburg (Elbe Triathlon) · Goal achieved on August 30, 2026

Portrait of Maximilian S.

„The week-by-week individual adjustment of the training plan brought a boost to my fitness in 9 weeks that I couldn't have imagined in terms of speed."

First Marathon (April 2026)

Starting Point

9 weeks

Training Period

2:26:41 (38th place overall)

Result

08/30/2026

Goal Achieved On

Training period: 9 weeks (06/28 – 08/30/2026)

Maximilian came to me having successfully completed his first marathon (April 2026) – a solid running base, but no experience in swimming or cycling. His goal: his first triathlon at the Olympic distance.

Over the 9 weeks, we were able to further develop his running base while significantly building up his swimming and cycling from scratch. The result: with a time of 2:26:41, Maximilian reached and comfortably beat his goal of under 2:30 hours.

Training photo of Maximilian S.

Data-Driven

The Fitness Progression in Numbers

Fitness progression of Maximilian S. from intervals.icu

Fitness progression before and after coaching

Before coaching, Maximilian trained unstructured and without clear load management. Since coaching began on June 8th, training was aligned to an optimal load – the fitness progression has shown a clear and steady increase ever since.

Goal achievement of Maximilian S.

In conversation with Maximilian S.

What was your biggest concern before starting the coaching?

  • Fear of having to fulfill what's in the plan, or otherwise disappointing.
  • Higher stress because the training plan wouldn't consider my 'real life' with family (two young kids), work and couple time with my wife.
  • I could just make a training plan for free with AI, which is available to me 24/7.

How did the training plan fit with your job, family and daily life?

  • After discussing my constraints (e.g. childcare, work day, family time), the plan was perfectly tailored to that.
  • The sessions were short and intense, ideal for off-peak times (early morning before work or in the evening after the kids are asleep).
  • There was enough flexibility to swap days or sessions on short notice if something spontaneously didn't fit – via training management with Intervals or in consultation with Max.
  • At every point, Max gave me the feeling of supporting me 100% and finding the optimal solution for me.

What was the biggest athletic challenge over the 9 weeks?

  • In terms of the toughest single session: VO2max intervals on the bike.
  • Organizationally: swimming (tricky with the watch, always a bit tricky to keep track of what interval is next).
  • I had a lot of respect beforehand about whether I'd manage to keep up the rhythm and number of sessions – but in the end the 9 weeks flew by. The training was so incredibly varied that I looked forward to the plan every week.

Would you recommend the coaching and why?

  • Absolutely and without reservations.
  • The week-by-week individual adjustment of the training plan and my athletic development brought a boost to my fitness in 9 weeks that I couldn't have imagined in terms of speed.
  • The friendly yet professional way Max explained and continuously optimized the training structure gave me the feeling of being in good hands from the start.
  • Whenever a session didn't fit into my schedule, there was always understanding and solutions – I never hesitated to contact him. You can tell Max genuinely enjoys his work as a coach in every interaction.

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