Most athletes believe speed is earned the hard way – more miles, harder sessions, higher intensity, deeper suffering. When progress stalls, the instinct is almost always the same: do more. Push harder. Add another workout. Chase another breakthrough.
And while some of that can help sometimes, subscribing only to that mindset is exactly what keeps many age-groupers stuck, frustrated, or injured.
Real speed isn’t always created by adding stress. In many cases, the biggest gains come from removing friction: cleaning up the details that quietly drain energy and limit consistency. That’s what I mean by free speed: getting faster without increasing training load, intensity, or risk. No hero workouts. No shortcuts that backfire. Just smarter execution of the fundamentals that allow your existing fitness to show up when it matters.
This is about stacking advantages, protecting longevity, and building speed that lasts.
The Foundation of Free Speed: Consistency
When we zoom out and look at the big picture, the true foundation of speed is consistency. Consistency is the ability to show up day after day and stack what I like to call “green streaks” no zeros, no long gaps, just steady, repeatable work over time.
Planned rest days happen. Illness happens. Life happens. But if you’re consistently struggling to complete workouts, it’s worth revisiting your why. Is it strong enough? If not, can it be reframed so you’re not relying on hype or short-term motivation? Discipline will always outperform motivation. Discipline says, this is what I do, because this is where I want to go.
Another key piece of consistency is expectation management. Early in the sport (or after time off) improvements come quickly. As experience and fitness increase, progress becomes slower and less obvious. If you’re judging success by daily pace or numbers, discouragement creeps in fast. Lower the bar for daily success. Trust the process. When consistency remains intact, small gains quietly compound into a deep and durable foundation for long-term speed.
Free Speed Through Fuel and Recovery
One of the most overlooked sources of free speed is daily nutrition, not just what happens during workouts.
When energy needs aren’t met, the body makes that clear: disrupted sleep, waking up hungry at night, intense cravings, binge-type behavior, low energy, or stagnant performance. These are signs you’re walking the fine line between training and under-recovery.
Adequate carbohydrates, sufficient protein, and proper hydration allow you to train well and recover fully. That’s free speed.
Sleep works the same way. It’s simple in theory and difficult in practice. The goal is consistency—going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time every day. Your body thrives on routine. When sleep is stable, metrics like resting heart rate, HRV, and respiratory rate begin to settle. When sleep is inconsistent, stress rises and performance declines.
Protect your sleep routine as part of your training. Because it is.
Free Speed in the Swim
For most triathletes, swimming offers massive opportunities for free speed, primarily through efficiency, not intensity.
Unless you come from a strong swimming background, your biggest gains will come from learning to move through the water at a lower energy cost. Swimming responds best to frequency. Two swims per week rarely move the needle. Three to five short, consistent swims will.
The good news is that these sessions don’t need to be long. Even 20 to 30 minutes can significantly improve technique and feel for the water.
The real goal of swim training isn’t just to swim faster – it’s to exit the water fresher so you can bike stronger and run faster. Most swim training should be easy enough to focus on body position and efficiency. Working with a swim coach who understands adult and triathlon swimmers can be a worthwhile investment.
Equipment matters as well. A well-fitted wetsuit in wetsuit-legal races can provide meaningful speed and energy savings. In non-wetsuit swims, a speed suit is still worth considering. And finally, open-water practice is essential. Pool fitness does not automatically transfer. Open water builds comfort, confidence, and race-specific skill and that takes time.
Free Speed on the Bike
The bike is full of opportunities to gain free speed, starting with bike fit. Aerodynamics only work if you can hold the position comfortably and produce power – especially outdoors, not just on the trainer.
Helmets matter too, but only if they match how you actually ride. Look at race photos. How do you hold your head? Choose equipment that complements your natural tendencies rather than fighting them.
Clean up the front end of the bike. Be intentional with hydration systems and bottle placement. Aerodynamic gains are meaningless if they prevent you from fueling properly. Sometimes giving up a minute on the bike is worth it if it prevents dehydration and a blown run.
Tires, tire pressure, wheels, and equipment choices all matter—but only when they align with your skill level and race conditions. Be honest. A deep wheel that’s unmanageable in crosswinds isn’t free speed – it’s stress.
Free Speed on the Run
Running offers free speed as well, most notably through super shoes, but they aren’t magic.
Different shoes favor different mechanics – stride length, cadence, and foot strike. If you’re running at slower paces or already very economical, the gains may be minimal. These shoes also have short lifespans, often only 150–200 miles, making them race-day tools rather than daily trainers.
Other sources of free speed on the run come from smart pacing, understanding course terrain, and managing mindset. The pressure you place on yourself can either unlock performance or quietly sabotage it.
Sometimes, free speed is as simple as leaving technology at home. Data can be useful, but in shorter races it can also create negative chatter and pull you out of the moment. Trust yourself to truly race.
Free speed isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about removing friction; improving consistency, recovery, efficiency, and decision-making so the fitness you already have can actually show up on race day.
Get the fundamentals right, and you’ll be surprised how much faster you can go without doing more or going harder in training.
