Long Course Weekend Maastricht: First Half Triathlon

Posted on December 10, 2025•By John Kraijenbrink•Column

Long Course Weekend Maastricht: First Half Triathlon

I’ve discovered something new. Okay, it’s not new. It’s actually pretty old, but it’s new to me, so I’m going to share it with you anyway. It’s called the Long Course Weekend — a triathlon divided over three days. How cool is that?

There is one in Maastricht next year, in May. I found out last weekend. And yes, I signed up. It’s going to be my first half triathlon ever. On Friday I will swim 1.9 kilometres, on Saturday I will bike 100 kilometres, and on Sunday I will run a half marathon. I can’t wait.

Sara will join me. On Sunday. She will run the 10K. That’s the cool thing about the Long Course Weekend Maastricht: you can mix it up any way you want. You can do all three sports, you can do two, or you can do just one. Sara is not a swimmer, nor a biker, so she’ll only run.

A Bit of History

The first Long Course Weekend (LCW) was held in 2010 in Tenby, Wales. The idea was to make (long-distance) triathlon more accessible by no longer having to do it back-to-back, but by spreading the disciplines over three days. And by giving participants the freedom to choose their own mix. The first one in the Netherlands was last year, also in Maastricht.

There are also Long Course Weekends in Belgium, Spain (Mallorca) and England (Yorkshire).

LCW Format: mixing it up

John cycling as part of his training plan for the Long Course Weekend Maastricht half triathlon. I’m not a cyclist. I’m a runner. A marathon isn’t the problem, but if I wanted to do a full triathlon, I would have to cycle 180 kilometres. That’s massive. I know, I also have to swim 3.8 kilometres, but I don’t see that as a big obstacle. Cycling is.

That’s why the LCW format is perfect for me. If I want, I can swim the 3.8 kilometres during the Long Course Weekend, cycle 100 kilometres and run the marathon.

If I want. Because for now I’m choosing the classic formula of half a triathlon — the half LCW. If I survive this, next time I’ll probably run the marathon and maybe swim the long distance. But one thing at a time.

A Multisport Festival

With all the different options, the Long Course Weekend has become a festival where athletes from different sports mix and mingle. There won’t be just runners, like Sara, but also swimmers, cyclists, duathlon athletes, swim-run athletes and triathletes. Basically everybody who loves to do endurance sports.

My Training Plan

The Long Course Weekend Maastricht is six weeks after the Enschede Marathon, so I think I should be okay to go again. It also gives me a couple of weeks to focus on cycling.

For now, my plan is simple:

Cycling:

1 long-distance ride
1 watts-focused ride

Running:

2 interval sessions
1 easy run
1 long run

Swimming:

1 session per week

My training schedule was a bit of a puzzle. I still want to run four times a week, and by adding swimming and cycling, things became complicated. I’ll admit: I couldn’t get it on paper at first, until I put all the parts on separate pieces of paper and started moving them around.

My training schedule for the Long Course Weekend Maastricht and Enschede Marathon

Now I think I’ve got it. It’s demanding, but doable. I hope.

What’s Next?

I’ve got some more crazy ideas in mind for next year, but nothing is concrete yet. As soon as it is, I’ll share them with you. For now, it’s time to stop writing, and jump on my bike. Training is calling.

Keep on Running,
John

John Kraijenbrink

Running Coach - Massage Therapist - Yoga Teacher - Journalist - Gear Tester. I run for the joy of running. Yet, I like to challenge myself to be the best version I can be. For me that means dedicating myself to a structured training plan. You can find me on the road, trails, on my gravel bike or in the swimming pool.