pdgf wrote:
I'm a new trainerroad user, and want to improve my HIM bike split. I have been looking into the half distance tri plans and have some questions about them :
- In the low volume plans I see 1x150 minute workout, 1x120 minute workout, all other workouts are 105 minutes or less. Both 'long' workouts are in the base plan, so all workouts in the build and speciality plans are 105 minutes or less. Same story in the mid volume plans, longest workout in build and speciality mid volume plans are 120 minutes. Are these workouts really long enough to prepare for a HIM (my last HIM bike split was 2:50 on a hilly course, I hope to improve this to 2:40) ? Maybe I will replace the weekend workouts with long (180 minutes or more) outdoor group rides, or is it better to do the shorter but more intense indoor workouts ?
- In the low volume plans there is only a small increase in TSS. TSS even drops in the speciality phase (and not only in the taper weeks). This will give me a flat or even decreasing CTL. I thought TSS (and CTL) was supposed to increase and reach a maximum a couple of weeks before the goal event ?
Stoked to have you training with us!
You're not alone in being concerned with the length of your workouts in preparation for longer distances; it's a question we see every so often. But you don't have to train for X minutes to be able to ride for X minutes.
That's the beauty of structured training. By targeting specific energy systems for specific durations, while also carefully balancing the workload with recovery, athletes are able to build particular forms of fitness that translates to being faster on the road. The workouts and general progression of a high-intensity training plan must strike this balance of intensity, duration, and recovery.
Simply training the exact distance at the exact intensity you aim to complete your event at has proven to be less effective than progressing through a blend of interval work that separately targets different aspects of your fitness. One also has to think about the training stress and impact on subsequent workouts the former can have. That doesn't mean you shouldn't feel free to include some longer rides in where you deem them fit. This is an excellent opportunity to dial in things like nutrition/hydration strategies as well as familiarizing yourself with your positioning. But when it comes to building the fitness, we're confident in this shorter but more intense approach to training.
When it comes to TSS in the tri plans, you have to consider the impact of the stress from your other disciplines as well. These bricks often times can disrupt the cycling TSS progression due to a temporary shift in emphasis in disciplines. Additionally, you have to take into account how not all TSS is created equally. 500 TSS from endurance work does different things for your fitness than 500 TSS of VO2 and microbursts. You have to take into consideration how different forms of TSS will do different things for your fitness, and the numbers don't always align perfectly. As such, CTL may not perfectly align either, while your fitness is actually in the right places.
Let us know if that makes sense. Thanks!
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