Typical Ramp Rate and "Taper" Rate

What ramp rate are you using as you build CTL, and what ramp rate are you using once you get into race season?

I've been using 3-4 as a ramp rate to build CTL, and then typically use 0 or -1 as my ramp rate on a race week. This usually puts me in the +7-11 TSB range for races.

Thanks in advance for sharing your data.

gene r

This season (mid-October) I started fairly high at a CTL of 69, and built very slowly to a recent high of 87 (team camp), but now I'm down to 81 after a recovery week. So I guess it's 12 points in 4 months, which is less than 1 per week on average. I can't seem to build very high on indoor riding alone. I've gotten stronger though, so it's all good.

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Getting stronger is the name of the game so its interesting to note that someone can do that on a RR of 1!

I hear you on the indoor thing. I've put in some trainer time recently given all the torrential rain we've been having in S Barbara and I gotta tell you I'd be a homicidal maniac if I had to ride the trainer and build fitness indoors as much as the colder climate guys do. I'd probably also have a RR that is closer to yours or worse!

I THINK the average I've notice on this forum is around 5. Typically people speak of between 5-7.

I'm not too sure re: taper rate though..........

I typically move at ~ 2-3 TSS/day/week.

It varies depending at what stage of training you are at, the amount of training time you have available, what training history you have and what else in life you do.

Taper rate also varies depending on priority of race and where you are at in your training. For many there is no taper (nor a need to taper).

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All good points Alex. Insofar as tapering is concerned I don't really "taper" per se, rather I lighten the load on a race week and take and extra day or two off to allow my TSB to trend positive, and then I'm ready to go.

I'm able to do this because I rarely let TSB fall lower than roughly -30. In years past I would use a steeper ramp rate, and dig myself a deep hole, which put me in "the red" for weeks on end. That approach led to lots of fatigue and a lack of motivation and the need to taper over a two week period.

I guess I was curious to see if others shared the same experience. Thanks for weighing in.

I thought that was a taper! Well, that's my kinda taper anyway

Yeah, when I went back and read my post it sounded kind of stupid (what else is new). Maybe its a matter of definition. In my mind a taper is something that sees you do a serious, very specific build for an A-level event, where you gradually lower volume and hold intensity over a two week period.

In my case given the variety of the races I'm doing (RRs, Crits, TTs), and the frequency of racing (every other week), I'm not really focusing on one aspect. Many of the races I'm doing aren't A events, and my taper is merely adjusting TSS during race week as need be to see my TSB in positive #s.