Please Critique my Power Based Training Plan

[Snuffleupagus]

To start things off, here is some background.

Male, 23, 6'2 185ish lbs, recovering from 2 x ACL replacements (1st was my right knee on 29 September 2006 and 2nd was my left knee on 8 February 2007).
Cycling since 2004, began racing in 2006
CAT-4, 7 top 10 finishes and 5 points towards CAT-3

The numbers - all recorded after my second knee surgery
FTP is ~315w
5 second max: 1209w
1 minute max: 567w
5 minute max: 381w
20 minute max: 352w, generally produce +/- 320 in 20 minute intervals

Here is what I'm looking at in my PMC (I just had a ~50 mile RR today):
ATL: 98.5
CTL: 82
TSB: -13.3

Now for the fun part, here is my training schedule that I'm working on. My goals are first and foremost to win races, and upgrade to 3 most rikey-tick. Power wise, I want to maintain and slightly improve FTP and endurance, while looking for big increases in 5 second, 1 minute and 5 minute power. I lost a lot of strength following the knee operations, and given that my natural build is medium/large and I put on strength quickly, it makes sense to attempt to bring those areas up during race season, and focus on getting my FTP up more in the off season. I'm just coming off of 2 weeks of taper, and have an A priority crit this coming Monday.

Please, be ruthless. Tell me I'm an idiot, and need to revamp this plan, and your reasoning why.

I also won't be able to do all of these races...but will try to do at least 75% of them. If I can't race, I'll beat my ass on the bike to simulate a race, or take a day off if I need it.

Thanks for the help!
28 May through 3 June

Monday: State Championship Crit - 40 minutes of racing, and 80 minutes of warm up/cool down. - 2hrs
Tuesday: Ace Speedway Crit - 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down - 1.5hrs
Wednesday: 5 hours L2/3
Thursday: 3 hours L2/3 with a 2x20
Friday: 1 hour easy
Saturday: 4 hours with at least 5-6 L5 efforts
Sunday: 1.5 to 3.5 hours L1/2

Total: 18 to 20 hours and 1000+ TSS of suck.




4 June through 10 June

Monday: Off, possibly light cross train (run/walk) for 20-30 minutes

Tuesday: Race, Winston-Salem Crit – 50 minutes of racing, 70 minutes of warm up/cool down – 2hrs

Wednesday: Sprints – 10x to failure with full recovery. 5 x 15 second efforts with 15 second recovery, 3 x 30 seconds with 30 seconds recovery and finishing off with 1x 1 minute. 2 hrs

Thursday: 3-4x 5 minutes VO2, 1.5hrs

Friday: 1 hour easy

Saturday: Race – Cape Fear RR, 3hrs

Sunday: 1.5 to 3.5 hours L1/2 with a 2x20 depending upon strength




Total 11.5 to 13.5 hours




11 June through 17 June

Monday: Off, possibly light cross train(run/walk) for 20-30 minutes

Tuesday: Race, Ace Speedway Crit- 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down – 1.5hrs

Wednesday: Pyramid 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 2hrs

Thursday: 1x30 minute TT – 1.5hr

Friday: Sprints, 10x to failure with full recovery - 2hrs

Saturday: 1 hour easy

Sunday: Race, Cherry Point Crit – 45 minutes race, 75 minutes warm up/cool down – 2hrs




Total 9 hours




18 June through 24 June

Monday: Off, possibly light cross train (run/walk) for 20-30 minutes

Tuesday: Race, Winston-Salem Crit – 50 minutes of racing, 70 minutes of warm up/cool down – 2hrs

Wednesday: 8 x 1 minute intervals – 1.5 hrs

Thursday: Sprints, 10x to failure with full recovery – 2hrs

Friday: 1 hour easy

Saturday: Lenoir Crit, 2hrs

Sunday: State Games Crit, 2hrs




Total: 10.5 to 11 hours




25 June through 1 July

Monday: Off, possibly light cross train (run/walk) for 20-30 minutes

Tuesday: Race, Ace Speedway Crit- 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down – 1.5hrs

Wednesday: 5 hours L2/3 – Substitute 5 x 1 minute intervals if doing GA Cup Dahlonega

Thursday: 3 hours L2/3 – Off if doing Dahlonega

Friday: 1 hour easy

Saturday: Dahlonega? 4 hours with at least 5-6 L5 efforts if not

Sunday: Dahlonega? 1.5 to 3.5 L1/2 if not




Total: 16.5 to 18.5 if not doing Dahlonega, 8 to 9 if racing Dahlonega.




2 July through 8 July

No races scheduled




9 July through 15 July

Tuesday: Race, Winston-Salem Crit – 50 minutes of racing, 70 minutes of warm up/cool down – 2hrs

Saturday: Georgia Cup Rome?

Sunday: Georgia Cup Rome?




16 July through 21 July

Tuesday: Race, Ace Speedway Crit- 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down – 1.5hrs




22-28 July

RAGBRAI ~ 500 miles L1 to 3




29 July through 5 August

Cross Roads Races all week long – As many as I can do




6 August through 12 August

Tuesday: Race, Winston-Salem Crit – 50 minutes of racing, 70 minutes of warm up/cool down – 2hrs




13 August through 19 August

Tuesday: Race, Ace Speedway Crit- 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down – 1.5hrs

Saturday: Georgia Cup Augusta?

Sunday: Georgia Cup Augusta?




20 August through 26 August

Tuesday: Race, Winston-Salem Crit – 50 minutes of racing, 70 minutes of warm up/cool down – 2hrs




27 August through 2 September

Saturday: NC/SC RR Championships

Tuesday: Race, Ace Speedway Crit- 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down – 1.5hrs




3 September through 9 September

Friday: 4th Street Crit

Saturday: MOB Crit

Sunday: Carolina Cup Crit

 

[frenchyge]

I'm just amazed that you had an ACL replacement and were apparently training again in about 2.5 weeks!

 

[Snuffleupagus]

I'm just amazed that you had an ACL replacement and were apparently training again in about 2.5 weeks!

I was back on the trainer 6 days after the surgery. Staples and all

 

[existence]

I was back on the trainer 6 days after the surgery. Staples and all

Ive said this to you before elsewhere. I honestly genuinely wish you the best of luck in your racing season and with you ongoing knee recovery.

Either you have dramatically played up the gravity of the Feb 07 injury or you are incredibly insane.

 

[Snuffleupagus]

Ive said this to you before elsewhere. I honestly genuinely wish you the best of luck in your racing season and with you ongoing knee recovery.

Either you have dramatically played up the gravity of the Feb 07 injury or you are incredibly insane.

I'm going to have to go with insane My ortho and PT are happy with the rate of recovery, AND they know I'm back to racing.

I've even been able to start a bit of running...which although still slightly uncomfortable was impossible before the surgeries.

 

[beerco]

Ok, here's the brutal truth - with the numbers you gave: FTP of 320 and 5s of 1200, you should be dominating the cat 4 field, even in the hills. I haven't looked at your training plan but with a CTL in the 90s I'm sure it's fine.

What you need to do is learn to race better. Conserve all your strength when you're not attacking (i.e. suck wheel) and when you do attack give it all you got and make it stick. Don't waste matches etc.

Remember, roadracing is not a fitness contest like other endurance sports (which is why I can sometimes win ). Fitness is just the entry fee.

 

[Snuffleupagus]

Ok, here's the brutal truth - with the numbers you gave: FTP of 320 and 5s of 1200, you should be dominating the cat 4 field, even in the hills. I haven't looked at your training plan but with a CTL in the 90s I'm sure it's fine.

What you need to do is learn to race better. Conserve all your strength when you're not attacking (i.e. suck wheel) and when you do attack give it all you got and make it stick. Don't waste matches etc.

Remember, roadracing is not a fitness contest like other endurance sports (which is why I can sometimes win ). Fitness is just the entry fee.

Intuitively, I know that is probably the case...in the races I've done since the surgery I've had a spate of bad luck, and caveman-esque racing strategy that have kept me out of contention.

Case in point, my last A priority RR I dropped my chain in the sprint while sitting 3rd wheel. The A priority RR before that, the course was mis-marked with 3k to go, so those of us in the small lead group went off course and ended up DFL. The last B priority crits I've done, I've spent WAY too much time in the wind, and towed guys around like it was my job

 

[NomadVW]

Hey dude,

Your training plan definitely focuses on intensity. I'm not certain I would be able to do all those intensity workouts to completion the way I'd want.

For instance

11 June through 17 June

Monday: Off, possibly light cross train(run/walk) for 20-30 minutes
Tuesday: Race, Ace Speedway Crit- 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down – 1.5hrs
Wednesday: Pyramid 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 2hrs
Thursday: 1x30 minute TT – 1.5hr
Friday: Sprints, 10x to failure with full recovery - 2hrs
Saturday: 1 hour easy
Sunday: Race, Cherry Point Crit – 45 minutes race, 75 minutes warm up/cool down – 2hrs

If that Tuesday race is particularly hard, are you going to get through that pyramid? Then, if you're not recovered enough to get through the pyramid, will you be able to get a 30 minute TT in @/above threshold the NEXT day after that?

I know I'd have a challenge with it, and it only takes one or two days of non-completion of workouts for me to start manifesting frustration.

 

[Snuffleupagus]

Change 1:

28 May through 3 June
Monday: State Championship Crit - 40 minutes of racing, and 80 minutes of warm up/cool down. - 2hrs
Tuesday: Ace Speedway Crit - 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down - 1.5hrs
Wednesday: 2 hours L1/L2
Thursday: 1 x 20 minute TT effort - 1.5hrs total
Friday: 1 hour easy
Saturday: 3 Mountain Madness Century - 95 miles with 11k + of climbing

~5hrs
Sunday: 2 to 4 hours L1/2

Total: 13 to 15 hours, reduced volume by removing Wednesday's 5 hour ride, knocking Thursday back to 1 x 20, and added an absolute ball buster of a climbing century on Saturday. The Saturday ride alone should have a TSS approaching 400.

4 June through 10 June
Monday: Off, possibly light cross train (run/walk) for 20-30 minutes
Tuesday: Race, Winston-Salem Crit – 50 minutes of racing, 70 minutes of warm up/cool down – 2hrs
Wednesday: 3-4x 5 minutes VO2, sprinting to failure at the end of each VO2 set - 2hrs
Thursday: 2hrs L1/2
Friday: 1 hour easy
Saturday: Race – Cape Fear RR, 3hrs
Sunday: 1.5 to 3.5 hours L1/2 with a 2x20 depending upon strength

Total 11.5 to 13.5 hours. Changes: Block of intensity on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then backing off to taper into the Saturday RR.

11 June through 17 June
Monday: Off, possibly light cross train(run/walk) for 20-30 minutes
Tuesday: Race, Ace Speedway Crit- 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down – 1.5hrs
Wednesday: 1-2hrs L1/2
Thursday: 30 minutes of Over/Unders with a pyramid of 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 2hrs
Friday: Off the bike
Saturday: 1 hour easy
Sunday: Race, Cherry Point Crit – 45 minutes race, 75 minutes warm up/cool down – 2hrs

Total 8.5 to 9 hours. Changes: Combined the TT effort and pyramid into an over/under workout that should be a good race simulation for about half an hour. Low volume, high intensity week

18 June through 24 June
Monday: Off, possibly light cross train (run/walk) for 20-30 minutes
Tuesday: Race, Winston-Salem Crit – 50 minutes of racing, 70 minutes of warm up/cool down – 2hrs
Wednesday: 8 x 1 minute intervals – 1.5 hrs
Thursday: Sprints, 10x to failure with full recovery – 2hrs
Friday: 1 hour easy
Saturday: Lenoir Crit, 2hrs
Sunday: State Games Crit, 2hrs

Total: 10.5 to 11 hours. No changes.

25 June through 1 July
Monday: Off, possibly light cross train (run/walk) for 20-30 minutes
Tuesday: Race, Ace Speedway Crit- 45 minutes of racing, 45 minutes of warm up/cool down – 1.5hrs
Wednesday: 4 hours L2/3 – Substitute 5 x 1 minute intervals if doing GA Cup Dahlonega
Thursday: 3 hours L2/3 – Off if doing Dahlonega
Friday: 1 hour easy
Saturday: Dahlonega? 4 hours with at least 5-6 L5 efforts if not
Sunday: Dahlonega? 1.5 to 3.5 L1/2 if not

Total: 15.5 to 17.5 if not doing Dahlonega, 8 to 9 if racing Dahlonega. Changes - long rides reduced to 4hrs.

2 July through 8 July
No races scheduled - Rest week. Take 4th of July weekend totally off the bike, walk/run/drink beer/set off illegal fireworks/fornicate/general debauchery

Reset...

How does that look?

 

[Spunout]

You should prioritize your races. Looks like every event you're going in pretty well roasted. Looks like your interval sessions are short and crammed into your week. If you dropped one, you could increase the quality of one other workout.

The rest week should be further out from your race week. Like Build-build-rest-peak-race. Rest-peak can take 1 week, but build-build-race won't give you the supercompensation you (might) target.

Taper is not 3 days before a race. Think about it in terms of at least a week.

 

[otb4evr]

No comments on your plan, but when I punched in your numbers into the CP spreadsheet, I come up with an FTP of 345...

www.velo-fit.com/articles/critical-power.pdf

Knowing that the PMC is dependant on a correct FTP estimate, your CTL number might be off by quite a bit.

Consider a 2x20 workout at 300 watts; including warm up and cool down:

An FTP of 315 will garner you ~100 pts.

Using an FTP of 345, however, the same workout only gets you ~80 pts.

Consider a 3 hour ride at 220 watts; a good endurance pace:

FTP of 315: ~145 TSS

FTP of 345: ~120 TSS

This is also a big reason why regular testing is a good idea...

Jim

 

[wilmar13]

You look to be similar to me in stats (I'm a bit bigger with a tad more power), and I have more success in 3's than I did in 4's, so you will surely get there. Just race with your head too and when you attack give it everything you have, don't tow everyone around for no reason, unless it is only tempo pace and you want to keep your position at the front.

One thing I would question in your training plan though is doing sprint intervals 2 days before your target crits... you are younger than I, but I would not do anything that hard for 3-4 days before the race where you are likely to need that sprint at the end.