What's a big weekly TSS for you?

Not that work won't prevent it, but I am hoping to get in 1800-2000 (rough estimate since my Powertap is not working properly at present ) total over the next two weeks.

I just made myself a spreadsheet with the desired workouts and this is where it looks as if the TSS would end up. That surprised me and made me wonder whether I was being overly ambitious. I know this question cannot be answered as to me in the abstract, but I was wondering what you all considering a heavy training week

Thanks!

 

In the last three years of training with a PM I've broken 1000 TSS five times and my biggest week yielded 1158 TSS. Those were all very big weeks and typically included a very long event. In all cases I was cooked at the end of the week and needed some downtime before I could resume training. My highest two week totals approached 1800 a few times with one 14 day period at 1811 TSS and my peak for 14 days at 1983 TSS. In both cases I was really burned and had to back off drastically in the following two week block.

YMMV,
-Dave

 

Off the top of my head, 1000 TSS sounds 'big'. Looking back through my charts though, I've only been in the 800-900 range a few times in the last couple years, depending on how I slice the weeks. I wouldn't say I train 'big', since I try to balance with family/work.

Two 1000 TSS weeks definitely sound do-able, if you've got good weather and plenty of time.

 

how did you feel after the two-week easier block following the real heavy stress? do you think it was worth the risk, or feel that you missed quality training that more conservative stress loads could have allowed.

i ask because sometimes i think great gains come from the risk of doing just that little bit too much. you never know it was too much until you look back. i guess i'm just wondering how much luck people have had with "risks" they've taken in training.

 

Over past few years my biggest weeks were in the 900-1000 mark but not many of 'em. I'm sure in pre-PM days I've had bigger weeks (like training camp/tours) but I don't have data back that far.

 

Not 'that' hard to run up 900-1000 for a while: see 2006 weekly summary PDF - depends on other demands though! My biggest week over the past 2-3 yrs is just under 1400 (and I'm old)

 

Well a really big week almost always forces me to back off in the subsequent week. But I also tend to put out some big power numbers for long efforts in those subsequent weeks. That could just be classic load up then rest peaking but a lot of my best long efforts have followed a big one or two week load. But not always, my biggest recorded 7 and 14 day TSS efforts didn't give me a big power bounce - I'd have to look through my training notes but I'd guess I was too tired. My best power rebounds have come after big, but not all time high one and two week loading cycles.

Here's a snapshot of recorded 7 and 14 day TSS since spring of 2007 along with peak 30 minute power for the same recording intervals. I don't want to read too much into a single set of charts, but it seems like big loads tend to bring on good performances, especially when I can sustain a relatively high load for three or more weeks but sometimes I dig too deep a hole...

YMMV,
-Dave

 

errrtt

 

Nice!

I am going to back off a bit then since I can't dig too deep a hole with an event on April 18th

I will end up (hopefully) with 1000/600-700 over the next two weeks (massive SST climbing this week and over/unders + some endurance the following week).

Thanks!

 

My big weeks are in the 800-1000 range. I've gone over 1000 a few times and lived to talk about it.

My suggestion is to consider what your normal week has been leading up to this point. Then consider how much of a step up above this you are considering.

For example, I've been in the 600-800/week for a couple of months now and this has been my typical late-winter load, before I get a bit more specific for the start of racing around here (this month). For the past few years, I would insert a 7-10 day training camp some place warm in February or March (with proper back-off of load before and after the camp). These camps tend to be in the 900-1200 TSS/week range.

I have found that about 4-6 weeks after camp, I get a bit burned out and really unmotivated for riding. It seems like the higher the TSS step above my normal, the worse the burnout. I say "seems" because I haven't proven cause and effect yet - that's what I'm doing this year by not going away for a camp.

So, I can't give you a firm recommendation based upon experience (maybe in about 12 months from now), however, but I'd suggest listening to your mind and body in the period afterwards and see what happens.