Winter Training Composition Thread

[strader]

I would definetly recommend checking out Basso's workouts at mapeisport.it. He actually does a lot of intervals that not much different than people on this forum. 3x20s, 6x6s, 15 sec sprints, etc. The big difference is those workouts are performed during a 6 hour ride, so there's a ton of L1/L2 and JRA. Lots of rides over 200 TSS.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

... The big difference is those workouts are performed during a 6 hour ride, so there's a ton of L1/L2 and JRA. Lots of rides over 200 TSS.

Which makes a ton of sense for someone who's full time job is riding a bike. IOW, a lot of the same intensity work combined with a lot of easier work to build CTL.

The trouble is when folks try emulate that approach but have to squeeze it to fit in around jobs, school, families. How many rider's do you know that get the L1/L2/JRA part but can't seem to fit in the focused training part but wonder why they still go slow when they've read about the big miles the pros put in?

But I agree, it's cool to see what full time pros are doing and how much time and energy they invest in race prep. Very impressive!

-Dave

 

[Flamme Rouge]

Frost...

You're right, I do two 1 hour turbo sessions (Tue & Thu) with two big weekend road rides. Up to 5 hours Sat, 3 to 4 Sun.

Up to now a mix of 2x20's & 5x4's, mid week and loads of intervals of all ranges, and recoveries (hence the big AR), mixed in to the endurance road rides.

I live on an island 9 miles x 5 miles (15k x 8k) so doing sustained steady state tempo rides are impossible! Lots of hills, so lots of intensity.

TSS for mid week is 75 per session, with up to 400 on Sat and 300 Sun. Again bog standard, three weeks on, one week off, training cycle.

To explain the reason I train like I do, here's my Season 2008 Race Power Profile. I only compete in European Sportives, I'm 49 and not as fast (or as good looking) as I like to think I am.

Snow??? It's not snowed here for about 10 years! Keep warm...


Tony
www.flammerouge.je

 

[Porkyboy]

I would definetly recommend checking out Basso's workouts at mapeisport.it. He actually does a lot of intervals that not much different than people on this forum. 3x20s, 6x6s, 15 sec sprints, etc. The big difference is those workouts are performed during a 6 hour ride, so there's a ton of L1/L2 and JRA. Lots of rides over 200 TSS.

Exactly, as I mentioned before, the percentage display is misleading, you get no idea of what volume has actually been done at say L4. 10% of L4 doesn't sound huge but if the total training time for the week is 35 hours that's 3.5 hours @ say 90%, plus all the rest!

If someone doing 35 hours per week was aiming for say 25% of their training load @ L4 they are talking about almost 9 hours of threshold work, more than a 25 mile TT each day, and again, plus all the rest

PBUK

 

[postal_bag]

Exactly, as I mentioned before, the percentage display is misleading, you get no idea of what volume has actually been done at say L4. 10% of L4 doesn't sound huge but if the total training time for the week is 35 hours that's 3.5 hours @ say 90%, plus all the rest!

If someone doing 35 hours per week was aiming for say 25% of their training load @ L4 they are talking about almost 9 hours of threshold work, more than a 25 mile TT each day, and again, plus all the rest

PBUK

I recently finished a 6 hr training week with 4 hrs 10 min @ 90-91% FTP.

Looked up my last winter's stats: From December 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008, I rode 138 hrs (about 8.1 hrs a week) at an average IF of .845 (average power was 80.9% FTP)

My training composition for the ~17 weeks was as follows:

 

[frenchyge]

The "middle finger" chart. Sign of a true SST-er.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

The "middle finger" chart. Sign of a true SST-er.

LOL!

 

[packfill]

LOL!

Indeed.

A variation on the winter training: I too try to SST my way through winter but it seems that I am doing a lot of travel for work this winter, often a week at a time. What is the best way to approach this?

Should I load up as much TSS prior to leaving and go completely knackered, and then do some hotel gym strength/run/gym bike, or should I try to keep to the normal schedule and really try to get a quality session on the hokey hotel equipment??

I hate the idea of losing chunks of CTL every time I get on a plane....