Structured Training in 2017

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Tin Pot

Guru
Hi all,

Following training plans can be a bit isolated (was for me last year anyway!) so I thought I'd start a thread we can all talk about the plans we're following, challenges and successes.

Ive just started the TrainerRoad Full Iron Distance Triathlon Base Plan, its week 1 and heavy going :smile:

Post here what you're doing and any questions you have.

Cheers TP
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
 
Last winter I started a training regime with the main aim of the Mallorca 312, I've ticked that off the bucket list but I've continued with the programme with the aim of improving my TT's. Its been a mix of turbo (intervals)/roller/core exercises/ weights during the week a fast training ride on the Saturday and more social training/cafe ride on the Sunday. After 312 was complete, I've tended to do more relaxed Sunday social rides to break up that isolation and if its been too relaxed went out in the afternoon/evening to practice my tt bike handling or extended the Sunday ride to complete the Century a month challenge. There's been other adhoc rides too.
At the moment I'm sticking with the regime with the aim of the ToC Chrono.
 

Chappy

Guru
Location
Dorchester
I am currently on Sweet spot base low volume 2 with trainer road. Due to work commitments and long hours the going isn't to bad, even with the workouts all being in the Sweet spot and Threshold range. How this will change when I move onto the Base and Specialty plans later on in the year we will see, I think it will be harder to get on the trainer when the weather turns nice again.
 

WelshJon

Well-Known Member
Location
Swansea
Not a specific program a such but my current weekly schedule consists of :

Tuesday - Turbo intervals 20 or 30 mins
Thursday - Club chaingang 20miles , 1 hour at threshold, few spikes above.
Sunday - Club ride 60 miles

Probably the most I can fit in with current commitments and my main goal is to bridge the gap between team 1 fast group and team 2.
Had a flat ride with team 1, 50 miles with 18mph avg speed and suffered with my turns on the front and would more than likely be dropped on a significant climb.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
I am currently on Sweet spot base low volume 2 with trainer road. Due to work commitments and long hours the going isn't to bad, even with the workouts all being in the Sweet spot and Threshold range. How this will change when I move onto the Base and Specialty plans later on in the year we will see, I think it will be harder to get on the trainer when the weather turns nice again.

So that's two turbo interval sessions per week?

Iirc it's an eight week plan - how far are you in?


I've got four TR sessions per week with he option of doing two outside, but I've balls up because I can't find my thermal tights and jersey!
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
Last winter I started a training regime with the main aim of the Mallorca 312, I've ticked that off the bucket list but I've continued with the programme with the aim of improving my TT's. Its been a mix of turbo (intervals)/roller/core exercises/ weights during the week a fast training ride on the Saturday and more social training/cafe ride on the Sunday. After 312 was complete, I've tended to do more relaxed Sunday social rides to break up that isolation and if its been too relaxed went out in the afternoon/evening to practice my tt bike handling or extended the Sunday ride to complete the Century a month challenge. There's been other adhoc rides too.
At the moment I'm sticking with the regime with the aim of the ToC Chrono.

Is that a regime of your own devising or a structured plan from somewhere/someone?

Did you get the results you hoped for at the 312?
 
Is that a regime of your own devising or a structured plan from somewhere/someone?

Did you get the results you hoped for at the 312?
Its a coaches plan, I joined him for the 312 and I'm still with him.

My main aim with the 312 was to finish and tick it off the bucket list and I did that. Lol, I could have went faster but give that I'd come down with mild heat stroke (through up dinner, had a broken uncomfortable sleep, felt a little better but through up breakfast) I'm quite happy. Felt comfortable and improving, which wasn't hard, till about 160miles. Then I felt dead passed a farm couple and initially I pressed on then I suddenly thought they might have water and they did, they also had loads of oranges too. I don't know what was in those oranges but it done the trick, I found my self doing 20+mph for the last 15miles :laugh:
 

Chappy

Guru
Location
Dorchester
So that's two turbo interval sessions per week?

Iirc it's an eight week plan - how far are you in?


I've got four TR sessions per week with he option of doing two outside, but I've balls up because I can't find my thermal tights and jersey!

I am on week 5 at the moment which consists of 3 interval rides and 1 recovery ride. Tues/Wed/Thurs/Sat
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
I am on week 5 at the moment which consists of 3 interval rides and 1 recovery ride. Tues/Wed/Thurs/Sat

I've just done "Big Squaw" tonight. I'm definitely going outside for the next long one. I just don't know if I can work that hard on the road - the last hour was pretty hard.
 

Chappy

Guru
Location
Dorchester
I've just done "Big Squaw" tonight. I'm definitely going outside for the next long one. I just don't know if I can work that hard on the road - the last hour was pretty hard.

I no what you mean it can be hard to find the right stretch of road that mimics the workout.

For me its the boredom factor I can just about maintain the effort for an hour on the trainer anything longer like the Saturday rides which are an 1 1/2 then i really struggle.
 

Asa Post

Super Iconic Legend
Location
Sheffield
Structured? :scratch:


Me? :headshake:

I have never raced. I don't do Sportives or similar. I don't belong to a club. I'm a member of the Bkool group on here, but I don't do any of the communal rides.

The only competition I'm interested in is beating myself. I ride a bike to stay fit and have fun. I like to see improvements in my speed or endurance (or, I did when I was younger - these days I try to limit the losses) but have no long-term goals to aim for. There is no need for me to do intervals, but sometimes I do them to introduce a bit of variety, and see how well I cope.

I have tried training plans in the past, to build up my general stamina and to encourage me to ride regularly. I borrowed books from the library and copied the plans onto spreadsheets:

Training Plans for Cyclists - Gale Bernhardt
I liked this book. The plans are designed to improve endurance, but include some intervals, and are varied and achievable.

Cycle for Life - Nicole Cooke
I found this tougher than Bernhardt, with more intervals. Still achievable, but made me struggle on occasions. That probably means it was pretty near perfect for me.

Time Crunched Cyclist Training Plan - Chris Carmichael
Tried it twice, and both times I had to give up after a few weeks because it was killing me. If I was 40 years younger, I might have managed to stick with it.

These days I tend to make it up as I go along. I might have some mileage goals, but no specific plan. I'll often try to work on a particular aspect of cycling because I want to see if it makes a difference to my speed or power, or makes things feel easier or more difficult, so at the moment I'm going to be trying to increase my cadence to where it was a few years ago. In theory, that's easily achieved by using smaller gears. If I find I feel better (or, at least, not feel worse) I'll stick with it. In a couple of months, I'll pick some other aspect and play around with that.

Riding outside prevents me from keeping to any HR or power levels. Whatever intentions I set out with, I nearly always end up riding as hard as I feel I can maintain, so I don't use road rides for anything specific. I do a lot of turbo sessions, and that's how I did my plans. Currently, I'm using Bkool's video or 3D rides as substitutes for the road, and I'll design other rides to fit what I want to do. If I fancy some intervals, I'll use a perfectly flat ride. If I want to do some hill work, I can design a session with the gradient and length of hills that I want.

Having said all that, while writing this post I've had another look at Nicole Cooke's plans, and I'm tempted to try one of them again - either "Improving Speed and Endurance", 7 hours a week for 8 weeks or "Getting Serious", 12 hours a week for 8 weeks. Most of it is at an easier intensity than I usually ride at, but there are interval sessions every week. I'll think about it, and let you know.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
Great post @Asa Post

I'm young, naive and ambitious...well relatively speaking I suppose ;)

Plus I think a lot. Really, a lot. I planned my own training last year and did exactly what I didn't want to do - spent every hour thinking about whether I was doing the right thing and if I should update my plan, and skipping a session and trying to catch-up blah blah.

I want/need to just get on with it. So I've taken up a structured/measured plan that does the thinking for me - I will spend these few weeks making sure I'm content and then so hope to simply execute - consistently - for the next 27 weeks.

I did pretty well last year, but even if this is a terrible plan it should be better for me than last year where I didn't run enough and spent so long on the bike for six months I was either sleeping or riding!

I think if I knew how to train I wouldn't need to do this, but I don't.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
I no what you mean it can be hard to find the right stretch of road that mimics the workout.

For me its the boredom factor I can just about maintain the effort for an hour on the trainer anything longer like the Saturday rides which are an 1 1/2 then i really struggle.

Did you get used to the intensity sessions? I'm feeling pretty whacked already, and I've got another intense turbo, two runs and a swim session this weekend.

In fact, I'm off to bed! :smile:
 

Chappy

Guru
Location
Dorchester
Did you get used to the intensity sessions? I'm feeling pretty whacked already, and I've got another intense turbo, two runs and a swim session this weekend.

In fact, I'm off to bed! :smile:
You will get used to it overtime, the body will adapt to the the stress and intensity but you also have to put your recovery days to good use as well. Some days I will get on the trainer for a gentle spin other days I will do as little as possible.
 
Top Bottom