Rich/other big week bikers: how did you structure your 2015 300-400 mile weeks?
Last year, Rich and I talked about his plans to alternate big run weeks and big bike weeks as part of a strategy to accomplish sustainable overall gains (obviously, with his KQ, that strategy worked).
@ Rich ... You mentioned looking at 300-400 mile weeks when you were planning this scheme. Then later, When you were debriefing your season, you highlighted that you spent a lot of time during the build focussing on 4 hour power,,etc, etc.
Any thoughts, recollections or reflections on how you structured those weeks big bike weeks? I'm going to be doing something like this alternating system until about 8 weeks before Kona, and will probably comprise them in a similar way, and with a similar long distance power (as opposed to outright FTP building). I'm prepared to take a day or two off work to accommodate riding, recovery, and general lifestyle stuff.
Thoughts? Also happy to hear from others who have advice and input.
@ Rich ... You mentioned looking at 300-400 mile weeks when you were planning this scheme. Then later, When you were debriefing your season, you highlighted that you spent a lot of time during the build focussing on 4 hour power,,etc, etc.
Any thoughts, recollections or reflections on how you structured those weeks big bike weeks? I'm going to be doing something like this alternating system until about 8 weeks before Kona, and will probably comprise them in a similar way, and with a similar long distance power (as opposed to outright FTP building). I'm prepared to take a day or two off work to accommodate riding, recovery, and general lifestyle stuff.
Thoughts? Also happy to hear from others who have advice and input.
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Comments
If possible it's ideal to get out of town and just focus on training and rest/recovery. I think it would be hard to have distractions of work/family nearby.
Good question and discussing. Without looking back at my logs in Trainingpeaks (I have a good bit of writing to do today) this is what I recall doing:
So the short answer is that on normal, non-training-camp weekends I just TT'd centuries and 112mi bike rides. Then I scheduled for myself 3x camp weekends as 3x back to back ~112mi rides
1) These need to build across a year just like anything else. IOW, first "big" week will be small by the time you get to the "last" big week. Baby steps.
2) I would suggest a TT focus on just one ride, that you do frequently/as needed. Rich has his To The Train Station ride that's a good example. Other rides at set watts but don't TT everything and mess your head up.
3) Run frequency not volume on these weeks...once you get the run fatigue up there and park a good weekly TSS on it, your CTL will pretty much take care of itself.
But But But...
Don't just train to train. Set a target / goal. What do you want to be able to do and work towards it. It's easy once you "allow" yourself to go long to just find yourself riding 5 hours because you're the guy who rides five hours (he says, avoiding a look at any mirror).
Feel free to map it out!!!
~ Coach P
Patrick- When you say set a target/goal, are you talking about a CTL goal or a time goal. Currently I am working increasing my CTL to a predetermined level (180) before allowing it to level off and then bringing my TSB back to a manageable level.
Don't mind if I do. I'll keep it high-level in keeping with the OP, and will post another "my Kona plan" thread elsewhere, another day. Plan is based on realistic assessment of lifestyle constraints, and demonstrated training bandwidth.
Goal is a sub-10 Kona, via 1:05 swim, 5:15 bike, 3:33 run. Assume: race day high wind, high heat, swells.
Season Map
-20 weeks OS.
-3 week transition (currently where I am)
-approx 12 weeks of "A / B weeks:" alternating weeks of big bike and run focus. Objective is to raise highest possible bike and run fitness levels.
-"A" weeks are big bike. 300-400 miles per week, with approaches as ^noted above by coaches^. Will take 1-2 days off work each of these weeks to accommodate training / recovery. Rough plan is mid-week tt of 100 miles // late week aerobic Z1 spin of 1 hour // Saturday 5h 'classic' EN ride // Sun 3 hour abp ride. 6 days per week running. long run capped at 90 mins.
-"B" weeks are run focus. 50-60 miles per week, run 6 x per week, one day of full complete rest. Long run as ~2h with HMP progression. Bikes are normal 2 x 20ftp midweekride, // saturday 3h combined ftp/abp // sunday 3h abp.
-1 epic week as 10 days // ~60 hours late July.
-remaining 8 - 10 weeks (depending on fitness) as classic EN Ironman training plan. DT's tweaks will be taking 1 day off entirely every 2 weeks, and dropping running to 5 x week.
Big bike / volume weekend on Labour Day as 3-4 x 112 / 6 and / or swim.
-2 week taper and on-course prep on BI of Hawaii.
(*swim has been 4x week since OS. Progression over season as ~9000 to ~15000+ m/week. Frequency will increase to 5xweek in early IM build.)
(**Riding will be 100% road bike until end of June, then all on tribike going forward *except* ftp days ... these will continue to be done on roadbike)