February OutSeason® - Starts 02/05/18

Brenda Ross

Hey Team! The February OutSeason® is starting on 02/05/18. 

The 2018 OutSeason® is brand new, so you have to do some serious learning to make sure you are on point…you can read the complete set of details regarding the OutSeason® online in the Forums here (http://bit.ly/2zAjuS8) and in the Training Plan Central Page (http://bit.ly/1MQmTM9). Or you can just watch the video below (CLICK ON FULLSCREEN TO GET A BETTER VIEWING EXPERIENCE. 

Either way, please be sure to tell the Team you are “IN” for this OutSeason by replying here with Your Name, Your OS Goals and Your 2018 Races! 

Thread Captains Wanted

We are looking for two members to serve as FebOS Captains to create and guide these weekly threads: Bike Captain, Run Captain, Bang the drum, basically. You will be rewarded with gold, riches, and accolades beyond your wildest dream, plus a free badass EN Shirt.

Please email me (Brenda) at brenda@endurancenation.us if you're interested.

Heads & Tails

Enter your data online here for Coach Patrick to make recommendations on the appropriate targets for you to shoot for this winter!! Return every "test" week to update your results and view your progress! 

Bike Workouts on Zwift

• Run-Focused Workouts, Levels 1 thru 3, Pick your level when you click here.   
• Bike-Focused Workouts, Levels 1 thru 3, Pick your level when you click here.  

Bike Workouts in Trainer Road

• Just search for 2018 OS Wk_  and replace the "_" with the number week you are in, and then choose the Ability Level!
• More on Trainer Road here.

https://endurancenation.wistia.com/medias/g98ty89lda

 

Patrick Marsh

Just finished my season training plan with Coach Patrick.  I am excited to be part of the February OutSeason!  

Josh Church

@Patrick Marsh
I was just scanning over our Feb OS and I’m glad you posted. Great to hear you’ve got your season in order. I’ll be joining in for the fantastic 14 weeks we have ahead of us next month! 

Ive got all my bike workouts loaded on Zwift and ready to go. This is OS number 2 for me so I’m ready for some more gains heading into this season!

Patrick Marsh

@Josh Church This is my second OS as well.  I am just looking through all of our links and trying to figure out how to upload my Zwift bike workouts.  Zwift is new for me.  I just purchased a new laptop today online and hope to set up my Kickr on Monday.  I look forward to training with you over the next several months!

Toni Buck

I’m in until May. Goal is to work on my cycling.   Just requested for Trainerroad connection. 

IM Barcelona 

Josh Church

Welcome aboard, @Toni Buck.  I’m riding on zwift for the OS. Hope your ready to WORK! 

John Culberson

Kinda hackin’ the JOS while returning from Run Jail. Primary focus is IMAZ... no rush to build CTL, so probably a good idea to return to FOS next Monday and join a small group of committed athletes. 

Dave Tallo

I'm in for the February season start. 

John Culberson

Glad you are with us @Dave Tallo: I agree with you current thoughts on VO2 work, and plan to stay pretty methodical with a progression similar to that outlined by @tim cronk. While Zwift is fantastic, nothing will make @Toni Buck a stronger cyclist than consistent, controlled progression. I will be targeting FTP work at 95% and VO2 work at 120%. Longer weekend work at Sweet Spot will require discipline. Harder just ain’t always better. Peaking in 5 months... and again in 10 months, (and healthy running at TRP), is the key to my 2018 success. 

bmck

Hi All! I am also in for FOS. Just returned last night with my wife from a weekend getaway to a great mid-winter race run by someone we met while spectating at Ironman Wisconsin a few years ago. Looking forward to another OS with smart motivating teammates!

[Deleted User]

I'm starting FOS on Monday 2/12.  Is this the correct thread to follow?

Patrick Marsh

@Chris Zahlis -  This is the main FOS thread.  However, we will be doing weekly threads as well.  For example, I created a cycling one for week #1 already, and will create a new cycling thread each week during this 14-week block. 

Welcome to FOS.  Looking forward to hearing back regarding the progress on your training!

[Deleted User]

Am I crazy?  Should I?

I really, really want to test.  But I have never tested.  And I don't yet know how to test.  In 2017 I was much less active from an endurance sport perspective (due to a total pivot from 27 years of white collar work to a blue collar career...never felt more fulfilled, BTW).  So, given no history and coming off a layoff year, I think it would be interesting to see my baseline fitness now before starting the out season.

Am I crazy?  Should I?

[Deleted User]

Follow up question to my last post...

Any benefit to testing now, for my first time, to be better at training later?  I suspect so.

Team Endurance Nation

@Chris Zahlis - what did Coach Patrick suggest you do in your official coaches forum thread?  If he suggested test then test, if not, you will be testing in 5 weeks in this plan, so you can wait until then.

John Culberson

Whether swimming, biking, or running, I have always eased into intervals using perceived exertion prior to testing and setting a goal effort. There is a 4-5 week period where my fitness increases rapidly and many athletes feel like they need to retest during this period... or we just increase our power targets. My approach is to try to slightly increase my efforts through the interval sets. If I can do that, I might bump things up next time. The frequency of hard work during the OS will provide some fatigue that will slow my “progress,” but that’s the reality of OS training... there is no taper for each workout :-) I have always been pushing considerably higher numbers by week 5. Improvement gets slower at that point, so having a tested target is part of the plan.

Toni Buck

I am struggling to do FOS. New to EN. I usually don't do an OS plan and do a 5 month training schedule.Race not till October: IM BCN. Zwift looks interesting but need to triage iPad space or get Laptop for birthday in 2 months-wait that gift already spent on IM registration , maybe mother's day then.  Using Trainerrroad for now. Z4 @ FTP  so tough for me but was able to finish repeats today. Core and Swim incorporating that at a snail pace. Some days I find myself wanting to do other fun work outs or interests that does not involve swim bike or run. Do you ever feel that way during the OS?  Bought the StrechCordz yey another gadget to use. Glad weather has been perfect for outdoor weekend rides. OS keeping me in shape and glad I'm doing it. Great to see more of your updates. Not testing until after March vacation. I figured I need to consistently hit the Z4s first. 

[Deleted User]

I’m struggling to start FOS @Toni Buck due to work - also new to EN. I keep sliding the start date back. At least I have some positive stress to keep me focused on my training. 

John Culberson

The key to OS is that there are no volume requirements. If you can get on your bike three times a week... even for 30 min, you will progress. In fact, when I was first learning to ride fast, I did 1-2 trainer rides with some intervals that I made up and got a lot faster over the winter. @Toni Buck: 4x8’ at Zn4 is my goal before I start worrying about longer intervals. A little more rest, but easier to manage... and its still 32’ at Zn4. I don’t follow the plan with 30/30’s until I can handle the Zn4. Trainer Road has worked very well for many of the best in EN for years.  No worries ;-)

I’m both working hard and injured (from trying to force things like run durability and Zwift ABP when I wasn’t ready). My “A” Race is in November. FOS is just an opportunity to stick together as a group and note our good and bad days and weeks. Just post on the most recent thread no matter what week you are in. Its great that you are trying something different. Plenty of people are “not following the plan” and still becoming much better athletes... and there will be breakthrough workouts to proove it. Winter training is very hard for a lot of people. That’s why I have always focused on a late season race... and been able to do so for 35 years! The Get Faster Plans are very similar with swims and longer bikes/runs. No race specific plans until 12 weeks out. 

Patrick Marsh

@Brenda Ross
@Christina Mitchell

Brenda - do you know why the week #12 and #13 Level 3 Wednesday runs in the Run-focused out season are getting shorter, and are now only '60?  That is shorter than the Level 1 and Level 2 runs, as well as the runs for the bike-focused out season.  Christina pointed this out in our thread, and I agree with her that this doesn't seem to make sense.  

Thanks for any guidance you can provide.