IMFull training Saturday long ride

Michelle Swanson

My question is;  Should I ride on the trainer to make sure I do these intervals or would riding outside be more beneficial? This is the long weekend ride.  I find I have a hard time getting in the required zones for the required length of time when riding outside. But then there is nothing like riding outside - which includes lots of hills for me.  
Week 5 IMFull 
Bike: Long 210min
Choose Your Ability Level for Main Set 1:  

• Level 1 [TSS: 159, IF: 0.80]: 2 x 10' (4') Zone 4, 10' Easy.
• Level 2 [TSS: 166, IF: 0.81]: 2 x 12' (4') Zone 4, 10' Easy.
• Level 3 [TSS: 174, IF: 0.83]: 2 x 15' (4') Zone 4, 10' Easy. .

Main Set 2: 40' to 60' @ Zone 3. 
Remainder of time at Zone 2. 
Coach Notes: 
Including FTP intervals in the first 8wks of your plan (General Prep Phase) to augment the weekday interval session

Robert Sabo

At some point you need to get outside to develop positional fitness ( the ability to stay in aero) and work on your bike handling skills.  The workouts can be all done inside but most transition to weekend outdoor rides between weeks 8-12.  You need to decide what your specific needs are physically, mentally, and weather/course.  With Zwifting though, we may all change our habits this year.

Al Truscott

First 8 weeks of a twenty week plan are more about getting faster, then the last three months are about going farther.

It's important to get the TOTAL amount of work in @ the prescribed 0.8-0.83 IF. If you are someone who must follow recipes PRECISELY, do it inside on a trainer. If you are comfortable with knowing that you WILL get faster if you put the requisite work in, it's OK to ride outside. What I do outside is fit my work efforts to match the terrain I'm in. If I can find, say 8 minutes, then 15 minutes between stoplights to do some steady work, I just go with that, as long as I am getting the total time @ the prescribed IF dose. Also, hitting a hill for 10' at a pop, circling back down and going back up also works great.

As Rob says, with three months to go, its a good idea to become one with the machine you will race on. By then, the rides will be more about going the distance, rather than precise FTP training.

Michelle Swanson

Thank you Robert and Al!
Advice taken. I'll keep it on the trainer for a couple more weeks.  The weather is so up and down here in New England as well! It was snowing on Monday then today it is going into the 60's lol

scott dinhofer

My $.02 - given the lack of daylight, me being an early AM person AND what @Al Truscott said above, I'd advocate for doing a split wko.. Hit the trainer early, do a proper warm up, get your intervals done, do the 10' EZ, then do a 20' Z3 interval. Remove bike from trainer, load H2O and lights, go have some fun outside for the balance of the wko 

Michelle Swanson

Thanks Scott! The split workout is aexcellent idea! Thanks for your comments!