Training question from a coach on another forum
Here is an interesting question posted by a coach in the Google Wattage forums and my response:
A client wants to avoid the "dull" zone 2 etc base training this winter, and be trained more like a cyclist this winter, more like he used to cycle before doing triathlon. looking at his power file for ironman hawaii due to avoiding drafting he had to go over threshold for a few seconds at a time, 7 matches in the first hour, and then 9 matches between hours 2.5 and 3.5 I found this surprising, especially as i said to him stay aerobic, so i can summise that there are 2 ways to overcome this: raise his FTP or put more short high intensity sessions into his training plan this winter. What are peoples thoughts on this? I will be using the PMC to monitor this along with TSB CTL and ATL. I'm not necessarily a fan of reverse periodisation and more believe in building a big base first. I'm interested to hear about maintaining power though and avoiding the stale flat feeling from LSD training that can become quite common in endurance training thanks in advance, Nick
Last year I trained for and finished IMLOU training LSD, long slow slog type of training. Build a big base, no need for anything hard as it isn't specific to the race. This year I trained, as you call it, reverse periodisation. The "build far on fast" is espoused by the coaches of Endurance Nation www.endurancenation.us, an online training group. Spent 20 weeks building run pace and FTP and strenght. Really didn't do much LSD Z2 type of training. First race, a half marathon at the end of the 20 weeks got me a PR. I've PR'd all my tri's this season. I'll be racing IMAZ in a few weeks, after building the "far" on the "fast" I've been working on this season. We are still doing a lot of intensity at the front end of the bike workouts before the long, steady Z2 IM pace practise. It makes sense to me that if you use 70% of a 350 W ftp engine you'll go faster than if you use 70% of a 250W engine. Kurt
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