Self Coaching Basic Law #012...Add Vol or Intensity, But Not Both
Halfway thru the OS. Much farther along and better off that I was last year in my first OS.
About 4 more weeks til I transition to a HIM plan.
Been in the Pain Cave about 98% of the time since Jan 2nd.
Spring is here and I want to get my outdoor legs warmed up. I'll be moving some of my Saturday bike wko's to the roads, and the Sunday ABP rides are right around the corner.
Lots of rollers and spring gusts around here.
Was thinking about addind 1-2 short (45min to an hour) easier rides during the week now that it's getting warmer and more daylight. Getting PLENTY of intensity with the OS so I don't feel like I'm cramming for the HIM plan coming up. Do you think I would be sabotaging my efforts if I add 2 hours per week of easier riding just get the feel of the terrain back? Of course, no chance that I would put this extra ride in place of family or work, just based on a couple of afternoons that might be open.
I admit that this is more to get the legs awake for the hammerheads that are revving their engines down the block.
BTW, once spring gets here, I plan on getting the focus intervals for the main sets done in the cave and then hitting the roads for the group ride and the 'remainder of the ride' part of the workout, but maybe that's a little off topic here....
Anyways, adding a little volume with minimal increase in intensity (note: hills) seems safe as long as the OS execution doesn't suffer, based on what I've picked up around here.
Yea or Nay?
Comments
I recommend you add time to existing rides rather than add another ride(s). In my experience, you can add a 4th ride to our schedules but you need to be careful with it. 5x isn't going to happen. As long as you keep that 4th ride to Z1-3 you'll be Ok but pay attention to how _that_ ride affects everything else.
IOW, it takes very little adding stuff to throw everything else out of whack. Just be smart.
I get what you're saying. Will stay very conservative and careful with this. I've done better sticking to the schedule this year and I hope it shows down the road. So, the last thing I want to do is start sabotaging this OS.
This isn't a hack, just slipping a very Ez 45-60', maybe on Wed afternoons if the opportunity arises. And probably solo stuff so that I don't get caught up in a couple of buddies half wheeling each other up these hills.
Note: have already adjusted this to one extra Ez spin based on u'r concern.
Thx for the feedback @Mike and @Rich
I know that Rich can't ride .7 outside of an IM without feeling like he's wasting his time! :-)
Seriously, though, I'm not too sold on the benefit of adding a small amount of Z2 time. Z2 time is an effective stimulus, if you do a lot of it. Otherwise, you're kinda just noodling around for 45 minutes. Just a thought.
Yeah, I can back up Mike's thoughts. In my experience:
In short, I have a lot of experience with taking our EN plans and adding both cycling and running volume to them, because I have the lifestyle resources to do so. I've also experimented with cycling only blocks for a long time. I've learned that you definitely reach diminishing gains and being to see a lot of friction with other workouts when you add a fourth bike, when you add volume greater than X to existing rides, etc. More often than not it's usually better to just NOT do more, go harder instead, and recover from those efforts....with the exception of running frequency. In my experience, adding running frequency is a much greater ROI than adding cycling volume.
I saw this title and it made me think of something that they used to say in the late 80s when I lived in NY and ran in the classes in the NYRRC in prep for the NY Marathon. (I was a total beginner runner.) It was something like - "Run with one "stress" per day, and no more than one. Distance, speed, temperature, hills all count as stressors." In other words, go with volume or intensity, but not both. :-)
When I read the original post, my first thought was about all the bike commuting I did from 1996-2010. My route to work was 40-45 minutes each way. I never approached that cycling as structured training. Dark of night, rain, traffic, temperature, and clothing choices were more the issue. But it turned out to be a good adjunct to real training, giving me butt on the saddle time and helping me learn how to be a better and more confident bike handler.
My point is, not all physical activity needs to be thought of as "training". Sometimes it's just fun. Did it help me be a better triathlete? Sure, but in ways that are much harder to quantify than one hour on the trainer doing 3 x 15' (4') @ 98% of FTP.
To Chris, I'd say: It sounds like you just want to get outside and ride. Go do that. But as others have said, in the OS, stay away from ADDING hammering group rides to the 3 hard rides you already do each week. From my experience, doing 4-6 45 minute rides a week as a bike commute (2-3 days/week of bike commuting) probably cost me one harder "real" training ride a week. I would usually do a semi-structured group ride on Saturday morning, and a hard 1-1.5 session on the trainer mid-week. But I got lots of other benefits, both lifestyle and training from the higher volume lower intensity biking.
Goals:
Some body comp stuff and get the hills/wind 'feel' back.
There will be a time for 'winning' the sprint to the sign, but that is not what this is about. More about easing into the Lion's Den (wind & hills).
Ironically, I am thinking about prepping my 29er for commuting. That adds about 16 miles. But, as Al said, I am not looking to add training time. I just like riding vs driving. It's still fun to ride a bike! Not sure if I'll do this cuz of the concerns that we've been discussing.
The scientific answer? Dunno
. For me personally, about 25-35'. My go to session for running frequency is:
And please show me the ST thread. I've been ST-free for several weeks and feel much cleaner for it...