Road Bike Racing - For cyclists who train with intensity year round...

I've finished planning my racing schedule for the 08' season. Now, I'm working on my annual training plan. I am currently planning 600 annual training hours. After looking at the cyclists training bible (pg. 112), I see there are 3 base phases and 2 build phases. In the third base phase, I peak at 18 hours per week. In the second build phase, I peak at 15.5 hours per week. If I understand it correctly, as I move from base phase to build phase, I begin to incorporate more intensity while reducing volume. As a cyclist who includes intensity year round, what is the difference between base and build phases? In base, I plan to include three or four high quality workouts per week. When I transition to build, will I include more intensity?

I plan to include three or four high quality workouts per week.
When you say "high quality" what do you mean? If you are to follow the bible as a bible, you will hav elots of hours, but not as much intensity during the base phase. as you progress into build, you will have much more time invested in high intensity workouts. While I believe it is good to have some high intensity during base, if you meant 3-4 high intensity workouts during base, then you would be looking at either a) high intensity daily during the build phases, or b) not appropriately following the idea of periodization. Personally, I hope by high quality you mean focused workouts, not high intensity. That would be too much (in my opinion) intensity for build.

I'm not really following the bible as a bible. I'm using it as a reference in combination with other sources to plan my schedule.

What I meant to say, is that if I include intensity throughout base (i.e., 3 to 4 structured high intensity interval workouts); it logically follows that in build, I would include more (i.e., daily) high intensity workouts. However, I'm not sure I can handle that workload. If I don't include more intensity in the build phase then my build and base phases become the same phase, which as you say isn't periodization. Does that make sense? Perhaps, I need to reduce the intensity workload in the base phase so that I can handle the higher intensity workload in the build phase.

However, I don't entirely prescribe to traditional LSD during base. I'm currently making steady improvements while doing 3 to 4 high intensity workouts per week in base. If I cut the high intensity workouts back, I might lose my current progress. When you say "some high intensity during base", how much high intensity do you include during base? Thanks for your help.

I can find the research somewhere if I am not lazy, but I believe that only one high intensity workout per week is necessary to maintain fitness according to a recent study. If you believe studies. For me, I will do 1-2 per week, but while they have some intensity, they are still not INTENSE if you know what I mean. Just person preference.

Don't for get, periodization is like a rubber band, or a springboard, the further you stretch the band in one direction, the further it flies in the other. Thus, it is important NOT to keep the engine revving high all year round to get an exceptionally high peak.

You aren’t going to follow his periodization plan anyways so just ignore the phases. You can still incorporate microcycles (eg 1 day off/week) and mesocycles (eg 1 easy week/month) while following the tenant of progressive overload.

You obviously know the best way to overload your body so go at it. If you have doubts most tend to follow this general preseason trend. First overload via volume, reaching a large value; secondly, overload via a mixture of intensity and volume. Finally, overload with low volume and very high intensity. Furthermore, race specificity generally trends from low to high.

I'm not really following the bible as a bible. I'm using it as a reference in combination with other sources to plan my schedule.

What I meant to say, is that if I include intensity throughout base (i.e., 3 to 4 structured high intensity interval workouts); it logically follows that in build, I would include more (i.e., daily) high intensity workouts. However, I'm not sure I can handle that workload. If I don't include more intensity in the build phase then my build and base phases become the same phase, which as you say isn't periodization. Does that make sense? Perhaps, I need to reduce the intensity workload in the base phase so that I can handle the higher intensity workload in the build phase.

However, I don't entirely prescribe to traditional LSD during base. I'm currently making steady improvements while doing 3 to 4 high intensity workouts per week in base. If I cut the high intensity workouts back, I might lose my current progress. When you say "some high intensity during base", how much high intensity do you include during base? Thanks for your help.

If you are doing 3-4 "high intensity interval workouts" per week, you are not doing the Base phase as per Friel. At that rate, you will peak and be tired waaay too early in the year.

I've recently made an adjustment to my schedule that has made a significant difference, I can get the high intensity structured sessions into my base training with better recovery. I reduced my high intensity training to two sessions per week. I combined the workouts that would normally be in two sessions into one long high intensity day. It looks like:

Monday: 4 hours zone 2/3
Tuesday: 2 hours zone 2/3
Wednesday: 3 x 10mins in zone 4/5 with 2min RI, 2 x 20min in zone 4 with 5min RI, and 1 x 30min in zone 4 with bursts into zone 5 (2.5hours or so)
Thursday: 1 hour zone 2
Friday: 5 x 5min in zone 5/6 and 4 x 30sec with 4min RI with extra time in zone 2 (by far the hardest day)
Saturday: 3 hours zone 2
Sunday: 2 hours zone 3
Total: about 15 hours.

As I move from base training to build, I should be able to handle more high intensity. It's a bit of a departure from my original plan. However, it should be better long term. I finished my first week following the aforementioned schedule; so far, I'm feeling well rested.

I'm not sure it's wise to go into Wednesday already having 12 hours in your legs without a pure rest day. I wouldn't expect quality L4/5 work for 100 minutes - that's me though, YMMV.

How many hours did you put in last year?

How many hours did you put in last year?

For comparison (I know the question wasn't directed at me :p ) I did 570hrs including big chunks of off time for an ACL surgery, and an ACL tear. Adjusted for those unhappy times, I'd have come out around 650ish. At that level of volume, I say again - Wednesday is too much with too little recovery before...

I put in close to 600 hours last year. My peak volume was in April. This year, I want my peak volume to be in March. I can understand it looks like Wednesday is too much with too little recovery; however, it seems to work. I have noticed I need to sleep alot more (10 to 11 hours). I also have to pay exceptional attention to detail in recovery (i.e., drinking enough fluids, proper food throughout the workout...etc). Last year, I would start each workout with the mindset that I needed to consume enough to get through that particular workout. Now, I look to what I have to do to get through each workout as well as recovered for the following workout. I'm starting to learn that full rest days are a blunt tool; if you watch yourself carefully and pay attention to detail, one can train at much higher volumes and intensities.

To be honest, it's a bit of an experiment. You could be right, I may have to make further adjustments to my schedule. The danger is that it's difficult to notice the accumilated fatigue until I get two or three months into a particular schedule.

I put in close to 600 hours last year. My peak volume was in April. This year, I want my peak volume to be in March. I can understand it looks like Wednesday is too much with too little recovery; however, it seems to work. I have noticed I need to sleep alot more (10 to 11 hours). I also have to pay exceptional attention to detail in recovery (i.e., drinking enough fluids, proper food throughout the workout...etc). Last year, I would start each workout with the mindset that I needed to consume enough to get through that particular workout. Now, I look to what I have to do to get through each workout as well as recovered for the following workout. I'm starting to learn that full rest days are a blunt tool; if you watch yourself carefully and pay attention to detail, one can train at much higher volumes and intensities.

To be honest, it's a bit of an experiment. You could be right, I may have to make further adjustments to my schedule. The danger is that it's difficult to notice the accumilated fatigue until I get two or three months into a particular schedule.

I concur...That is the danger.

I've recently made an adjustment to my schedule that has made a significant difference, I can get the high intensity structured sessions into my base training with better recovery. I reduced my high intensity training to two sessions per week. I combined the workouts that would normally be in two sessions into one long high intensity day. It looks like:

Monday: 4 hours zone 2/3
Tuesday: 2 hours zone 2/3
Wednesday: 3 x 10mins in zone 4/5 with 2min RI, 2 x 20min in zone 4 with 5min RI, and 1 x 30min in zone 4 with bursts into zone 5 (2.5hours or so)
Thursday: 1 hour zone 2
Friday: 5 x 5min in zone 5/6 and 4 x 30sec with 4min RI with extra time in zone 2 (by far the hardest day)
Saturday: 3 hours zone 2
Sunday: 2 hours zone 3
Total: about 15 hours.

As I move from base training to build, I should be able to handle more high intensity. It's a bit of a departure from my original plan. However, it should be better long term. I finished my first week following the aforementioned schedule; so far, I'm feeling well rested.

Well rested? I'm tired just reading that. :D

I would also recommend shortening Wednesday. Cut the 3x10min and slightly increase the intensity of the 2x20 in exchange. 10min intervals are kinda dubious, research wise.


Now tell me what you are doing for recovery! You certainly recover faster than me.

Well rested? I'm tired just reading that. :D

I would also recommend shortening Wednesday. Cut the 3x10min and slightly increase the intensity of the 2x20 in exchange. 10min intervals are kinda dubious, research wise.


Now tell me what you are doing for recovery! You certainly recover faster than me.



Would you mind expanding a bit?

thanks,

-Ldesf

...I would also recommend shortening Wednesday. Cut the 3x10min and slightly increase the intensity of the 2x20 in exchange. 10min intervals are kinda dubious, research wise....Now tell me what you are doing for recovery! You certainly recover faster than me.

What do you mean by dubious? In reference to the 3 x 10min. Links to research? I'm interested to read about it.

As far as recovery, I measure/track my food (portion and content). I've also noticed my appetite drops after a few weeks of hard training yet my need for food remains. Therefore, at times, I need to eat depsite not feeling hungry. I also weigh myself before and after every workout to maintain hydration pre and post workout. Most workouts my post weight is within +/- 1 pound. I've also been experimenting with various combinations of drinks during the workout. I'm a big fan of consuming solid food during the long zone 2 workouts in combination with gels.

What do you mean by dubious? In reference to the 3 x 10min. Links to research? I'm interested to read about it.

I'd like to hear as well.

10min intervals (say 1.05-1.1) are the antithesis of SST. You maximize fatigue while minimizing volume. You would almost always be better off doing straight VO2max intervals (1.15) or longer threshold intervals (0.95). I do have a reference on this but I can’t find it now… A Coggan mentioned it somewhere as well maybe he can provide some insight.

However, 10min sessions at 0.95 are great in a SST workout; but I don’t call those 10 min intervals. :D

Here you can see it graphically on this overused approximation…


http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u164/Enthalpic/10minintervals.jpg?t=1200981782