# After Specialty

**URL:** <https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/after-specialty/11165>\
**Category:** Training\
**Created:** [February 5, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/after-specialty/11165 "2019-02-05T17:50:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bcrane09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a698b9/32.png) [@Bcrane09](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Bcrane09)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/after-specialty/11165/1 "2019-02-05T17:50:45Z")

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So I am about to finish the Olympic XC specialty phase (low volume). I started with the general build phase (also low volume). I believe I had a pretty solid base before starting this structured training so I went right to the build phase. Things went well, FTP 258 to 290 at 170 lbs. It looks like the suggested next step is perhaps a couple weeks off then back to sweet spot base. The problem is I find sweet spot pretty boring and hard to gather the motivation to grind through those particular workouts. Any plan I choose will be low volume to allow for outside riding on off days to keep me sane. I feel like I can sustain a higher TSS than the low volume plans ask for so the addition of outside riding hasn’t ruined me for training days.

I feel like I could go straight into another build phase after this specialty. Is that a bad idea?

I race throughout the spring/summer. I change race week training to fit with weekend races. I do not really have a target A race in mind, just trying to push the fitness as much as possible. While I am looking for future gains I understanding that race reason is quickly approaching. Is the better next step after this specialty going to be back to a base program of back to a build phase.

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**Author:** ![larry](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/larry/32/12653_2.png) [@larry](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/larry)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 7:38pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/after-specialty/11165/2 "2019-02-05T19:38:25Z")

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Hey there! You’ve already made awesome gains, congratulations!

I wouldn’t say you _have_ to go back to Base, in fact, my first recommendation would be to repeat Build\>Specialty throughout your season. This is the most exciting approach (I understand where you’re coming from on the Base workouts), but it’s also a great way to continue pushing your fitness up.

Check out this article in our Help Center for a bit more info on repeating the Build phase:

> **[Re-build, Off-season, or Maintenance for Your Fastest Season](https://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001766351-Re-build-Off-season-or-Maintenance-for-Your-Fastest-Season)**
>
> Getting faster isn’t confined to training within the typical Base, Build, and Specialty training phases. You have other options to continue your quest for speed after a typical training season.
> Onc...