The clocks have changed and we have lighter evenings now so post work rides are now on and I’m so happy it’s lighter now! My mental health definitely likes sunshine.
Since my plan was built in the midst of winter I’m all set up for post work turbos. Last night I went out for a gentle roll so changed the session to an outside group ride.
A question for the TR crew which is preferable for the system: modify the plan to have the regular Wed/Tue sessions and use Train Now if I can’t make it or leave the plan as is and change the existing workout to Outside when I go?
I prefer at this time of year to change the workout to ‘Outside’ and do it there. I have Wed’s & Thurs as my two HIIT days and let my two commutes be my endurance day (Scheduled outside rides). On weeks like this one though I’ll try and do Wednesday’s threshold session on a Tuesday, TN on a Wednesday and th Schededuled Thursday SS workout. I quite often do the Threshold WO inside but last night I took it outside
My scheduled group rides are at the weekend and on the odd occasion when they haven’t happened I’ve fired up TN. If I had a weekday group ride I would try my best to schedule my two HIITT workouts around it and use TN if they don’t happen which almost inevitably for me will recommend and endurance session. If the weather is good I’ll take the TN session outdoors.
Yaaay for more sunshine and vitamin D! I relate to this SO much—nothing beats that post-work ride in the sun
If your goal is to maximize progress and get faster, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
1. Prioritize Your Key Workouts
Where possible, get your harder, key interval workouts done—whether indoors or outdoors. If riding outside is better for your headspace (and the weather’s calling your name), go for it! Just keep in mind that these key interval workouts are what really move the needle for your fitness. if you’re not confident you’ll be able to hit the prescribed targets outside, you might consider moving that workout to another day where you can really nail it.
Where possible, try to match the structure and intensity of the scheduled workout when taking it outside. You can easily toggle any workout in your calendar to “Outside” and sync it to your head unit for a structured ride outdoors.
2. Match Effort When Swapping for Unstructured Rides
As @HLaB mentioned, endurance workouts are a great opportunity to ride outside more casually. Hitting the intention of those rides is usually more flexible compared to structured intervals.
If you’re replacing a workout with a group or solo ride, just try to keep the overall effort aligned with the original intent. For example, if you’ve got an easy endurance ride scheduled, keep it chill—even if the sun and good vibes make it tempting to push harder. That way, you’re recovering properly and setting yourself up to crush the next key session.
What matters is the work you actually do. I suggest you set up your calendar in a way that allows you to consistently hit those key workouts as much as possible- whether it’s inside or outside :).
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any questions!
Pity, but I know what you mean. Unless its perfect weather, as it is now thankfully, I won’t take anything above endurance outside and keep the focussed structure stuff for inside. I’ll take endurance sessions into the short sharp hills here but I don’t fancy anything more intense for downhills there. Fortunately though, I can plan routes to avoid them and will do SS and occasionally threshold stuff (weather permitting) there.
Thanks for the advice. I decided to remove the Wed/Sat outside rides as they’re just to erratic to be productive training. The Tuesday will stay as an indoor session, but if I get outside for a chaingang so be it! Back to a 4-day calendar, but with more mentally planned.
It might make sense scheduling them when outside random rides feed into levels but for now it’s all sunny and shiny!
I’ll try and do Wednesday’s threshold session on a Tuesday, TN on a Wednesday and th Schededuled Thursday SS workout. I quite often do the Threshold WO inside but last night I took it outside 
Yaaay for more sunshine and vitamin D! I relate to this SO much—nothing beats that post-work ride in the sun 
. Sounds like you know what you’re doing 
. Have fun in the sun! 