Another question about adding volume

Hi everyone,

This is my second season of using Trainerroad. Last spring I followed LV SSB, General Build and Century before doing a 6 hr mountain bike event in April and a 6 hour road/gravel event in May. Typically I would do the Tuesday and Thursday workouts and then substitute the Saturday ride for a long outdoors ride…sometimes I’d deviate and do both the Saturday workout and the outdoor ride, too.

Jumping forward to this season; I was following the same LV plan (except for doing Sustained Build instead of General) for the same two events, but now that the MTB event was cancelled, the road/gravel event was pushed to November and I’m working from home due to COVID-19, I have a bit more time available. My ultimate goal is to finish a longer 10-11 hr road/gravel event (before the sun goes down) next May so I was thinking of adding a bit of volume without jumping to the commitment of a mid volume plan. Would it be too much stress to add an hour endurance ride like petit on Wednesday, and then still do the planned Saturday workout along with a long outdoor ride on Sunday? Any better ideas?

Thanks!

Cool, thanks for the input. To clarify on the lack of commitment to the MV plan; I’d like to try MV but I know something will come up occasionally to derail 5 days on the bike every week. Plus, I need to get outside! Might as well give it a shot and see how it goes and cut if needed.

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I would keep the 2 TR workouts and maybe do the +1 versions or add endurance. Also maybe lengthen the weekend outdoor ride or add another outdoor ride. If you have the time adding another longer zone 2 outdoor ride will help more than adding Petit midweek. Petit is just a TSS filler for some of the higher volume plans and doesn’t really add that much training benefit - another outdoor ride will ……time constraints permitting of course.

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I made the jump from LV to MV. I also had a pretty good idea the impact it would have on me based on the years of training – and lack of swimming right now.

My suggestion for you: Keep the LV plan. Add Petit on Wed. See how you feel. Add the longer ride on Sunday. See how you feel. This keeps your compliance rate very very high - and you can cut the additional if you feel too tired.

Compliance is what counts. Don’t set yourself up for failure "I skipped that one, I am still tired so I will skip this one … " and so forth.

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Thank you for suggesting the +1 version…hadn’t thought of that.

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Thank you for the input! Definitely agree on the compliance. I know I’d feel better starting low and adding work rather than starting with MV and cutting out work.