Are the TrainerRoad plans good enough for long 3hr+ races?

Training
65

We are categorized per levels A-Z based on previous race performances. Each group has about 100 people on average.

66

Just wondering how soon will I see improvements beyond the current 1:30. I am having my A race in 2 weeks time and this past weekend I was in another race which I take as my B race, we were 166 at the start pan and I was with the main group until around 1:19 when I couldn’t hang on anymore. So I am now looking at ways I could improve for the same race next year, my target is to be able to stay with the main bunch until the end of the race.

67

I was re-reading this thread and I stared at this way to long before I understood what race you were talking about.

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68

Without more information the only answer I can provide is “increase your FTP”.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, if you’re “hanging on” for 1:19hr you’re clearly riding at/beyond capacity (greater than 1.0IF)while the rest of the group is riding at something less. If you want to make the 90min easier increase your FTP, which drops your IF for the same level of effort. Then instead of simply hanging on for dear life, you’re sitting in putting out tempo effort and will have legs all the way to the end.

Unfortunately it’s no more complicated than that.

69

I get what you say but my question is how long will it take for my FTP to increase to a point where I can finish with my starting group? If I stick to the MV plan will I be able to have the required ftp to stay with the group by next this time?

70

Short answer, no one knows.

  1. There is not enough information about you or the “starting group” to even hazard a guess as to the actual requirements to stay with them.

  2. We don’t have enough info about you to compare to the unknown group above. There are so many variables (your training history for one) that it is practically impossible to predict a limit.

    • TR has said that they feel most people should be able to get to around 4.0 watts/kilogram FTP. But that is very broad and ignores age, history, gender and such.

  3. Your two week window is barely enough to do the work and see really measurable differences. Typically, two weeks is the bare minimum to see any change surface. It is more often to take 4-6 week for real changes to be seen and measurable.

The best thing to do is follow a plan and try your best to execute the workouts and related recovery.

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71

when a company figures this out they are going to make a fortune. as @mcneese.chad said there are far too many variables at play to even forecast future FTP gains, let alone how you do vs. another group of riders (who are likely also trying to improve their own performance).

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