Just wanted to get some second opinions. I have a vacation planned for a week and a half after the end of a 3 month MTB XCO training plan.
(Conservative option, most likely the correct option) Should I do the rest week as planned and just build a new training plan for the summer, which will probably just slot in a week and a half of training.
(Aggressive Option) Skip the recovery week, go rogue and just follow the pattern of the previous weeks of training for that week and a half. (I should say, I’ve tried this in the past with varying degrees of success, haha.)
Tacking on an additional 2.5 weeks of hard training to the end of your plan likely won’t be super productive. You’ll be ready for a rest week, so I’d take it!
Also, then you can enjoy your vacation without being overly fatigued.
Just to play devil’s advocate, remember when TR had 5 week training blocks with a week of recovery. This would be similar to that, maybe just a bit extended.
I’ll tack on another week at the end of block to push a little more stress sometimes, but you just have to be smart about it. Particularly if you are flying at the start of your vacation. Getting on an airplane with an immune system compromised by a huge training load is a good way to end up being sick on your vacation.
If you are already seeing signs of being cooked after 3 weeks (sleep, being grumpy, etc.), then don’t push on for another week.
I’ll consider backing down a bit during that 3rd week if I’m adding a 4th. Again, you don’t want to be cooked at the start of that last week.
The other factor is the nature of the vacation. Sitting around on the beach is different than 15 mile hikes every day. Disneyworld could be tougher than most training weeks.
It also matters what you are training for. If trying to maximize fitness for the biggest event of the year coming up after vacation, I’d be more likely to add the extra week. If you don’t have any huge event coming up, just take the easy week and enjoy your vacation.
Take your recovery week - then adhoc the 10 or so days before your vacation. Either repeat the workouts from the last week or two of your training plan (with the new FTP!) and/or add in maybe a bit of something that you have been missing out on maybe some ON/OFF 30/30 vo2max… maybe some hard start sweetspot intervals or endurance ride with sprints! Or even a fun challenge - maybe try to set a PR on sweetspot interval duration? Like maybe longest youve done is 3x20… try 3x25 or a steady hour?! etc.
Then have the vacation “sort of recovery” and then come back strong after with a new plan!
Good for me to hear different view points. Here is what I’m thinking:
Finish this training block as prescribed by AI. See how I feel. To be honest, I’ll probably be cooked and need recovery week. Take the recovery week.
Then after recovery week and FTP detect, go HAM on the PL increases for that week and a half. Maybe double stack intensity that half week.
Use the vacation as recovery as best as I can, quantity not quality, meaning the days won’t be restful but there is a lot of days before the next workout.
The week back from vacation, ease into next workout block (ie ramp up with endurance for a few days. I’ve had knee pain if I dive right into intensity after time off).
