Balancing Fun and Outdoors and/or Epic Rides with Structured Training

Getting back to the OP, I build fun rides into my schedule. Seems a little weird to say that I schedule fun, but it is how I balance structure / training (which I do enjoy, just differently) and doing the outside riding I enjoy.

I do a low volume plan and do the rides, depending on the phase, on Tues → Thurs, Tues/Wed/Fri or Tues/Thurs/optional Fri. The two other weekdays I do recovery rides. Weekends are free to do whatever. If I’m at home and the weather is good, that is 3-4hrs z2 on Saturday and 2-3hrs z2 on Sunday. If the weather is bad I might do the same in zwift or do some free rides and group rides or races.

In October and early November I will be making some day trips to ride in the mountains. I also want to do some mountain bike rides on local trails. I’ll probably ride on the trainer for a bit before or after to keep my time around the desired level. Its all in the schedule so I can have fun and not feel like I’m going off plan.

I wouldn’t call TR (or indoor cycling) a simulation. It’s a training tool for cycling and to get fit and fast (can be done indoor and outdoor).

I guess talking down indoor cycling is just barking at the wrong tree in a forum that is specialized on structured indoor training (with the great recently added ability to do the workouts outdoors).

I wouldn’t call 2 weeks an training plan. You did some workouts. A training plan ideally stretches over several months with a base, build and specialty phase.

Nothing wrong with not doing that, just riding around or doing some ‘semi structured rides’ outdoors. It’s just not the most efficient way of training - and that is what a lot of people in this forum are looking for. A structured training plan backed by science to make you faster in the most efficient way. It’s not about riding hard all the time, it’s about training smart. Just doing threshold rides isn’t really getting the most out of it. Which is fine - I guess the training you do depends on the goals you have.

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I don’t race either, I ride 2-4 hour MTB on a weekend. I “follow” a TR plan with LV scheduled during the week but life gets in the way. If its good weather and I have time then I will ride outside instead of doing the TR workout. I still test when its scheduled and do the prescribed workout when the weather is less clement and I get a chance.

I still see good gains. I’m currently at my best FTP to date and have hardly touched TR this year :flushed: :smiley:

Edit: To iterate my actual point in my reply; its all about the fun. I want to ride MTB and road outside when possible. I want to be fitter and faster but not at any sacrifice to my outdoor riding. TR is providing that :slight_smile:

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