Last year (2024), my FTP was 300W. Although it wasn’t as high as I hoped (my peak was 311W at 70kg in 2020), I was able to complete 200 km brevets and participate in Wednesday nighters throughout the spring and summer. However, by mid-summer, I stopped structured training and shifted to just riding. My interest in running and other sports picked up during late summer and fall, which resulted in reduced cycling volume. My FTP declined, and I’m now back to 269W, where I was at the start of the 2024 season. My TrainerRoad account name is yajs, by the way.
I’ve been structured training with TrainerRoad for a few years now and love it! That said, I sometimes lose motivation, leading to breaks from structure. This season, I’ve found a better approach by mixing in other aerobic activities like running, hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing.
In the past, I’ve experienced mental burnout by mid-to-late fall, as I was only cycling indoors and outdoors. This season, I avoided that by incorporating other activities alongside cycling. While I was forced to take some time off after spraining my right leg while hiking, this approach has kept me refreshed.
Currently, I’m training to increase my FTP and have set up my plan in Plan Builder. My goal is to exceed last year’s FTP. With winter here, I want to avoid overloading myself with cycling to prevent burnout. I’m comfortably maintaining 7-8 hours of activity per week, with 3-5 hours on the bike and the rest spent running, hiking, snowshoeing, and skiing. I just completed my first Base block, with my FTP increasing from 269 to 274. I’ve been completing the three prescribed workouts weekly without issue and enjoy this approach! I have a few questions:
I plan to focus on cross-country skiing, running, walking, snowshoeing, and hiking this winter in addition to completing the three prescribed workouts in my plan. I also plan to take a week off from structured training for a skiing and hiking trip. While this won’t be a vacation for relaxation, as I’ll replace cycling with other aerobic activities, I’m concerned about how much FTP I might lose during this time. How significant could the decline in bike fitness be, and is this a negative thing?
I haven’t finalized my event calendar yet, as dates likely won’t be confirmed until late January or mid-February. My main focus is long-distance riding (randonneuring), but I’d also like to participate in Wednesday nighters, races, and grand fondos.
I haven’t started long rides yet, as I want to avoid early burnout. I plan to incorporate them during the Build phase in March, aligning with more daylight for outdoor Zone 2 rides.
For now, I’m maintaining a weekly volume of 6-8 hours, focusing on three structured workouts while mixing in other activities. I plan to start steady long zone 2 rides later in the Build phase. Does this timeline make sense? While there are Zwift events that offer long endurance rides, I do not want to do too much too soon.
I also plan to avoid traveling with my bike or trainer during winter trips to maintain versatility. Do you think this approach will still prepare me effectively for the season?
Looking forward to your feedback on how best to approach my winter training while balancing versatility with steady progress.
Honestly, your approach sounds fine. There is always going to be some trade off in your cycling fitness when prioritizing other activities, but sounds like the balance your are striving for is best for you. Impossible to say how much FTP you will forgo, but when subbing out other aerobic sports, this is your second best option versus doing nothing. Not sure that you said, but I would be subbing out the zone 2 work for your other workouts. And make sure you are getting in some intensity in your cycling workouts.
One other strategy you might employ to avoid burnout is to take a break or two throughout the season. If you are training year round, a one week break in late spring and again late summer/early fall might not only help avoid burnout, but some say it even helps their fitness as they body gets some well deserved rest. Good luck!
Thanks for your response! Yes, balance is something I’m really striving for because the season is long, and I don’t want to burn out by mid-summer when events and group rides are in full swing—it happened to me this year.
Living in the core city area adds to the challenge, as getting out to quiet roads requires riding in traffic for 20-25 minutes. Over time, that started to feel like a grind. After work, navigating traffic adds an extra cognitive load that tires me out faster.
I’m not aiming to be the fastest cyclist in a group, but I do want to be fast enough to maintain a decent pace, keep up with faster riders, and handle rolling terrain comfortably. Just to clarify: once spring comes and I’m in my build phase, I am already doing three intense workouts per week as part of my plan. On top of that, I’ll add easy Zone 2 long rides. I feel my TR plan provides enough intensity, and even going slightly harder or longer than usual on a hike or run often gives me a red day on the calendar the next day.
I agree that a mid-season break is a great strategy! Doing long rides every weekend on top of structured training definitely takes a toll both mentally and physically.
Raise your FTP to the highest it’s ever been (which was in 2020)
Do lots of different kinds of exercise to avoid burnout. This is causing you to only ride for 3-5 hours per week.
I think if you want to achieve goal #2, which is perfectly reasonable, you have to admit you’re not truly focused on goal #1, and possibly setting yourself up for failure. I get that life has its constraints, but I prefer to be honest with myself and set more achievable goals to work toward. Working toward a goal that in the back of my mind I fear I can’t achieve isn’t productive for me.
This isn’t abnormal if you’ve been doing structured training and racing all year. This happens to many/most to include pros and in some part unavoidable if you’ve been pushing it hard.
What’s helped me was after my “A” race in summer (June/July) I take a mid season break. Then, for the remainder of the race season I reduce my volume. Also, I’ve found I burnout from intensity, not so much volume. So I also reduce the amount of intensity days I do per week later in the season.
Come fall, I’m still ready for the racing and structured training to end, but I ensure I have a race/event/goal I’m excited about to finish out the season. If you’re constantly worried about your training now in hopes of keeping your mental health 9+ months from now, it’s going to be difficult for you to reach your goals. If you have big goals you’ll need to put in the ground work, which happens over winter. That being said, don’t sweat the small stuff now. Just get in the workouts and focus on consistency. There are no special workouts or intervals at this point.
Personally, I’d stop worrying about cycling fitness during the off-season and focus on enjoying the present instead.
If you have a long cycling season and are on the edge of burnout, worrying about your FTP for the entirety of your off-season isn’t going to do you any favors.
Activities like skiing, and running are totally acceptable forms of training stress/cross-training. Some of the fittest people in the world are runners and skiers (ask Kilian or Remi) and they both use skiing in the winter months to maintain fitness. I’d focus on enjoying yourself and keeping up consistent movement. Don’t worry too much about intensity.
Everyone takes an off-season, and if you have a long and busy cycling season, you’ll need a break more than most. Take this time to step away to revitalize your love of the bike while focusing on other loves. Since you’re going to be active this period is almost more of a base phase than a true off-season anyway…
You have a solid fitness base and any drop in your FTP (this is normal during base training) will come back when you return to structured training on the bike fresh and hungry to get after it.
Just to add some more clarity: I will only be taking some time off structured training during the base phase and there are no expected disruptions during the build and specialty phases.
I understand that there may be some trade offs with fitness in the short term, which I am totally okay with. However, I notice that there are several cyclists who are just as fast as me or even more faster despite doing a lot of cross training (skiing, ice skating and running) and less cycling during the winter. What could possibly explain this? I do know a few of them in my wed nighters.
For instance, there is this one guy in my local wed nighter club. I may not really know if he is actually doing some interval training on his bike during the winter, but I am just telling based on his strava activities.
He lives ~5 km away from work so in the winter he walks to work as part of his commute. The return is also 5 km so he walks ~10 km per day for 5 days per week.
He also skis (depending on the snow availability) and skates during the winter.
Occasionally does some riding when the weather is good but will not touch the bike until spring.
Yet this guy in the summer is pushing 350+W on hills. I have ridden with him a lot and I am estimating his FTP to be around 4.5w/kg.
another rider who is a physician during the winter:
skis (when the snow allows)
runs
Rides his bike 1-3x per week. Sometimes does some random zwift workouts.
and skates
He is faster than me as well. Another great rider in our local wed nighter series.
So I am beginning to wonder how this is possible. I am genuinely curious as to how one can improve their cycling fitness by doing all these activities. These two individuals are some of the fastest riders in our wed nighter rides. They take long turns in the front and pull the group at 36-40kph!
Again, skate skiing and running are great forms of aerobic exercise. Athletes who spend their time over the winter doing these activities might not lose any fitness at all. It’s totally possible.
I would try your best not to compare yourself to others too much if you can. I know the feeling of getting dropped in certain parts of rides. I’ve been lucky enough to pretty much always hover between 4-4.5 w/kg, but there are some really big dudes around here that have a similar or lower w/kg with a 350+ watt FTP which is almost 20% higher than mine. We both have our strengths.
Unfortunately for me, mine doesn’t shine quite as often here in northern Wisconsin, but I know enough not to try and compare myself to others in a lot of those situations.
I’d maybe set a goal for yourself and work towards it. Something that you can monitor your progress with (not “don’t get dropped”) and chip away at it. Focus on your training, consistency, nutrition, recovery, or whatever it is that excites you.
For 99.99% of the people in this world, there will always be someone who is “faster” and that’s okay. Just know that it’s not always fun simply being the fastest one… It’s nice to be challenged and have a carrot hanging in front if you want it. If you learn to love the process/experience just as much or more than the others, then you’re the winner in the end.
