They are good plans. I really like that they emphasize long rides on the weekend. They definitely improved my time to exhaustion when it comes to SS.
My biggest complaint, and the reason I stick with TR is FasCat’s whole “Just follow the plan” motto. Whenever you need to make a modification, they make you feel guilty about it, and it bakes in an excuse when things don’t go perfectly. “Well, you didn’t follow the plan”. I LOVE TR AT and the fact that I can move workouts, change them, mix in a mtb ride or a fondo, and the plan will adapt. It’s the reason I’m so anxious for outdoor workouts to be included.
Now, if you pay them for a coach who then works with you on those modifications, I’m sure it’s a far better “full” service and probably produces great results…but then you’re spending a lot more than you would with TR.
That’s kinda funny, on the podcast Nate has looked at peeps calendar and called out for not following the plan. Peeps on this forum made me feel far more guilty about not following TR plans to the letter. I’ve written more than once reminding that Coach Chad said the plans were made to be modified.
After AT was released you see that attitude has changed. But I still see posts saying if you didn’t get expected results from TR it’s your fault for choosing the wrong volume or not following the plan. I think Erg and indoor workouts has caused more than a few to obsess over small details and miss the big picture.
FWIW I never got the must follow vibe from CTS/Strava plans or FasCat plans or Velocious plans. Coach Jake has “freestyling workouts in Zwift” as preferred way to do indoor workouts on this podcast Using Zwift to FtFP – FasCat Coaching and if you buy a plan that’s too much or too little work they will swap plans. I’ve also heard FasCat say cut 1/3 volume if doing indoors. Follow the f’ing plan is a philosophy, not a mandate.
I used their SS base plan last year. It was pretty great and I really liked the longer rides on the weekend with a few SS blocks thrown in. It was a good change from the TR weekend rides that are like 2 hours with 7x10SS. These were more like 3hr ride with 2x20 thrown in where ever it makes sense. They were pretty similar to what my current coach gave me through the base phase. Even doing just the MV plans with extra Z2 from TR was just too much intensity for too long. No one block was too much but over 15+ weeks it became too much. These are better structured for that higher volume (9-13hr).
When I used to listen to the podcast I definitely remember him saying that sort of thing a lot. I bet it’s skewed by the fact that they probably get a ton of feedback like “your plan didn’t work for me, I was soo tired all the time”. Then they look at that person’s rides and they did 3 group rides every single week and just through the workouts in around them.
I never got that vibe anywhere in the plans themselves and I never reached out to Fascat myself but on the podcast they definitely said that a lot.
On another positive note, I should also add that $50 for a 16 week plan is a steal. If you’re thinking about trying one, you can’t really go wrong. Plus, you keep the plan forever, so you always have those workouts available to you.
The TR podcast definitely reminds people that they still need to deal with life getting in the way, illness, workouts that maybe are too intense some days and it’s okay to lower the intensity, push workouts out a day. They had the podcast discussing how important consistency is but they certainly discussed that doesn’t mean just burying yourself. A plan is nice to follow but you have to be realistic and not necessarily follow a plan blindly.
The FasCat plans are great. Currently working through the new 16 week SS base and already saw a 10W boost to my FTP halfway through. The plans are certainly more rigid than TR but as long as you stick to the basic goal each week, you’ll get a lot out of them. I feel like the weekend rides are a little too long for me and my schedule but I’ve already accepted the fact that I wouldn’t be able to follow the plan 100%, no matter what the coaches say about that. 50% off is a steal!
Yeah, there’s a balance to be struck. Some people come to TR (or other training plan) and are unwilling to give up their 3 group rides every week and then are surprised when they add 3 more intense training days and they didn’t get any faster. Or they exchange 2 of the 3 intervals days for noodley group rides. Those types of changes are not going to get you the expected results.
But people making intelligent changes because they tried the stock and then adjusted to better fit them while still staying within the intended constraints of the plan should be encouraged.
To clarify, we make tools and resources (in the form of in-app features as well) to facilitate this! Features like Workout Alternates and TrainNow are meant to empower athletes to make informed decisions on how they can alter their plan and make changes. Its great that athletes utilize it so well!
Welcome change, I listened to part of that discussion yesterday. Coach Chad always said the plans were malleable, but that is just one voice. When AT launched I heard the podcast crew still saying follow the plan, with some color commentary to the effect “if you had a coach, you would follow the plan” although it might have been in reference to reduced intensity & TSS of the Feb 2021 updated TR plans. I dunno. A year ago it was good to see TR ease off the intensity, next step is for TR to embrace that endurance at 8+ hours (TR HV) is a first principle and not an afterthought. And I’m always quick to say that TR has that principle baked into the TR Full Distance Triathlon base plan. TR has certainly stepped up their game, kudos to AT and alternatives and TrainNow!
I’m looking at generic off-the-shelf plans on the basis of a) 8-12 hours/week, b) adaptability, and c) focus on riding outside. I’ve done CTS/Strava and FasCat plans, modified to fit my needs, and they work well as a basic template. The full season Velocious plan looks a little more challenging, and I’ve used concepts from it but not the whole plan. Velocious BaseCamp looks really really interesting to my eyes. CTS has an interesting $25/month option. I’m on the mailing list for all three.
Competitive Cyclist 20% one full priced item (GIRO20).
Pactimo one-time use 30% off Friends and Family you need to PM me as its a ‘don’t post’ code (I’m an ambassador, probably because of the 12 winter/summer bibs hanging in the closet LOL).
Planet Cyclery 30% off Saris trainers and 20% off apparel.
You can find good last years/older stock on ebay or facebook marketplace. On Ebay I got a new Verge aero jersey for $15 and it feels great. The one caveat with many of these is optimally you need to know your size/fit with many sales (but not all) being final. Of course seller rep, caveats, etc… in play.
For new - Le Col has great customer service and can be cheaper with discounts.
End of year is a bonanza of good deals FWIW. I got a bunch of new Velocio and Le Col jerseys for $50-60. If you can find a minimum acceptable solution until then , you can save a ton of money.
also: embrace the smaller size
I wear all my T-shirts in Large for a casual, normal fit, but wear all my cycling jerseys in Medium… and no they don’t look too small, mostly tends to avoid the bunching up just above the stomach when assuming the cycling position…
