I’ve just finished two blocks of Polarized Base and I’m moving on to Build after Xmas. During Base, I’ve been doing 4-5 hour MTB endurance rides on both Sat and Sun and I’m hoping to keep those rides during build. I was wondering if you could tell me how you’ve arranged your VO2, Threshold, and Sweet Spot days. I understand that what may work for you may not work for me but I’m still curious to hear.
I’m thinking Monday off, Tuesday VO2, Wednesday Sweet Spot, Thursday off, and Friday my Threshold work with my long east days on the weekend. I should preface this with I’m new to structured training but have many years of miles and races in my legs. The Threshold workouts were definitely the hardest for me during Polarized though I did get through them all.
I am on a LV plan but drop the middle workout intensity to an endurance one and usually group rides at the weekend. Although for tomorrow’s ride Ive only got replies from those that cant do it and I don’t fancy cycling solo on icy roads.
Normally it is:
Mon - Off
Tues - High Intensity
Wed - Endurance
Thu - High Intensity
Fri - Off
Sat - Group Road
Sun - Group Gravel
Given its soon to be the holidays that will probably be varied.
Your schedule is roughly what I have done for the last 2-3 years. I did the traditional hard Tues/Thurs but then to have a quality Thurs session would need to reduce Wed to endurance at most and sometimes active recovery. With your schedule I can do a moderately difficult Wed or longer endurance workout on Wed and still have a quality sesh on Friday. I don’t always feel super fresh on Saturday but I do the shorter ‘hard’ workout on Friday and the longer one on Tues and adjusted to the extra fatigue on Sat morning pretty quickly. You can also sneak in an extra volume day if you are trying to increase volume. I don’t do SS on Wed but will do 2-3hrs endurance since my schedule permits it.
If you’re riding 4-5hr both Saturday and Sunday, why are you trying to fit in 3 intensity days in the week?
If I was you, I would take Monday off, and do short vo2 Tuesday, threshold Wednesday, easy endurance Thursday and Friday. You could also do Tuesday Thursday intensity, but then I don’t know when you’re supposed to be recovering and absorbing the training you’re putting in
Build is LV Sustained Power Build and the 3 hard intensities is what’s prescribed. I was hoping to be able to do those during the week and the long rides on the weekend but per your advice, I may be better suited to do the Sweet Spot on Saturday so I’m recovered enough for all 3 tough workouts.
Mon - Recovery ride - 1 hour of Z1
Tue + VO2 max
Wed - Endurance 2-3 hour Z2
Thu - Threshold or low cadence strength endurance
Fri - Rest Day
Sat - Endurance 3-4 hours Z2
Sun - Tempo which another name for sweetspot in my view.
The endurance hours going up as we exit the northern winter.
Given your schedule I’d tack on some tempo / sweetspot in the last hour of your 4-5 hour endurance ride on Sunday. It won’t detract from the solid 4 hours of Z2 you’ve already put in. Then make Wed an easier Z2 endurance session.