I failed my first workout since starting TR in August. I’m in the final weeks of SSB LV2. I haven’t had to take any extra breaks/rest since I started TR but this morning, just had to take a min or 2 break in the last 2 sets of Donner.
My question now is how to move on? Should I take do another session in the afternoon? Should I dial down the intensity in the upcoming workouts? Should I do more threshold sessions to build up my muscular endurance? Should I do nothing and chalk it up to a bad day?
I’ve been adding an extra day on top on the sweet spot low volume to maintain the same volume I’ve had before starting TR. Maybe it’s just catching up to me now?
Taking two short breaks is hardly “failing” a workout… Honestly I’d say you’re reading into it too much. I’ve had some hilarious blow-ups in running workouts and come back a day or two later and smash the next session. If you need a bit of extra rest just go easier for a day or two but I wouldn’t drastically change anything.
If it’s just one, chalk it down to experience and carry on. Maybe have a think about whether there was anything different that contributed to it (bad nights sleep? Not eating enough?), but if not then don’t worry, sometimes we all just have bad days. And yours wasn’t that bad at all, not like you binned it after the first interval!
If it becomes a regular thing and you’re failing one or more workouts a week then that’s the time to consider tweaking your FTP down a bit or taking a long hard look at recovery, nutrition, volume, etc.
Yeah, maybe it wasn’t as full night sleep like usual. I normally do my weekday workouts fasted right when I wake up but threshold workouts might be too much. I have Lamarck lined up for next week which looks to be harder than Donner so I’m not looking forward to that.
Don’t worry about it too much. It’s not uncommon to need a quick respite during longer intervals. If it becomes a recurring problem is when I would worry about it more. But if it’s a one time thing it’s like asking “why did I sneeze at time x?” Very inconsequential
I was definitely getting short on breath. My HR was creeping up to 180 which was getting close to what I assume is close to my max (I’ve never seen it higher than 187 inside or outside).
Yeah, a couple of backpedals hardly counts as “failing”
If you had to flat out stop because you couldn’t continue (like what’s supposed to happen at the end of a ramp test) I would consider that a hard fail. Same as if you had to turn down the intensity to where you’re no longer working the energy system that the workout intended to stress (i.e. you turn down a VO2Max workout to where it’s threshold, or something).
I’ve got Spencer +2 coming up in a week or so and I am dreading it. I’m fully expecting that I’ll have to turn it down, and depending on my health, I might have to bail out completely. That still may or may not be a failure, depending on how much I turn it down and/or when I bail out.
Don’t be too hard on yourself – backpedals, stopping during rests, and dropping intensity are all part of the process, so long as it’s not frequent.
Schedule another workout. Seriously though it is not a big deal as long as it does not happen every time. Plus outside you stop all of the time for traffic.
@nickcs it’s worth noting that during that workout (mid-interval breaks included) you did 20, 30, 40, & 60 minute power records. Sometimes you just need a ‘walkout’ to let your neuromuscular system get used to a new power level.
So, on the one hand: you had to take a break mid-interval. On the other hand: 20/30/40/60 minute power records. Good job.
Also, if you’re going to take a drink between intervals do it right after you finish the previous interval not just before the next interval starts. Gives the liquid some time to ‘sink in’.
I’ve had this happen a couple of times. Both if I wasn’t cooling quickly enough and when I was coming down with a sickness.
Try to get some good sleep the night before and ample cooling during the ride. As other’s have said, this doesn’t sound like a failure. Just a hard day.
Just giving an update in case anyone was searching through. I took a rest day, moved Lamarck (which is almost the same workout except its right at FTP) to the afternoon, made sure I was fueled about an hour before the workout and it went great. HR at the end of each interval was about 20bpm lower than Darwin and I didn’t feel like take a break. Coming to the end of SSBLV2 and looking forward to the ramp test before General Build MV.
Seriously though it is not a big deal as long as it does not happen every time. Plus outside you stop all of the time for traffic.