How to prepare before start of a plan

Hey Gang, so I am aiming to start my next season of winter training around mid November. So far this year I have just been riding outside, not doing any racing, at varied intensities. I do have a few more big rides planned for fall, and then will start to migrate inside.

Last year I took 2 weeks before the start of SSB1 to just zwift inside and unload from the hard season of outdoor. Wondering if I should do the same this year to get “fresh” for SSB1 and the ramp test or try something different.

What is your routine as you migrate from the outdoor world to the realms of your pain caves full-time for the winter months?

I may be the wrong person to ask because I’ve been training indoors all year (I’ve done a couple of century rides, but otherwise have gone straight base-build-specialty). I’m halfway through CX specialty and am probably skipping the last 3 weeks of the plan to just goof around racing on zwift with racing and possibly do another century ride, since I’m usually too OCD to do anything other than TR the rest of the year. It’s not that I’m tired (my CTL is 74, TSB is 13 at the moment) or even burned out, I like the hard workouts, but I figure some break in structure will be good for me before I hit SSB1.

Yea I ride outside whenever possible. The only time i spend indoors is winter when it’s too cold, and warm days when there’s rain or something else going on. I train to get faster outside to have more fun and go further faster and take some KOMs while doing it, certainly not training inside to be able to train more inside after that

As long as you’re not bringing in excessive or unnecessary fatigue into the start of the plan you’ll be fine. You probably don’t want to peak after 28 weeks of training and do your A-Race on Sunday and then start base on Monday.

The first week of ssb is pretty light so if you’re bringing in fatigue or coming ‘off the couch’ it won’t be a total shock to your system. Worst thing you can do is come in a little over cooked and not give yourself the time to mentally and physically reset before embarking on a 28+ week training plan.

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I’m only doing base 1+2 and short power build. No races to prepare for so not concerned with when I peak as long as I can finish the plan and ride stronger outside next year whether I choose to race or ride at my own pace or whatever

About the only pre-planning I do for rides is if I know I have a hard ride or the local amateur Tuesday night crit at the industrial park, I’ll make sure to take a day off before and/or take it easy leading up to it for a few days

How to prepare for SSB 1? See Chad McNeese’s post here COVID-19 Event Alternate, Worldwide Disaster 2020 - #8 by mcneese.chad

:laughing: