Yeah I agree. The race analysis videos and general banter/race stories in the podcast are the reason I joined TR.
I guess it’s on Ivy to carry the race day stories now😜
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Jonathan said in the podcast that his analysis of TR outside rides meant to be performed at certain power targets found they usually have surges which are way above the target and cause the trainee to miss the goal of the training session, even if average power and NP are close to the target.
So…if it is the nature of outside rides and shall probably always be (traffic, sharp turns, small frequent inclines, different terrain features such as stones/ deep sand/ mud and so forth) what is your advice in order to make outside rides more beneficial/ productive?
@Raythebike ….but that’s not actually riding outside…rather make belief it is 
Seriously though, training outside can improve one’s fitness even when riding a session on a single track with specific instruction regarding length, AP, short uphill segments, downhill segments, rocks…)
It all depends on training plans, goals and very precise targets for each session’s segment or interval.
But, they all have spikes, even when riding on dirt roads.
TR has all the comprehensive instructions one needs…but…I did not know that these spikes make a session miss its goals.
Since TR is meant for outside rides, as well as indoor ones, I would appreciate an advice from one of the staff members regarding the issue Jonathan brought up.
I haven’t re-listened but I felt they were more getting at what people thought were outside workouts were actually unstructured rather than saying outside workouts can’t be done. They’ve mention a few times that what users think are “Zone 2” rides aren’t actually “zone 2” when you look at the workout profile - they’ve spikes, coasting etc.
I think the point the TR team are trying to get across is the outside rides are to adhere to a particular plan. This makes the AI more accurate I assume.
But like you state, real world riding is the same as adhering strictly to a plan.
My take on outside rides is to aim to hit the target power for the interval length but I only have a couple of roads where this is possible, both flat and free of lights and junctions.
The underlying take on training is to prepare for the event you’re training for. The TR plans are a guide in this preparation, but cannot replicate the specific efforts unless you adapt the plans and workouts yourself.
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