I’m in my last 3-week training block before my target event, and it seems to me that TrainerRoad really wants to tone down the intensity of my workouts.
Like, in the last block I did a Threshold 4.9 workout. For this week TrainerRoad suggested something like 3.0 can’t remember. I opted for Threshold 4.7 instead. I felt just fine. For next week it’s again suggesting Threshold 3.0.
Similar thing with Sweet-Spot workout of this week. It suggested something like 1.5h of Sweet-Spot 6.0. I opted for 2h of SweetSpot 6.7. Because it was raining, I ended up extending the intervals to also cover the 3rd hour just to keep warm. Had no problem holding the power - actually my power even crept up during the last hour. And now again for next week it’s suggesting that I do 1h of Sweet-Spot 6.2.
Is this sort of thing expected in specialty phase? Am I doing it wrong when I’m instead opting for harder workouts than the ones suggested by TrainerRoad (as long as I’m able to complete these just fine)?
One theory I have is that this might be happening because I’m doing more volume than suggested by TrainerRoad (been doing it since the start of the year). I’m pretty sure I’m not overdoing it on volume side as it’s the most consistent year of training I’ve ever had in my life so far. Also, my goal event is a 24h one and I’ve only done 2 rides of over 200km this year.
Over all I find TR is really set up for indoor training with a priority of harder workouts over volume. Trying to get more out of what little time normal people have to train. I experienced a decrease in volume but an increase in intensity during the specialty phase.
I was also expecting to see a drop in volume but an increase in intensity.
I’m fine tweaking the intensity and duration of the suggested workouts to better suit me. It’s just that recently I’m feeling like I’m actively fighting against TrainerRoad suggestions.
I’m coming to slowly accept that I’m an outlier in the overall TrainerRoad population.
Three weeks out you’re not really going to add anymore fitness, so it’s more about maintaining fitness whilst shedding fatigue. It takes a lot less to maintain.
A whole 3-week block of shedding fatigue feels kinda lot to me. Especially as it is followed by a recovery week right before the event and well, I just had a recovery week…
For comparison. Last year before the same event I pretty much ditched all intervals for the 3 week block before the event and instead concentrated on doing more long rides - which really is the actual specialty of my events. That worked out well for me. So perhaps I should instead try to do the same. I probably will… it’s just that the weather this year has been so crappy that I haven’t felt like doing these 8h+ rides.
My target events are long as well, but I still force myself to reduce the volume and maintain decent intensity in the last month before the event. The problem with “specializing” in duration during your last block is that this kind of fitness is also the slowest to build. Most of what I’ve read is that adaptations are going to trail 4-6 weeks after the the training stimulus, so ramping up volume a few weeks prior to your event isn’t going to help that event (but could help later in the season).
That’s not to say you should ditch long rides during specialty, it’s just not the time to increase duration/volume if you are leading into your A race (in my opinion). If it’s a B/C race, I like to build through it, so basically the race is the cherry on top of a big volume push.
Here’s a view of my build into Unbound this year (my A race next weekend). My CTL peaked about 3 weeks ago and I’ve let it drop about 10 points as my form improves and it will drop another ~10 points in the final week prior to the race. I’ve still been working in long rides (including a big race last weekend), but stopped increasing overall training volume a month out.
Good point. My main goal with throwing in these longer rides is more of “race simulation” - testing the equipment and ensuring my body and mind are more used to such extended days in the saddle.
So perhaps a better approach would be to tone down the overall intensity and volume to make some room for these longer rides, so they wouldn’t be too taxing on my body.
During the Specialty Phase, we increase the specificity of the energy systems needed for your event. “A” races often have two-week tapers leading up to them, which call for a reduction in overall Training Stress resulting in an increase in freshness, all while maintaining fitness to create this elusive "Peak.”
TrainerRoad now looks beyond just Workout Levels, factoring in your fitness, recent training, and overall trends to pick the right workout for you that day.
When workouts like your Threshold and Sweet Spot, as you mentioned, look different from what you might expect based on past recommendations, it’s reflecting a broader view of your current fitness and capabilities.
Think of your training like climbing a staircase. The goal is to keep moving upward—but not every step needs to be taller than the last. TrainerRoad adjusts the step size based on what you’ve been doing lately, so you can keep progressing in a way that supports consistency and long-term growth.
We always recommend taking longer rides leading up to your A Event to test gear, nutrition, hydration, etc., as you mentioned. I would recommend maybe doing a long ride this week, so that you don’t burn any matches close to race day. The idea is that by the time you get to the Specialty Phase, you’ve already done the work through Base>>Build Phase, so this is a time to fine-tune and keep fresh. Any high-intensity efforts you try to “add” now are unlikely to boost your performance and are more likely to cause excess fatigue leading to your event.
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