I’ve just sorted out a plan based on the new features and have a couple of queries.
On Monday there is an hour workout in the plan with basically 2 x 8 sweetspot intervals. How do I deal with it within the plan if I
a. Do a longer unstructured ride but work into it 4 x 8 speetspot intervals or
b. do a longer ride but do, say, 3 x 10 threshold intervals
Until winter finally arrives this type of thing is going to occur quite frequently.
Also, if as a result of the longer ride I feel unable do the following days planned workout how should I deal with that?
Thanks
Thanks
I’m curious what the best solution is.
I save these as two rides…one to match the structured part and one to match the rest of the ride.
The training stress of these rides should be reflected in adjusted future training plan rides
If its unstructured its best I think just to leave it out of the plan and if its too much RLGL will analyse it and downgrade future planned workouts. If it is truly structured you could associate it to a similar workout structure but there’s a risk of inflating your PL’s and overtraining on future workouts. I tend to leave things out unless its specifically a TR outdoors workout and let RLGL decide if its too much.
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That would be a good idea if the structured part was a distinct part of the ride at the beginning or the end but I don’t think would be workable if the intervals were spread out throughout the ride.
I flip flop between these two approaches but wonder which one is best.
Remember the key tenet of progressive overload.
Your plan says (for simplicity) do 2x8 this week then 3x8 next week 4x8 the week after then rest.
You choose to do 4x8 in the first week.
Are you following the plan?
Will you do 5x8 next week?
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I try and do a progressive overload by way of a mixture of increasing TSS/Kj’s and time. Not always successfully. The majority of my riding us done with friends (we are all pensioners) Depending on who turns up and what we are all feeling like the rides can vary on any day from hills or flat, gravel or road, easy or very hard, short or long. I then try to fit in any solo rides taking into account any fatigue and what level of intensity I’ve done on the group rides. Generally 15/17 hours/week is sustainable, The RLGL for me is excellent as it pulls me back from doing too much and I’m just trying to fit in some sort of adaptable plan in to make sure I maintain or increase my long term fitness. Natural breaks in my riding ie long weekends visiting family or short periods away give me the necessary downtime from the cycling. I do realise I’m not the target market for TR but I’m reasonably positive I’m not the only one in this sort of position,
As @HLaB said, if the efforts you do within a ride truly are structured, I think it would make sense to pair them up with a similar TR workout (or, ideally, pre-select a TR workout to follow along to).
If the rides are more unstructured than structured, though, we’d advise not matching them up with TR workouts – they can inaccurately change your PLs, which might throw off your entire plan.
I’d probably lean towards not matching up these rides to workouts if in doubt. It sounds like they might be more unstructured if you’re riding with friends and sort of haphazardly choosing workouts do to on the fly while you’re out riding.
RLGL should help you out if these rides become too much to handle on top of the rest of your plan. If you don’t feel up to doing the next day’s workout because you’re too fatigued, RLGL will probably catch onto that – but if not, feel free to sub in a Recovery or Endurance ride to take the intensity down a bit.
Thanks. So as with anything to do with cycling “it depends” 
. I’ll give what you suggest a go. After all I suppose if I improve due to the off plan rides the adaptive training should catch up if I answer the post ride surveys honestly.
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Yep exactly! These rides can certainly boost your fitness – I know I often benefit from training with other riders. Now is a great time of the year to do it as well!
And once you get into more structured work again, you’re right that AT will get you dialed in quickly once it analyzes your rides along with the feedback you give it from your Post-Workout Surveys. 