My objectives - Zwift racing and potentially a 3k IP if logistics are possible. I’m very time constrained due to 2 small kids.
Taking inspiration from block periodisation and this paper. I want to focus my training by using blocks of endurance, threshold or VO2 followed by recovery blocks.
At the moment it’s impractical for me to ride at the weekends, so I don’t have to anchor training around the long weekend ride. In fact I’d like to move away from even considering weeks in my training and go to purely block based. For example: a VO2 block could be 5x8, 30/15, rest, 5x6m. Rest. Then one of those sessions every 7-10 days after as maintenance until the next block. Rest blocks would be Z1/Z2 rides and last as long as some (yet to be fully qualified) recovery metric dictates.
Endurance blocks are really a killer for me to try to figure out, potentially I could get up to a 5h ride in every so often. In this case, that would have to be every 25-35 days. I’m hoping that by using rollers for Z2 / endurance rides I essentially get more training for my time. So combining the long ride with rollers the day before and after I can create an endurance block. Granted it’s not ideal., I am fully aware that this is sticking lipstick on a pig. Rollers are key for me as I’d like to also develop a sustainable position on the track bike. I did a bit of testing a few years ago and found that I’m simply not stable enough on the track. That requires me to spend a decent chunk of time in a TT position on the track bike.
Advantages: Maximising the potential gains in VO2 over traditional training. It also should allow me to be flexible, if suddenly there is a week where I can’t train I can switch to a maintenance mode just hit my maintenance workouts.
Mitigations: The time I have to train is so limited I don’t think that my TSS will be above 400. Going back a few years I was averaging 500 up to 700 for big weeks. So I hope that mitigates one of the problems with block periodisation for normal people.
Disadvantages: I won’t have the volume that should really be there to get good fitness. I’m kind of handwaving things like durability and saying that they don’t matter. Zwift racing is an hour tops and I’m racing for the thrills not as some campaign. I’m also going to ignore for the time being any research that suggests weight training is a good thing.
I went through weeks 1-8 with very good results. Haven’t done threshold work yet but have pushed lot of shorter duration PRs, most notably for 30sec and 8min, not as single max efforts but as part of repeated intervals.
I feel as if you are massively overcomplicating things with little-to-no upside.
Consistency is king, i. e. much more important than intensity distribution, etc.
To be consistent, you need to be realistic. I’d love to do 5±hour rides on my road bike and they’d propel my fitness forward. I have three small kids and a wife I love, so this just isn’t possible at the moment.
I’d forget about modified block periodization and some such, and instead focus on (1) creating a doable training plan, perhaps even one on the easy side, (2) take opportunities to train if they integrate well with the rest of your life, (3) get a handle on your sleep (>= 8 hours per night) and (4) work on your nutrition.
I’d also add strength training.
Here is what my current training plan looks like (44 years old, 3 small kids (7, 3, 1)):
I have three training sessions (1 + 1 + 2 hours), 2 x intervals, 1 x 2 hours Z2.
I commute to and from work, and I go shopping by bike. This gives me another 6 x 2 x 30–40 minutes on my bike. Is it ideal to split up your Z2 sessions? Nope. But it is the best I can do. Commuting to work works better for me, too, so this is a good compromise.
I do 2 x 1 hour of strength work.
My biggest limiter is illness: I have contracted a bug from my lovely kids (= incubation factories for evil germs ) for the third time this year. Ugh.
This is my answer to that conundrum in a round about and overly complicated way. The last 3 years I’ve not ridden (kids 3 & 1). Part of that reason is I haven’t had anything to aim fór. I can’t just jump on a turbo for the sheer joy of it. Racing is a good goal for me, overly complicating my training keeps me engaged with the boring bits of the process.
As for the 5h rides, I’m hoping to drop to a 4 day working week. I want to use that day to get on top of life admin to free up time at the weekend for family. However, I can probably swing it to go for a bike ride once in a while too.
I’m only going to get so far on 3-4h a week however novel my approach. Or I’ll get tired of complicated scheduling. So, having a plan like yours to fall back on is a good thing.
Edit:
that’s about 6-9 months away for me, hopefully sooner. 4) from past experience training and racing are a motivator here, but training drives the better life choices not the other way around.
Complication makes adherence more difficult and IMHO you are losing the forest for the trees.
That makes it trickier. In contrast (no judgement), I crave rides — on the trainer or outdoors — as they keep me centered. They are good for my mental and physical health.
If you don’t feel the same, I wouldn’t push yourself, but find ways to add enjoyment to your life. If that isn’t structured training, then forgo that for now.
Why not let TR (or some other tool like it) take care of your training plan then?
) for the third time this year. Ugh.