Newbie training advice (long term)

Training
1

Hello!

It’s gonna be a long one but I’d really appreciate any input regarding any of my concerns/questions outlined.

Background
I bought a bicycle 5 years ago - started road cycling 2 years ago but not very consistently due to stresses from university (architecture) but have been the most consistent this year so far.

Generally, I do unstructured rides and do some workouts taken from SSBMV1 and MV2 and have an FTP over the past 6 months (Since I got a PM) that hovers around 260-280 depending on stress and how consistent I’ve been. I weigh 65kg. I am 26 years old

I’m more accustomed to endurance efforts - I can sustain high% of FTP for long durations of time and have done a bit of bike packing an touring where I’d spend 10+ hours on the saddle

Time
Free to fully commit to training from June to September

Camps
(Not actual camps - but holidays I’ve booked and intend to increase training load)
Tenerife (Massive climbs) - 2 weeks in August
Switzerland (Big climbs ) - 1 month in Aug-Sept

Training plan
Typical - Run a typical mid volume plan but include a 4-6+ hour ride on the weekend + extend some longer SS intervals outside during the weekday with endurance work.
Camp - Not sure what to do here - Keep some intensity with the MV plans + riding up 2500m HC climb

Goals

If I could be fast - I’d like to be fast for 2-4 hours. I suppose that’s my goal I guess… I am considering getting into long-distance time trailing next year, particularly hilly courses in Ireland.

Since I’m new to structured training and see this as having the most time off and freedom before the rest of my working life, I want to gain long-term fitness and build my aerobic base (with structure).

So… how would you plan a training season for fitness 1 or 2 years from now?
If the camp is of particular importance - how should I conduct this? Is it about long slow miles and racking up big TSS?

Help me break through this 260-280 pleateu!

Thanks!

2

Just follow a TR plan man using Plan Builder. You’re overthinking it.

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You say you can train from June to September. Do you have any events end of September or early autumn? What will you do the other 8 months of the year?

To get the best out of any events the training needs to lead up to those events. If you spend 8 months of the year not doing a lot, then all the gains will be completely wiped out by the time you start training again the following year.

If you want to make long term gains you’ll need to train throughout the year with no long periods where you are no doing anything. You’ll have easier weeks, and easier months, often called recovery periods to absorb training, but no long periods of just chilling if you want long term progression. Otherwise you’ll just end up on a fitness plateau that goes up in the summer and drops right back down rest of the year.

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No events - Maybe until Summer 2022

September onwards I’ll be working a regular 9-5 job so probably only can commit to a mid-volume plan.
I plan to use the summer to have a high training volume, like traditional base, since I’ll be riding outdoors a lot and wont have my trainer for half of summer, I have a PM but its less consistent outdoors due to road hazards etc.