# Not quite enough time for an A event

**URL:** <https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444>\
**Category:** Training\
**Tags:** plan-modification\
**Created:** [January 24, 2019, 3:15pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444 "2019-01-24T15:15:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mneville](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mneville/32/353_2.png) [@Mneville](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Mneville)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:15pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/1 "2019-01-24T15:15:17Z")

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I’m going to finish Sweet Spot Base II with 14 week to go until my A event. Build and Specialty Phase will take 16 weeks. How should I modify the remaining phases or the current phase so i’m in ready for the event.  
Thanks  
Mike

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**Author:** ![Rainier](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rainier/32/16152_2.png) [@Rainier](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Rainier)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/2 "2019-01-24T15:20:26Z")

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I’d cut the first bit of build and just go with that. Specialty is more important in most cases. You have any base work done this winter?

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**Author:** ![mcneese.chad](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mcneese.chad/32/15056_2.png) [@mcneese.chad](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mcneese.chad)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/3 "2019-01-24T15:20:56Z")

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Have you reviewed this basic guide?

> **[Not Enough Time!](https://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005927423-Not-Enough-Time-)**
>
> So you've figured out when your goal events will be, and you discover that you don't have the 28 weeks required to complete the entire Base, Build, Specialty training plan progression.  Not a probl...

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**Author:** ![Jonnyboy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jonnyboy/32/5802_2.png) [@Jonnyboy](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jonnyboy)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:25pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/4 "2019-01-24T15:25:33Z")

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> [@Rainier](#):
>
> Specialty is more important in most cases.

Quite the opposite, it’s the cherry on the cake.

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**Author:** ![mcneese.chad](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mcneese.chad/32/15056_2.png) [@mcneese.chad](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mcneese.chad)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/5 "2019-01-24T15:28:31Z")

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Agreed. Everything that TR says is that the Specialty is “honing the blade”, “gravy on the potatoes” and others that mean it is the finish.

- The **BASE and BUILD** are far more important and **should not be skipped**.

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**Author:** ![Mneville](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mneville/32/353_2.png) [@Mneville](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Mneville)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/6 "2019-01-24T15:33:03Z")

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Thanks Chad. Should I complete as much as of the specialty as time will allow with a taper?

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**Author:** ![Mneville](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mneville/32/353_2.png) [@Mneville](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Mneville)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:44pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/7 "2019-01-24T15:44:33Z")

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Thanks I did not know this existed.

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**Author:** ![mcneese.chad](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mcneese.chad/32/15056_2.png) [@mcneese.chad](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mcneese.chad)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/8 "2019-01-24T15:48:06Z")

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Yeah, you can generally do as much as possible, and then slot in the last 1 or 2 weeks from Spec, so you have a taper that is appropriate for your needs.

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**Author:** ![Mneville](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mneville/32/353_2.png) [@Mneville](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Mneville)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/9 "2019-01-24T16:32:43Z")

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Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Rainier](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rainier/32/16152_2.png) [@Rainier](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Rainier)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/10 "2019-01-24T16:41:31Z")

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@Jonnyboy @mcneese.chad When you are time bound I have always learned that training race specific is what you should do. When you have all the time sure base and build are the foundation that is totally true. Am I that off?

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**Author:** ![trpnhntr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/trpnhntr/32/93473_2.png) [@trpnhntr](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/trpnhntr)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/11 "2019-01-24T16:44:01Z")

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> [@Rainier](#):
>
> Am I that off?

Broadly speaking - yes.

More narrowly speaking - it depends. If you’re two weeks out and suddenly need to get fast for one specific day - then training race specific might make more sense. You won’t actually peak and you won’t maintain any real fitness, but the shock to your system from race specific efforts might get you moving quickly.

But that’s the far far outlier - given 20 weeks instead of 28 you’re better off racing straight off of a build plan and doing complete base and build

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**Author:** ![Rainier](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/rainier/32/16152_2.png) [@Rainier](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Rainier)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/12 "2019-01-24T16:49:14Z")

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Oké that is good to know for future planing. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![mcneese.chad](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mcneese.chad/32/15056_2.png) [@mcneese.chad](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mcneese.chad)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/13 "2019-01-24T16:56:01Z")

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Yup, as above, the race specificity (that is the primary goal of the Specialty phase) is only possible when added to a foundation (Base and Build) that give the ability to handle and grow from those efforts.

People can jump into Specialty, but only if they really have some level of fitness foundation that allows those special efforts to be done properly.

So, the pure suggestion (as shown in the TR link above) is to always make sure you have a Base at the very least, then as much of Build as possible, and finally on to Specialty if time allows. But you are best to chop from the end of the program (Spec) because that has the least impact on overall fitness.

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**Author:** ![NickMuller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/nickmuller/32/12890_2.png) [@NickMuller](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/NickMuller)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 10:39pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/14 "2019-01-24T22:39:30Z")

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I am kind of in the same boat and just signed up for trainer road. My A race would fall in the second to last week of my training. My question is I have been doing structured training (not trainer road) over the past month with 670-700 TSS weeks. Should I skip the first week of base or take a week out of speciality?

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**Author:** ![mcneese.chad](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mcneese.chad/32/15056_2.png) [@mcneese.chad](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mcneese.chad)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/15 "2019-01-24T22:40:48Z")

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If you are confident in your base level, you can chop from the Base Phase.

That said, I would only make that change in the Sweet Spot Base 1, but leave Sweet Spot Base 2 completely intact. It is a very important phase to complete in full.

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**Author:** ![NickMuller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/nickmuller/32/12890_2.png) [@NickMuller](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/NickMuller)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/16 "2019-01-24T22:45:52Z")

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Thanks!!

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**Author:** ![NickMuller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/nickmuller/32/12890_2.png) [@NickMuller](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/NickMuller)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 11:30pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/17 "2019-01-24T23:30:55Z")

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one last question for you. Do I want my A race in the last week of the training or in the week after?

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**Author:** ![mcneese.chad](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mcneese.chad/32/15056_2.png) [@mcneese.chad](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mcneese.chad)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 11:38pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/18 "2019-01-24T23:38:42Z")

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The last week in the Specialty phase assumes the A-Race is on the Sunday of that very week (not the following week).

It is meant to lead you right up to the event, and includes a “opener” on the Saturday before the empty Sunday (which is your A-race).

Feel free to shift workouts as needed if your actual A-race is on Saturday.

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**Author:** ![NickMuller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/nickmuller/32/12890_2.png) [@NickMuller](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/NickMuller)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 11:39pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/19 "2019-01-24T23:39:47Z")

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That is what I was thinking but I wasn’t 100% sure. thanks again

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**Author:** ![mcneese.chad](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mcneese.chad/32/15056_2.png) [@mcneese.chad](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mcneese.chad)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/not-quite-enough-time-for-an-a-event/10444/20 "2019-01-24T23:40:39Z")

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Happy to help 😃

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