Only two TR rides / week - which two?!

Training
1

Hi! I’m a relatively new road cyclist (coming up to two years), and I’ve only been doing any sort of structured training since November; before this I was doing ~200k outside each week, but all Z2 or Z3 I guess. I’m now looking at starting racing, and hoping to start off by targetting time trials and duathlons (I do some running as well) :blush:

I’ve finished a modified form of low volume SSB1 and SSB2, where I did the two shorter workouts each week, as well as a 2-2.5hr easy ride one weekday morning and one 5-6hr long ride at the weekends (I know I don’t need to be going that long, I just enjoy it!) I improved a lot with that, and it worked well with my running too :blush:

I’m now moving onto low volume sustained power build, and would like to do a similar thing (2 outdoor easy rides + 2 TR workouts per week). I’m assuming I should keep the VO2 max workout, but which of the other two would you recommend keeping? (The 1:15 length one, or the 1:30 length one?)

Thanks so much, appreciate any advice :smiley:

2

For TTs and duathlons I’d be inclined towards the 1:30 threshold workout on the basis that it has longer intervals which are going to be more specific to the racing you’re doing. And yes, keep the VO2 max workout, quite apart from the physiological benefits then the pain of VO2 makes threshold feel a bit easier by contrast when you’re racing!

As and when you start racing then if you want to stick to 2 hard workouts per week then you just substitute the race for the threshold workout.

3 Likes
3

Thanks so much, that makes sense :smiley:

4

Sounds sort of like a Polarized training approach. recommend reading through the other threads on that general approach, but I definitely concur with @cartsman’s recommendation.

1 Like
5

I’m not sure it is a polarized approach as I also do a couple of interval sets a week with running (that’s why I want to limit to two TR workouts, as I think otherwise I’d be risking overtraining) - but again, I’m new to structured cycling training so that may be wrong!!