How do you enter long multiday events in the plan builder? And will the adaptive training work well for this purpose? I’m working toward a 40-day trip down the U.S. Pacific Coast from Canada to Mexico (about 2k miles, 50-75 miles per day) next year. During that 40-days, I will have 5 rest days. The terrain can be quite hilly, so I need to be sure I’ve built up both endurance and strength.
I entered the event as Gran Fondo stages, at moderate intensity, but I’m not sure that’s the best choice for this goal, and the builder limited me to 20 “stages.” (20 days of riding).
Anyway, some guidance around this would be very helpful. TIA
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Using Plan Builder for a Gran Fondo most closely aligns with the goals of your event, and is a great place to start! We recommend selecting whatever volume best coincides with what stress you can tolerate, not based on total available training time (this will allow you to still work in unstructured outside riding to add volume when you can).
Follow the plan, but feel free to select longer versions of workouts via Workout alternates when you have time, and incorporate as many outside rides as you can to better prepare for what those 40 days will feel like, how you have to pack your bike, plan for nutrition, etc!
In regards to Adaptive Training accounting for that extra volume; we are actively working on a way to quantify unstructured outside rides, but in the meantime, Adaptive Training will recognize in subsequent workouts when the outside unstructured rides add too much fatigue and will adjust!
More training tips from Jon:
- Periodization is key. Since this ride will be almost entirely aerobic, the Base Phase is of particular importance and is particularly applicable to your event.
- The Base and Build Phases will raise your FTP, increasing your aerobic capabilities and making your all-day pace higher.
- The Specialty Phase will focus more on maintaining high levels of your aerobic power for longer periods of time, but in this case it has less to do with event-specific fitness and more to do with increasing muscular endurance that will pay off at lower intensities as well.
Finally, here are some good Successful Athlete Podcasts that may help guide you. Cheers and get after it!!!
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Thank you so much, Ivy. That’s very helpful!
Amber
| IvyAudrain TrainerRoad Team
November 23 |
Using Plan Builder for a Gran Fondo most closely aligns with the goals of your event, and is a great place to start! We recommend selecting whatever volume best coincides with what stress you can tolerate, not based on total available training time (this will allow you to still work in unstructured outside riding to add volume when you can).
Follow the plan, but feel free to select longer versions of workouts via Workout alternates when you have time, and incorporate as many outside rides as you can to better prepare for what those 40 days will feel like, how you have to pack your bike, plan for nutrition, etc!
In regards to Adaptive Training accounting for that extra volume; we are actively working on a way to quantify unstructured outside rides, but in the meantime, Adaptive Training will recognize in subsequent workouts when the outside unstructured rides add too much fatigue and will adjust!
More training tips from Jon:
- Periodization is key. Since this ride will be almost entirely aerobic, the Base Phase is of particular importance and is particularly applicable to your event.
- The Base and Build Phases will raise your FTP, increasing your aerobic capabilities and making your all-day pace higher.
- The Specialty Phase will focus more on maintaining high levels of your aerobic power for longer periods of time, but in this case it has less to do with event-specific fitness and more to do with increasing muscular endurance that will pay off at lower intensities as well.
Finally, here are some good Successful Athlete Podcasts that may help guide you. Cheers and get after it!!!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/TPJYp0KYTp8
https://www.youtube.com/embed/gBMiWJ60u3A
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