Race in base phase

Racing
1

I am currently in 4th week of Sweetspot Base High Volume Phase 1, preparing for next season. But I am really interested in doing one final short road race Dec 16 this year. What priority should I assign to this race and do I taper for it? Or just mark it as a practice race?

2

Details of the race? It’s hard to tell you how to prepare without knowing a bit more info. Are you hoping to finish on the podium, or just finish? Going out for fun, or to help you prep for a race later in your season? What are your goals overall?

3

It is a club 62k flat race. Finishes up a small climb. Racing for the podium. This is in India. I will be attending college in US next fall. More inclined towards racing crits there (assuming training for them would require less number of hours which will fit better in my schedule). I am at FTP of 230 and weight 67 kg (~148 lbs) right now.

4

So you would probably be finishing SSB I a week before the race? You could repeat one of the later weeks (week 5 for example) to extend the phase, then let the planned taper of the plan lead you into the race. IE make the already planned taper lead you into the race and then start SSB II after that.

2 Likes
5

Ok, thanks.

6

Hello,
I have similar question. So far i did 12 weeks base high volume and i have just finished general build high volume. I will re-start base 2 high volume.

My question is that can i add zwift race my programme during base 2 phase? I can handdle sweetspot phase but my race performance is not quite well (to me). So i want to get used to produce high and not stable watts (like in race). So can i add zwift race? Will they help or decrease my progress?

I am planing to race on Sundays about 20-50 mins on zwift and after race I will do z2 workout (just for equaling tss).

7

Just replace a high intensity day with the zwift race.

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8

Racing is fine and is probably best. In SSBHV 2 unlike in LV and MV you have no efforts above SS. So adding in at least one day of intensity is likely a better plan to keep the gains from Build and prepare you for Specialty. I am doing the same: SSBHV 1 & 2, ShortPBHV , SSBHV 2, then Specialty. I’m starting SSBHV 2 for the second time and instead of racing I’ve added progressive Vo2 intervals on Saturdays.

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9

There is no high intensity with high volume plans during Base.

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10

Thanks, and which day you recommend i should race on zwift?

And my second question, by doing zwift races, what improvements can i get? (What are the possible outcomes I just wonder racing on zwift as a workout).

11

Threshold is high intensity.

12

There is no threshold work in SSBHV…

13

Sweet Spot is… low threshold/high tempo.

14

We all know SS is an area between tempo and threshold, but there’s a reason you can do SS almost every day – the intensity isn’t high enough. It’s moderate, not high, intensity.

15

Can you?

16

SSBHV is SS 5 days a week. I recently completed it although I changed most Sunday’s for a 4+ hour z2 ride. So, IMO, yes you can.

17

I recommend swapping out Saturdays for Zwift races. Since Saturdays are generally the hardest and most TSS day of the week, it would be difficult to follow that up with a productive race on Sunday. Not to mention, you might not be recovered enough to handle the following Tuesday or the accumulative fatigue would negatively affect you a couple weeks down the road. Also, if you race on Saturday you may want to swap out Sunday’s SS training for a longer z2 ride depending how you feel, this is what I am doing as well.

By doing Zwift races it’s hard to say “what improvements” you could get. Since every race is different and it depends on how you race it. Rather than improvements, you may be just able to hold onto some of your V02 gains in build since you’ll be abandoning all intensity for 6 weeks otherwise in SSBHV 2. You won’t have specific TiZ intervals that you’ll progress each week from Zwift races, but that’s ok since you’re purposely taking a break from intensity after Build. I’d probably just try to make those races hard as opposed to “sitting in”. Also, I’d assume you’re racing because it looks fun and that’s great, the mental benefit can’t be understated.

1 Like
18

Hello again,
Today i have finished general build and did ramp test.

I did ramp test both on zwift and tr (i have two pm which are quarq dfour and elite smart direto trainer. I matched dfour with zwift).

And according to my ramp test zwift says my ftp 320w FTP (76kg) which is same at the beginning of the build after 12 weeks base.

This is the zwift ramp test strava link:
https://www.strava.com/activities/4996672631/power-curve

In my ramp test, i could hit 178 bpm btw my max around 180-182 bpm. And after this test i just spin 25 mins zone 1 and wanted to race on zwift as a workout after ramp test. But the interesting thing is that in the race i produced really high watts.

Zwift race numbers after ramp test (25 mins after test)
Duration = 24 mins
Avg watts= 331watt
Np= 340 watt
Avg hr= 171 and max hr= 180 bpm

This is the zwift race strava link:
https://www.strava.com/activities/4996987373

So my questions are these=

  • what is my ftp? 320? If 320w how can i produce 340w np 24 mins after test?
  • is it normal to produce these watts after ramp test? Or did not go deep on the ramp test?
  • and my last question i started general build high volume with 320w ftp after 12 weeks volume and finished it with same power. I could finish all workouts but it seems ftp did not get high (but i lost 2-3 kgs). So can i say i gained from this build or loosing weight blocked my gains in terms of raw wat?