Ssblv or ssbmv for a 53 year old

As a 53 year old with just over 4000 miles riding this year and an average tss of about 300 to 350 per week would you recommend ssblv or ssbmv if a rider had unlimited time to train. I’m thinking about age and recovery needs.

if you have any questions, start with low volume and see how it goes! You can always add a ride.

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That’s a good idea thanks

I’m 55 and in my 4th TR year. Dug myself into a hole a few times with MV in the first couple of seasons. But now MV is not a problem if I manage my recovery/nutrition and take extra rest if not feeling 100%.
Best advice is start off low and add or extend workouts (+1s +2s etc) if you cope well.
Biggest learning for me was recognising ‘overreach’ early, identifying the cause (workload, wrong ftp, life stress, recovery, nutrition, sickness, burnout…) and correct issue if possible or modify plan.

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I am older than you at 60. I am doing SSB MV and have been doing okay. I work and travel 12 hrs a day. If I am tired I skip the Wed. workout which is basically a recovery ride and have not had a problem yet although I am only 4 weeks in.

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Thanks Snowy

Thanks for the good advice Sasquatch. Much appreciated. I think I’m going to give the ssbmv1 a go starting on Tuesday next week :blush:

I’d go mid volume. It’s 5 days a week with only a few 2 hour rides. I’m 39 and had zero problems completing and recovering during SSB mid but Build is another story. I need more rest. I’m doing every workout. The VO2 kicks me hard. I’ll swap a workout for something easier if I have to but never skip one. Just push it to a later date. It’s turned the 8 week plan into 12 but that’s with 10 days of travel and out of town visitors tossed in. If each workout has a specific purpose I figure I should do them all and reap the benefits.

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I’m 58 and successfully handled mid volume for two seasons so don’t let your age stop you. Just listen to your body and work as hard as your body and mind are willing to tolerate. When I first started TR, I built extra rest weeks into my schedule but found that I didn’t need them.

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Thanks!

I’m 57 appear to have a similar annual mileage and weekly TSS to you and I do SSBMV. As long as you do not overestimate your FTP and you take rest when you feel you really need it and not just when the plan says, you’ll be fine.

I have always done the mid volume plans. Sometimes during base I can not make the full 6 weeks without some extra easy days. The biggest thing I have learned though is I have had much better experiences, and much much better training by being very realistic about my FTP and taking the real coming out of the off season number rather than just trying to keep a big mid season number in there. I was the king of the “well, the test says X but because of these couple factors, my result really should be y” kind of optimism. You can get away with that if you’re 30, but not in your 50’s :wink:

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