3th Week of SST progression.
1: 1x40 / 2x25
2: 1x58 (Alpe Zwift) + Zwift Race
3: 1x62 (Zwift Ventoux to Ch Reyn)
Mostly mental question to keep me pushing the gear. Legs feel not super tired afterwards.
2x40 yesterday, 1x80 tomorrow.
LOVE that my power @ MAF HR has increased 60% from 12 months of dedicated Endurance training. 
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Bragging 
190ā day before yesterday and 190ā this morning
I did the sweet spot progression for the past two months or so and recently did 2x30 for two weeks or so. Why didnāt I continue? To be honestā¦ Because Iām looking for a change in workouts. They were very challenging, but I really donāt want to do another session with those super monotonous workouts.
The best plan is the one you actually stick to, right?
So I was planning to repeat the last three weeks of SSB1 before continuing with SSB2.
Today I did the first over/under workout in a few months (McAdie) and wasnāt able to make it past 2 out of the 4 intervals. It was really hard and felt like a truck hit me.
So Iām not sure where to go from here. Should I repeat all of SSB1?! Although the sweet spot workouts in that plan seem like a step back from what I did the past months.
Likely Iāll have to do another Ramp Test soon - but I need advice with which kind of plan to continue after.
Overall goal arenāt races or so - just want to be quicker on long sustained climbs mostly.
How did you test your FTP?
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I did the ramp test the last time before I did SSB1, so a few months ago. I just took that FTP and used it for the sweet spot progression I did the past months, so I also used it today.
Iām aware that I should retest very soon - as outlined above though, Iām not sure where to go then with what plan.
Couple thoughts:
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Thereās a pretty good chance your FTP was too high for the intent of the sweet spot progression, which may be why you didnāt like it.
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Thereās a pretty good chance your FTP was too high and thatās why you couldnāt make it through more than two intervals of McAdie. McAdie isnāt easy, but if you can do a 2x30 at 90%, you should definitely be able to do more than 24 minutes of threshold work with a six-minute break. Odds are the āundersā were too close to your actual functional threshold and the āoversā were way over.
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Thereās a great chance that youād be better served by extending your TTE rather than trying to drive up an FTP number that is already unrealistic. SSB1 isnāt going to do that.
Most of the folks in this thread abandoned the Sweet Spot Base plans for one of a few reasons, but largely because they lacked long sweet spot intervals which are what many people need to make good use of sweet spot training. Thereās a kind of fundamental disagreement with how TR employs sweet spot work here in this thread.
So what should you do? My advice would be to conduct a long FTP test (at least a 20-min test, but preferably even longer), get a good estimate of your FTP thatās not based on a ramp test, and then train a longer sweet spot progression.
If you donāt want to do that, Iād just buy in to TR, conduct a ramp test and start SSB1 since youāre not able to get through jumping in midway with an over/under progression.
But I think the issue is your FTP is too high.
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Thatās a very well formulated answer, thank you for the thoughts you put into this. I really appreciate it.
If I continue with SST, how much should I rest before the next ramp test? 2 days, test on Sunday and then continue with 2x30 on Monday? Or should I start over with shorter intervals?
Depends on the results of the test relative to your past performance.
That said, Iād urge you to get away from the Ramp Test if you want to pursue this type of training. Again, odds are itās returning a value thatās not your true FTP. You can use the 20-minute test protocol, or one of the Kolie Moore Empirical Cycling protocols for a longer test. If youāre going to train long and steady, itās best to test long and steady to get an accurate number. Be prepared for a lower FTP value, but again, that will likely make your training more effective and lead to better long term gains.
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Or determine the right amount by which to reduce the ramp test result to get to a better number. I reduce by 5%, and seems to work pretty well.
Iām a fan of longer intervals. My default SS workout is either 60 mins at 85%, or 90% - and Iāll choose between them based on how Iām feeling on a given day.
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I started with shorter intervals and built into longer ones, because i was not āgoodā at longer stuff at all.
Targetting 90% FTP SST intervals what i did;
2x20, 3x15, 2x25, 3x18, 2x30, 3x20,ā¦etc
What i found was that the first week or two was really hard just getting used to the longer intervals. But where I am now the jumps to longer intervals 2x45, or 1x60, is not nearly as daunting as it was when i set off on this adventure.
Again, the goal is completing TiZ, so if you struggle with really long intervals keep them āshorterā (dont go less than 15min) to help you get through them. Hope that helps.
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Itās pretty hard for people without a lot of experience with their own data to nail this down, but sureā¦ instead of 75%, someone could take 72% of their ramp test final minute power and work from there if they have a suspicion that they fall into the fairly large group for whom the ramp test overestimates FTP. The 75% TR uses is based off of the 72-77% range previously discussed.
Theyāre all just estimates of FTP, which changes more frequently than we test anyway. But to me, what makes the most sense is to test the way you train, but thatās just MHO.
To perhaps also cover the mental aspect:
Assuming that you arenāt new to training and your FTP is set correctly you could put Polar Bear +1 in the workout player in an effort to convince yourself that those longer intervals are doable. Multiple shorter intervals done several times during a week arenāt an issue then anymore. Not mentally at least.
I would not rest before the ramp test! Itās not a race, itās about getting a good number to base the rest of the training for. Sure you can taper, you can rest, follow special nutrition etc and get a high number. But keep in mind that every workout thereafter is scaled to that number.
I would do the ramp test on an average day, doing nothing special.
Then I would start SSB1 if thatās the route you want to go. I would use the first couple of workouts to see if your RPE/Heart Rate matches the intensity of the workout, and adjust your FTP accordingly.
@kurt.braeckel @Captain_Doughnutman but also the others, what do you think? I am contemplating about properly working on TTE with the new FTP for some months.
Priority would be to nail all target workouts, then the runs, and then the rest. Goal is to get comfortable at holding 270 Watts for 120 minutes. Progression would continue to that extent. Shorter duration (10, 12, 15) arenāt an issue.
Edits (6): Clarified wording and screenshot. 
Without knowing a thing about you, I think that plan looks pretty good. Be willing to ease up on the shorter target workout and really emphasize the longer ones. The way I managed that is if I was very fatigued on my third/low priority interval day, I would drop it down to a similar TiZ tempo ride. E.g. If I was going to do a 2x30 day as my āeasyā interval day, and I was gassed going into it, Iād do a straight 60min tempo ride between 81-85%. I still got some stimulus, but the cost was less. I was happy in that my progression allowed me to nail almost all of my workouts in succession without overreaching. You could drop the 1x60 to 81-85% and then add the Z2 at the end for a good aerobic stimulus without overtaxing, and youād still incur a little bit of fatigue going into Saturday, which is not a bad thing for multisport athletes. You just want to avoid chronically overreaching and blowing those key workouts (Tuesday and Saturday).
That said, I was not running at the time. It looks like most of your running is moderate/endurance paced, and I would make sure to keep it that way for now while progressing your TTE at this higher power.
Thanks for the feedback. Itās appreciated mate.
Thatās also what I had in mind. After all, notching them down 5-10% wouldnāt render them useless. Though two out of three is required I figured. Also no turning down two weeks in a row.
Yes, all running will be at high Z1 heart rates. Weekly volume shouldnāt exceed 35k. So super nice and easy.
@kurt.braeckel Perhaps one more question: What do you think about breaking it up for two weeks with zone 2? So for example 6 week progression followed but two weeks of zone 2. Repeat twice then recovery week. Repeat.
Not sure your age but you are essentially programming a two week recovery. I dont know if you need a full two week recovery, especially with the SST work. But if you are truly run down and need the additional time, might not be the end of the world to take it.
I am finding with this work that while the TSS is up there (600/wk) because the intensity is pretty moderate iām not finding i need a ton of recovery between workouts.
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Oh believe me, properly long Z2 is definitely not a recovery 
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What are you hoping to accomplish with the two weeks of Z2? Thatās too short a time to reap any major aerobic gains, probably will have a small detrimental effect on your muscular endurance gains from the SST, and wonāt really serve as true recovery to allow for the adaptations you want.
Itās not the worst idea, but itās probably not optimal. I just donāt know what you hope to get out of it.
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