As Zack has mentioned above, your plan will adapt. Breakthrough workouts are (almost) never recommended as part of a plan and I would expect those to change as you do a couple more workouts and rate them appropriately.
Sounds like you need to just be a little more patient and see what happens.
Alternatively, it sounds like you’re not after a training plan right now, but a bit of low endurance work. So maybe the self select option is your best bet. Train Now is also a good option if you dont want to follow a plan.
I have been through this panic as well don’t worry! Before you actually get into the block the workouts in the calendar are generic, once the block starts it will adapt to something more reasonable! Usually “productive” if that’s the intent, although I have seen “stretch” usually at an early stage in the plan.
If you are mid-block and all the workouts are showing as breakthrough or not recommended I suggest contacting support…
this. I see workouts like you’re describing and think “NFW can I complete that.” Usually it’s a slog through the first set then “Okay just one more and I’m dialing it back…” Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, but either way answer the survey accurately. If it was very hard say so.
How many sessions/hours per week is this low volume plan?
I’m thinking that if you choose a low volume plan (3 days per week / 3.5 hours?) then you are going to get intensity because theoretically you have 4 rest days. Maybe that is not the way to go if one also does other rides outside of the plan?
To get adaptations, you need stimulus. To
Get continued adaptations you need progressive overload. So if your volume (time x intensity) is less than your body is used to, it’s likely it will regress. If volume is a bit
More than you’re used to, it should adapt.
My PL even after my break for endurance was over a 6.0. Lol when i started a new plan and it was giving me .68 to .72 IF endurance rides everyday i just laughed it off. This is the season where i learned Trainerroad isnt great for me. I use it to pick my own workouts, but with a traditional base plan basically giving me nothing but tempo rides because my PL was still high is laughable at best. Trainerroad had me going from 253w FTP @185lbs to 324w @170 lbs in 2 years so I am forever grateful, but ive since realized its time to move on.
Progressive overload isnt practically implemented on a workout to workout basis. It is certainly a determining factor in increasing fitness when implemented over the course of the season, but “progressively” overloading every time you hop on the bike for a workout is not conducive.
I found that AI FTP overestimated my power by 30 or so watts when all I fed it was outdoor non structured ride data all summer. I did a ramp test and got it in the ballpark, but indoor ERG still is a kick in the junk every season after enjoying riding outside.
Hopefully the robots are kind and adapt your plan to a stretch or achievable workout before that one pops up
I really enjoyed the mid volume Traditional Base Plans (1,2,&3) back at the beginning of the year.
I followed the plan to the T during the week but on the weekends I’d try to ride as much as I could on back to back days. I ended up averaging 9-12 hours a week.
It was a good transition phase after taking 2ish weeks off, after almost 6+ months of structured training. I suggest it for anyone and also starting with a freshly set FTP. After the 12 weeks I was back within 5 watts of my highest FTP.
I just started with TR and love it so far, but i’m going to spend a fair bit of time this winter doing snow biking, XC skiing and running - all just for fun - so the low volume plan will be my TR work as long as i’m stuck inside.
I’m planning to limit myself to mostly 60 & 75 minute indoor rides.
This has to be some sort of display/ push to outside glitch… I’ve done Boarstone -2 just recently and it wasn’t terribly difficult and it’s PL for endurance is 3.3.
FWIW, keep in mind that TR has been around for a long time and has a LOT of happy long time users. While you shouldn’t do everything just because other people are doing it, you should take some consolation from knowing that thousands (tens of thousands? hundreds of thousands?) have done the training plan you are on now, and came out the other side stronger and faster.
I’m a 60 yr old user (masters/age group racer with podiums at state and national levels), and can tell you that from day one, the two things TR has done better than anything else to make me fitter and faster are
Consistently feeding me workouts that challenge me without breaking me, and
Provide enough flexibility to accommodate my schedule, illness, injury, or other factors that interrupt the training schedule.
I’ll chime in on the advice you’ve already received and say that if you aren’t taking a 2-4 week break from training at the end of the season, you’re absolutely piling stress on a system that isn’t going to perform at its full potential. Take days off, knock out some “achievable” workouts that look fun, and don’t start your actual program for another couple of weeks. Along the way, answer the post workout questions honestly, and don’t look at the scheduled workouts much more than a week at a time. TR will adjust to your responses.
Besides, if you do happen to get assigned a workout that is more than you can handle, that’s useful, too. It’ll let you and the system better understand where your limits are and what you need to work on going forward.
I signed up for exactly the same, some are pretty brutal, had to stop a few times as literally gasping for breath! Perhaps TR got this one slightly wrong
What specifically makes you think they got it wrong? Some sessions (VO2 and above) should have you working very hard… to the point of gasping for breath sometimes!
this. I see workouts like you’re describing and think “NFW can I complete that.” Usually it’s a slog through the first set then “Okay just one more and I’m dialing it back…” Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, but either way answer the survey accurately. If it was very hard say so.
