I’ve completed SSB low volume and am currently in the recovery week of the first 4 week block of General Build low volume. After week 8 of the General Build phase I’m away for a week of snowboarding, which takes me to week commencing 18th March. At the end of that week on March 24th I’m riding a hill climb sportive (if anyone is interested - https://www.theoutdoorcity.co.uk/sheffield-city-life/events/the-magnificent-seven-2019-p1046491).
I’m a bit concerned that I’ll be having an easy week during week 8 of the General Build, followed by practically a week off (snowboarding is a very lazy sport!), with then only a week to prepare for the sportive. Not sure how to best work around the 2 easy weeks to be as best prepared for the sportive as possible. Should I maybe repeat week 7 of the General Build in week 8, take the holiday as the recovery week then chuck in a couple of workouts early in the week leading up to the sportive? Any advice would be much appreciated as I’m pretty new to TR and not really sure how best to work through this.
Yep, that’s what I would do. Repeat week 6 or 7, then treat week holiday as recovery week (but make sure do recover!). Then few short but sharp workouts in week before event to wake legs up again.
Climbing Road Race Week 8 is a Taper Week, which is designed to lower the volume, but help you to retain your snap that you will need to put down a solid effort in your event
The reason I would recommend some easy recovery riding on the weekend before your vacation starts is because even though snowboarding may seem “lazy”, you are not really recovering. Your body will just be under a new type of stress, so it’s best not to assume that you will come out of the week rested and ready to go.
@Bryce Great suggestion for the week after I get back from vacation, I will definitely go with that. Slight dilemma in that my vacation is Saturday - Saturday, so not sure how I could fit in some recovery rides in the preceding week without back to back training days, i.e., Mo-We back to back General Build Week 7, Th-Fr Week 8. It’s not really an option to train on the last Friday as my flight is early Saturday AM and I would need a few hours sleep after work before setting off. I guess you wouldn’t advocate Week 7 back to back anyway?
The hotel we are staying at has a gym and it appears they have some spin bikes, so there could be the potential to do some easy recovery rides during the vacation. Although it’s a Bulgarian hotel and unlikely I will be able to get firm confirmation of what equipment they have and if it actually works, so not 100% on that front. Even if there were the facility it’s likely it would have to be RPE rather than power based recovery rides.
I usually train TR on Mo, Tu & Th, gym strength sessions We & Su, rest Fr and a club ride Sa, so could potentially free up some days in the week preceding the vacation by re-structuring the week before that. Happy to skip the club ride and/or Su gym session to make the extra days.
How about this as a schedule for the 2 weeks preceding the vacation?
1: General Build Week 7 as scheduled [Mo, Tu & Th]
2: Rest [Fr]
3: General Build Week 7 [Sa, Su & Tu], Week 8 [We-Th]
4: Vacation - with the possibility of access to a spin bike for some recovery rides during that week
Apologies for the extra complication but what would you recommend as the best approach based on the above?
As always, be sure to listen to your body and if you need rest, take it. Much better to do a little less TSS than to bite off more than you can chew leading into your event.
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