Trusting the training plan

Training
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I’ve been following a teaining plan since October 2024 as i gear up to my main event in June. Ive asked a few questions here along the way and been an avid podcast listener. The take away from this was trust the plan… which I’ve been adhering to and trusting the adaptations along the way.

Has it worked? Yes and no (in my opinion)… sure my FTP has increased which is absolutely what I hoped for. So I am pleased in that regard.

I’ve plugged away at more indoor hours on the rollers than I care to think about for this gain.

But the rub is… I’ve got significantly slower outside, in the real world :flushed: This has become VERY noticeable on my longer 4 hour plus rides where I just can’t maintain the speeds from 8 months ago.

Any thoughts? Has anyone else seen this in their training?

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The first question is “how long are your longest rides indoors?”

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8 months ago? How many more months into your training were you 8 months ago? In other words, if I always take November & December off (for example) and start up again in January, then I wouldn’t have any expectation to be as well trained at the end of February as I was in June last year.

And trusting the plan still requires your vigilance and input.

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Prior to October I wasnt following a training plan… I’d stopped perhaps 4-6 months prior.

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My 100km rides are where Ive noticed a big difference. In the summer i was doing an average of 28kmh with 700m or so elevation. Now im doing less elevation and slower… struggling to hit 25kmh.

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Right….but last summer was 6-8 months ago. What have you been doing for longer rides since then?

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Which means you will have lots a lot of your fitness before you started training again.

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Ive been doing a 100km ride once a week as part of the training plan. Last summer I’d not trained properly for months and was much faster.

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But ive been training since last october… consistently 5x a week following a TR plan.

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8 months ago i wasnt in a training plan and hadnt been for months prior to that. I started this plan in Oct and have followed it 5x a week since then without taking any time out at all.

Within the plan I put a 4hr endurance ride weekly… which is where I’ve noticed my speed drop significantly.

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Are these long rides the day after a hard workout?

Other thought is just overall training fatigue?

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I dont think its training fatigue as ive been really conscious of this. The day before is only a 1:15 sweet spot workout.

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Not implying youre over training. But when youre months into a training plan and working hard it might be making your long rides harder than if you werent training and were relatively fresh.

Otherwise, your power numbers are increasing?

Maybe try doing a long 4 hour ride at the end of your next rest week and see how that goes.

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Yes my FTP has been increasing… thats why im surprised ive slowed down so much.

At the end of next week ( its a recovery week next week anyway) ive got a 159km Gran Fondo… my concern is i wont make the 7hr cut off.

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Summer and winter usually have a different air density. My winter riding has always been slower. Same routes. Always more power to get it done. Some correct me if I’m wrong. Could be bro science. But my data backs up being slower in the winter.

Also, it’s winter. I don’t want to be my fastest in February or March. Talk to us in July. That’s when I fly past people and yell Trainerroad b@tches. Been doing it for years now! TR works.

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I’ve really been trusting the process… i need my peak to be at the end of June for my Transpyrenees challenge.

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I would be very disappointed if 5 months of 5 days per week structured training had left me slower than I was when I had just been noodling about for months.

Whatever you threw at me as a reason / excuse, I would be very disappointed.

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I am very disappointed… i guess thats why i asked the question.

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General rule of thumb is that it takes twice as long to regain fitness you’ve lost after extended break like yours. Thus 4 months off, 8 months to regain it. This is why it’s advised not to take too long an inter seasonal break, if you want to see year on year gains. Otherwise you just seesaw around the same peak level each year.

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Imteresting to note that my FTP is the highest it’s ever been though… so in that respect the plan is working. But my outdoor speed is significantly slower.