Anybody ever try two a days with an easy ride first, then a harder workout later in the day? I am not a morning person at all, and cannot for the life of me get a solid workout above Z2 done in the morning. I’ve tried waking up earlier to eat, drink coffee, longer warmups. Nothing works. So I tried something today with an easy 1.5 hour Z2 ride in the AM, ate a big lunch, sat around on my couch, and did a VO2 workout in the afternoon. And it went better than expected actually. Now I know most people would recommend the harder workout first, fully fueled up, then do a depleted easy ride later. But is the switch advised? I know today may have been doable because it was the first day trying it. Could it be doable long term on say, a Sat/Sun, then repeat weekly?
There is a person who is now a copy writer for TR by the name of Jesse Fortson I believe. He did at least some two a days where the morning ride was easy and then when he came home from work he did the harder session. I think you can find his write up on TR and he was also interviewed by one of the podcast hosts.
Some folks systems go better with an activation ride before a harder work out. Not exactly the same thing but I found that a zone 1/2 commute of circa 28miles round before an evening turbo session got my best results.
Pre-covid this is how I trained. 1:45 ride into work at steady z2, then the same on the way home but with some efforts thrown in depending on feel/time of year etc. commuting always gives me great legs a few days later once I’ve absorbed the stimulus.
That’s kind of how it felt. When I hopped on for the second ride, my legs actually felt great during the warmup, like I didn’t need a warmup. Maybe I just need longer warmups.
IMO TrainerRoad warmups are too short. I know they need to fit the workout in a certain time period. I need 20 minutes of gradually building intensity including a clearing effort to get going.
All my workouts are 2 (or 4) a day, but never first thing in the morning.
Morning is Z2 commute. Lunch may be a 30 minute intervals session. COmmute home might be some SS intervals. Occasionally jump on the trainer in the evening (but rare).