I have used TR for the past 3 winters, but I can’t say I have followed my plans religiously. It has been something to keep my at least a bit focussed until the weather allows me to train outside again.
I signed up to do UK Coast Coast in a day (150 miles and 4500m of ascent) which for me is a big deal. I have completed century rides before but not a 150. For my previous centuries I have just trained outdoors. However this year with Covid lockdowns etc, I have really decided to commit to TR for as long as I can. I have a very time consuming job and two young kids.
When I started training I used the Plan Builder and tried to be realistic as to how many hours I can devote per week to training and it recommended Low Volume. I am following it religiously and adding in a few sessions when I get extra time.
Question is, will that be enough to get me through to say March time and then switch to outdoor to continue my build toward the event at end of June? Should I look to increase volume now? Or is it impossible to say?
I am doing 3 sessions a week rising to 4 with additional sessions. I figure that anything I do now is better than sitting on the sofa eating pizza (define better…) and the plan helps me to be structured but it doesn’t feel like a lot.
A mate of mine is doing free rides etc on Zwift and doing ‘50 mile’ rides on there. Is that a more sensible approach given the type of ride I am building towards or is the plan I am following likely to reap equal levels of benefit?
Thanks
For context
I am 48, weigh 79kg and have an FTP of 200 (until the next test) which has improved from 170 when I started with TR in October.
I forgot to mention that I did it all on low volume plan. It was London to Brighton which is 55 miles, but my personal challenge was to ride to the start and ride back so that turned it into 155 miles.
The few practice rides were to check things like being comfortable on a bike for 4 hours or so, are the bib shorts ok, where to put food etc. Because I was riding solo there and back I took some tools and tubes and lights. I ended up having a small thin rucksack (needed to take a rain jacket and sandwiches) and I also had a toptube bag (the thin kind that almost hide behind the top tube that held a few gels which I could top up every few hours from the rucksack).
There is a whole load more I could write but it starts coming down to personal choices about clothing and food.
But the main bit I would focus on…TR definitely works. Commit to the plan. Aim for the highest compliance you can. I know it sounds weird that 4-5 hours a week can prepare you for a 10 hour ride but it works.
You’ll be fine - I did the C2C a couple of years ago (before I started with TR) on fairly unstructured training and regular club group rides.
The route works out fairly nicely in the sense that you’ll hit Hardknott and Wrynose quite early on when you’re still fresh. I would find yourself a long steep hill and test whether your gearing is low enough to get you up Hardknott though.
(It’s a beautiful route btw - I’d love to do it again one day)
Thank you so much for your replies - they have given me some confidence. Io just know once the sun starts shining I will want to get outside! Pretty sure I can find away of balancing both.