Bit of an in-the-weeds question here that I think would help clarify things for a lot of people
When TR builds a training plan for an A event, if it is shorter (20 min long track race if you’re curious), does the training plan focus on building average power to match that time or does it try to build repeatability and surges?
I think the answer is both, but I’d love it if the software specifically said what the end goal metrics it is working me towards and showed my progress towards those, not just FTP. Like, is it trying to get my 20 min power to 375 watts, but with ability to do 30 sec repeated surges into anaerobic and VO2? If so, what are the goals for those numbers and time frames?
I think that level of transparency would really help people like me understand what the end goal the system is training me towards.
FTP is great, but ultimately what matters is the goal of the specific event. So I’d love if it explained that a bit more or made that more clear.
Criteriums are notoriously challenging. These relatively short races favor riders who can surge above threshold dozens of times in a row—all before unleashing an all-out sprint for the finish line. This requires serious aerobic endurance, a high anaerobic capacity, an effective ability to recover, and the neuromuscular coordination to sprint powerfully when tired.
The Criterium Specialty Plans are designed for the needs of criterium racers, as well as any other cyclist whose rides incorporate lots of repeated all-out efforts. Ideally completed following a Short Power Build phase, this plan further sharpens your ability to attack and drop your competitors, over and over again.
Thank you, this is somewhat helpful and does partially answer my question. However, I guess what I am really looking for is knowing what the surge targets are it is working me toward. Like is specifically going to try to get me to do 130% over FTP for 30 sec intervals? If so, how many intervals is it trying to get me to be able to repeat? And… is it ever going to work on my all out sprint efforts? If so, for how long and what is the power goal there.
That type of info would be really helpful to me so that I can know what to expect and see how my performance is tracking other than just FTP or digging around the power records.
Last realted question…
Will the training plan ever increase my volume? Right now it has me at 3 intense days per week at 1-1.5 hrs…but I’d love to do some Z2 rides outside of those, but only if helpful. Everyone I see that is really successful in track does way more than just 3-4 hrs per week, so if more volume would be helpful I’d love to do it, but only if it would help me. Is this just limiting me to 3 rides per week because the A event is only 20 minutes? Will it ever sugggest more low intesity volume as I keep training?
@Watermania23, TrainerRoad is not trying to push you toward a fixed target like “130% for 30 seconds, repeated 8 times” as an end goal.
Instead, TrainerRoad’s system meets you where you are right now and builds a sustainable progression in the specific energy systems that matter for your goal event. It is not trying to check a box like “athlete can now do X watts for Y seconds.” It is building repeatable, event-specific capability on a trajectory that keeps you progressing without overreaching. It is continuously analyzing how you respond to training, how much fatigue you’re carrying, and what demands your goal requires, then selecting the next best workout to move you forward.
As far as the volume question, you can use the Check Volume feature after every phase, or you could try adding in one of the Z2 workouts if you’d like and see how it goes before adding another, but it looks like you’ve already added in extra endurance workout If your plan prior to this only had 3 training days, it was going to prioritize interval work (3 days a week) as this bring the most fitness gains, unless you made it a masters plan to prioritize recovery (2 interval days + 1 endurance).
