Btw just wondering if this has been discussed already, but: If I go outside and do a TR workout, as a outside workout and need to take a leak by the roadside, so to speak, how does AT training react to this? Is it workout lost kinda, no points received and what else…?
I know it’s possible to pause my mobile app indoors and have a long break in the office and all cool, and come back and continue, but I saw at least once outdoors that short break ruined my workout. Never took a leak since then.
Going to Girona soon for a cycling vaycay - just wanted to let you know, really (boring I know) - and wondering if I do some workouts outdoors, if I need to shoot from the saddle like Sagan said ‘they’ these days do? Or can I take a break and still save my precious TR career?
AT first looks at where you stopped to take leak, if its in an urban area or somewhere it considers environmentally UNfriendly then you are awarded no points, it alerts the police, and sends you a text saying “may the cycling gods have mercy on your soul.” LOL.
On a serious note, rest easy, right now I believe AT treats outside as simply pass or fail (if you flag it that way).
In my experience with TR outdoors and AT And Progression levels, the answer is “it depends.” You can pause the workout outdoors and there are gaps between “main” intervals/interval sets that allow time to get into position, so to speak, for the next go and require tapping the lap button to start the next interval.
It seems outdoor workouts allow if not expect more leeway on the workout, or variance from the prescribed target. Consider that terrain (not flat pavement or dirt, a downhill when you’re supposed to be hammering, a tight turn) to traffic (lights, vehicles, horses, dogs) means there’s a lot of variability preventing the consistency you can achieve indoors, which seems to be considered in the analysis (and why it – understandably – took so long to roll out).
That said, you shouldn’t be taking your nature breaks, sightseeing pauses, or other breaks during a target bit. During a rest or gap, I don’t think it really matters. If you do pause and really want the credit, I’d restart that effort. In the end, it seems really flexible and, pardon the term, adaptive. I’d done plenty of outdoor workouts where I’ve skipped the rests between intervals, extended the rests (by not tapping lap to start the next) because I needed to get to a section of trail or road to do the next interval (ie starting a threshold or VO2 interval at the top of winding single track or winding paved farm road is likely to be followed by a long rest) and still seen AT and progression react positively.
Yes, I saw those pre-set gaps as one solution too. Mostly I was thinking long workouts 3-4 hrs where main set is introduced as a one set only and pee break or bottle fill somewhere is about to be needed.
Good to hear that one can play with intervals like that, gotta try that too, so far mostly played that with u-turns on a route by choosing some quiet simple route, tarmac or gravel.
I’m not sure how to react. or or . That would certainly explain some quirks I saw on other outdoor workouts, particularly one from the other day when I did a 45min ride because I misjudged the time and couldn’t do the planned 75min VO2max ride. TR seemed happy, no plus up or loss. Now I know why.
I laughed so much at this. Yes. My Garmin is very judgmental, too. . Totally judges my pace harshly. My Apple Watch is the worst, though. It whacks me for sitting too long when I am stuck in traffic. Like it’s my fault.
Wow and I thought my Garmins over the years were judgmental I’ve never seen a double digit negative, not even after doing back to back stupid days Mine likes to tell me I’m peaking when I feel like total .
An indoor ride would’ve been better than today’s outside ride. Of course, goes the response, because of TR’s structured wo but I wanted to get out. I couldn’t or didn’t get out much this week and when I did, like yesterday morning, the energy wasn’t there. Even with snow last night and this morning, and continuing as I write this, I figured I’d be able to get something productive.
This is my fav local climb I’ve share here before, which had been bare of snow but now has 2” of so, which is fun for a rear worn tire eager to be re-classed as a slick on 20-25%.
I did roll over some of the single track wherein my brakes were air horns with their squealing. I sat on the brakes for a while to warm and dry them to silence them as I neared residences (though I’m sure they heard me before and wondered what new animals wheee dying in the forest).
It wasn’t a bad ride, but I wanted more. Im tired of the cold and wet and slush and mud. A reason I went for the long trail last weekend was because I was eager to get dusty. Oh well, it could be worse, a lot worse.
Love the pics, creature sightings, and your story telling. Even though I grew up running outside in New England year round, I’m a wimp on the bike and don’t own any cold weather gear to comfortably ride outside below 60F … … so I live vicariously through your posts!
It was out to Fincham in Norfolk, UK for my first TT of the year and it showed when a side wind grabbed my front wheel which convinced me to mostly ride with one hand on the base bar after that. It probably wasn’t helped by it being 16deg + and still last week, changing to a feel like gusty 4deg for the TT. I did manage a nearly 3min course PB but I benefitted from not being held up by horse drawn gypsy caravans this time
The red winged blackbirds have become very vocal and active within the last couple of weeks. Love listening to them on my rides, unfortunately I was too busy sweet spotting to get a pic.
Near the end I stood up and pushed out a season best hard 5+ sec sprint on a bridge. Bike jumped off the ground a few times, someday I’ll get more coordination and properly channel that power. Some season power bests out in the 1 hour range, need to get thru allergy season and focus on this part of the curve.
I met some mates this morning in a village west of Peterborough (Elton) for a gravel ride. When I went to start something never felt right and it took me a couple of revolutions to get my drive cleat in A bit later I realised why the cleat had twisted when I couldn’t get clipped back in I lost my mates for a bit I was going to fix it at the cafe but I decided to wait till I was home. On the return some roadies on fully carboned up deep sections came blasting by. It must have really hurt them when my mate chased them down on his mtb
It’s bluebonnet season in Texas. Went for a beautiful gravel ride with the wife. Foggy start and very warm finish. The heat is coming. Need to enjoy the last of the cool weather.
or 
. That would certainly explain some quirks I saw on other outdoor workouts, particularly one from the other day when I did a 45min ride because I misjudged the time and couldn’t do the planned 75min VO2max ride. TR seemed happy, no plus up or loss. Now I know why.
I’ve never seen a double digit negative, not even after doing back to back stupid days 
.
… so I live vicariously through your posts! 
A bit later I realised why the cleat had twisted when I couldn’t get clipped back in I lost my mates for a bit 
