I’m still relatively new to training (roughly a year into cycling) and trying to figure out how to better structure my summer. I’m not training for any major events really (a few fun 100mile gravel “races”) so not looking to peak for anything in particular. I was basically just thinking doing 8 weeks of threshold (2x ftp sessions + 1 ss session per week pushing TTE) followed by 4 weeks of VO2 then rinse and repeat.
My power curve looks like this right now (67kg):
1min: 490w
3min: 370w
5min: 345w
10min: 314w
20min: 295w
1hr: 278w
3hr: 255w
6hr: 230w
My strength is definitely endurance and I have pretty good repeatability even if my power isn’t that impressive. Curious if anything else worth focusing on that this group sees based on my power curve? I definitely feel like my 10-20min power is very weak but I don’t do many efforts in that time frame. Will a threshold block help with this? I feel ok about 3-5min but probably room to improve there as well.
Thanks much for the help! Trying to become a better cyclist as I mostly ride unstructured.
If you are relatively new to cycling and your interest is 100 mile gravel events, it’s hard to go wrong just focusing on building the biggest aerobic engine you can. Your general plan sounds reasonable, but I’d only do 2 hard days a week with a big volume day as the 3rd as time permits. Also, I assume when you say 8 weeks, you don’t mean 8 straight weeks but a couple 4 week blocks that each include an easy week. You’ve got to have some extended rest in the plan to absorb the training stress. And for the Vo2max block, cap it at 2 intense days also (again, with the 3rd day being big volume as time allows). And I definitely wouldn’t push 4 weeks of vo2max straight, get an easy week in after 3 weeks on.
The biggest mistake people often make when getting into structured training is too much intensity, which actually makes the intense days less effective. If you stick with a couple high quality hard days a week and add endurance work on top of that, it’s hard to get too far off track.
When in doubt, this blog post describes sensible default approach:
I have used it since February as basis for reverse periodisation experiment and seems its focused SIT/HIIT block has given me sufficient boost to break through 2-year plateau
But on another note… OP, you mention you have few efforts in the lower range of your power curve. Since you aren’t training for a specific race maybe do a 10 or 20 minute time trial (or both) at some point in your training block? Like you, my power curve “personal bests” are really just power that I put out in the middle of a ride or workout. Might be “fun” (if you can call it that) to do a 20 minute test in the middle of your training block and again at the end.
Ok very helpful! Thanks for the check on my plan. Yes 8 weeks includes 3 weeks on / 1 off and I definitely don’t want to push overtraining. I’m doing about 15 hours/week so recovery needs to be really dialed in.
I like that idea. I’ve never tried a 10 or 20min TT so could be a good opportunity to really flesh out my power curve at those durations (and track progress).
