General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Winter cycling program Rss Feed  
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2013-09-23 5:47 PM


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Subject: Winter cycling program
So in a few weeks I plan to transition into a winter cycling program. I am focusing on OLY distance Tri's next season and would like to find a program to take my cycling to the next level. I plan on doing these workouts on a trainer. I have looked into Jorge's winter cycling plan here on BT and some of the sufferfest videos. What have you done that has improved your cycling performance over the winter/offseason/non-racing season?

TrBeau17


2013-09-23 6:20 PM
in reply to: #4862201


13

Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Also interested....
2013-09-24 12:53 PM
in reply to: TrBeau17

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Elite
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Cleveland
Subject: RE: Winter cycling program

Sign up with TrainerRoad and do the "20 Minute Accelerator" plan.  It is Jorge's plan adapted to TrainerRoad.  It is only 3 days per week for 6 weeks.

 

If you wanted to devote more time per week to it, then perhaps look at the Mid or High Volume 40k TT plans, which run 12 weeks.  Those rides tend to go up to 80 minutes in length and should prepare you well for the OLY distance.  If you wanted to add in something with a slightly longer duration to train over-distance a bit, then look at adding in the occasional 'Sweet Spot' rides of 90+ minute duration (there are several to choose from; my favorites are Epic Mt Baldy and Sirretta).

 

2013-09-25 6:05 AM
in reply to: jasonz


106
100
Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
I'll check out trainerroad.com any other plans/programs that anyone has found very helpful?
2013-09-25 8:15 AM
in reply to: TrBeau17

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Not a Coach
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Subject: RE: Winter cycling program

Day 1: 2 x 20'  with <5' rest between sets, try to hold same output for both intervals (95% of FTP)
Day 2: 1 x 20', basically time trial effort (100-105% FTP)
Day 3: REST or very easy--like 30-60' of soft-pedalling (~50% FTP)

Repeat over and over and over...  Every other cycle, replace Day 2 with VO2 work.  Something like 5x5' with 3-5' of rest between.  (110-115% FTP).

FTP is the steady power you could hold in a 1 hour all-out time trial.  If you don't have a power meter, use that idea as a guage for your effort.  They are challenging workouts and will make much running difficult/impossible.  So you could dial it back a bit if you didn't want to commit that much to the bike (e.g., insert another bike rest day between Day 1 and Day 2).  But, it will work.


2013-09-25 9:02 AM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

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Elite
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Ontario
Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Day 1: 2 x 20'  with (95% of FTP)
Day 2: 1 x 20', basically time trial effort (100-105% FTP)
Day 3: REST or very easy--like 30-60' of soft-pedalling (~50% FTP)

Repeat over and over and over...  Every other cycle, replace Day 2 with VO2 work.  Something like 5x5' with 3-5' of rest between.  (110-115% FTP).

FTP is the steady power you could hold in a 1 hour all-out time trial.  If you don't have a power meter, use that idea as a guage for your effort.  They are challenging workouts and will make much running difficult/impossible.  So you could dial it back a bit if you didn't want to commit that much to the bike (e.g., insert another bike rest day between Day 1 and Day 2).  But, it will work.


You're a cruel man JohnnyKay...I'd love to see someone do this for 12 weeks and report their results, I'm sure they'd be good.  They'd also likely report the desire to throw the trainer through the window.



2013-09-25 10:29 AM
in reply to: JohnnyKay

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Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Day 1: 2 x 20'  with (95% of FTP)
Day 2: 1 x 20', basically time trial effort (100-105% FTP)
Day 3: REST or very easy--like 30-60' of soft-pedalling (~50% FTP)

Repeat over and over and over...  Every other cycle, replace Day 2 with VO2 work.  Something like 5x5' with 3-5' of rest between.  (110-115% FTP).

FTP is the steady power you could hold in a 1 hour all-out time trial.  If you don't have a power meter, use that idea as a guage for your effort.  They are challenging workouts and will make much running difficult/impossible.  So you could dial it back a bit if you didn't want to commit that much to the bike (e.g., insert another bike rest day between Day 1 and Day 2).  But, it will work.


 

Looks great...but I train with HR, so what would be the equivalent  , I ampresuming zone 4 or so? thanks

2013-09-25 10:54 AM
in reply to: GoFaster

Master
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Northern IL
Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Originally posted by GoFaster
Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Day 1: 2 x 20'  with (95% of FTP)
Day 2: 1 x 20', basically time trial effort (100-105% FTP)
Day 3: REST or very easy--like 30-60' of soft-pedalling (~50% FTP)

Repeat over and over and over...  Every other cycle, replace Day 2 with VO2 work.  Something like 5x5' with 3-5' of rest between.  (110-115% FTP).

FTP is the steady power you could hold in a 1 hour all-out time trial.  If you don't have a power meter, use that idea as a guage for your effort.  They are challenging workouts and will make much running difficult/impossible.  So you could dial it back a bit if you didn't want to commit that much to the bike (e.g., insert another bike rest day between Day 1 and Day 2).  But, it will work.

You're a cruel man JohnnyKay...I'd love to see someone do this for 12 weeks and report their results, I'm sure they'd be good.  They'd also likely report the desire to throw the trainer through the window.

Hi, one block a week of this and a couple other rides of bigger stuff. Works great.

2013-09-25 10:57 AM
in reply to: FELTGood

Master
10208
50005000100100
Northern IL
Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Originally posted by FELTGood
Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Day 1: 2 x 20'  with (95% of FTP)
Day 2: 1 x 20', basically time trial effort (100-105% FTP)
Day 3: REST or very easy--like 30-60' of soft-pedalling (~50% FTP)

Repeat over and over and over...  Every other cycle, replace Day 2 with VO2 work.  Something like 5x5' with 3-5' of rest between.  (110-115% FTP).

FTP is the steady power you could hold in a 1 hour all-out time trial.  If you don't have a power meter, use that idea as a guage for your effort.  They are challenging workouts and will make much running difficult/impossible.  So you could dial it back a bit if you didn't want to commit that much to the bike (e.g., insert another bike rest day between Day 1 and Day 2).  But, it will work.


 

Looks great...but I train with HR, so what would be the equivalent  , I ampresuming zone 4 or so? thanks

2 x 20' in lower Z4. 1 x 20' reaching threshold and going high Z4. 5 x 5' go into Z5, but these are hard to pace by HR due to how short they are (although they feel rather long when doing them).

2013-09-25 11:18 AM
in reply to: brigby1

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Pro
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Melbourne FL
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Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Originally posted by brigby1
Originally posted by FELTGood
Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Day 1: 2 x 20'  with (95% of FTP)
Day 2: 1 x 20', basically time trial effort (100-105% FTP)
Day 3: REST or very easy--like 30-60' of soft-pedalling (~50% FTP)

Repeat over and over and over...  Every other cycle, replace Day 2 with VO2 work.  Something like 5x5' with 3-5' of rest between.  (110-115% FTP).

FTP is the steady power you could hold in a 1 hour all-out time trial.  If you don't have a power meter, use that idea as a guage for your effort.  They are challenging workouts and will make much running difficult/impossible.  So you could dial it back a bit if you didn't want to commit that much to the bike (e.g., insert another bike rest day between Day 1 and Day 2).  But, it will work.

Looks great...but I train with HR, so what would be the equivalent  , I ampresuming zone 4 or so? thanks

2 x 20' in lower Z4. 1 x 20' reaching threshold and going high Z4. 5 x 5' go into Z5, but these are hard to pace by HR due to how short they are (although they feel rather long when doing them).

IMHO, HR training on the trainer is not ideal. I tried it on the very 1st round of BT/Jorge's winter cycling plan and it was basically useless due to the lag issue.  I switched over to virtual power (made my own spreadsheet) and is so much better as it removes any HR lag and RPE issues.  If you have a fluid (or mag) trainer with a known power/speed curve go with VP.  TrainerRoad has a lot of power curves for various trainers.
2013-09-25 11:51 AM
in reply to: TrBeau17


1660
10005001002525
Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Originally posted by TrBeau17

I'll check out trainerroad.com any other plans/programs that anyone has found very helpful?



Honestly, using trainrroad will be so high quality that it will trump all other plans, no matter how good they are, compared to not using it.

I actually don't like shilling for other products (no cut for me!) but because TR makes you do a FTP test, and then gives you hard %FTP targets to hit in visual format so it's very practically easy to do so (physically not so easy), it really changes your quality of training.

I tried doing it without TR, just using a speed sensor to estimate virtualpower, but it really was nowhere near as good or as satisfying to do the workout. When you see those graphs of the power you put up, in real-time, it's very motivating and objective proof of your effort.

It's great stuff. (I still, however, really hope someone will just OPEN SOURCE an equivalent program just so those who aren't keen on spending the money on TR can still have a tool. Kind of like GoldenCheetah for powermeters.)


2013-09-25 2:45 PM
in reply to: 0

New user
3

Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Completely agree on all the Trainer Road comments. It's done wonders for my 40k TT in Olympic races. My best going into this year had been a 1:12, and with less than 6 months of training with TR, I biked a 1:04. You can't go wrong with that program. And I use Trainer Road year round for multiple reasons

1) Frankly, I don't have time to go out on joy rides that often. I'm limited to about 16 hours of training a week during my heaviest weeks of the year. Typically, I'm trying to be a podium contender with 10-12 hours of training a week. Time spent on a trainer is far more efficient than on the road, and it's made even MORE efficient with Trainer Road.

2) Trainer Road provides a specific training program with Tangible (MEASURABLE) results. The factors that must be weighed when you ride on the road are so dynamic that it's nearly impossible to know exactly how much you're improving over time. Even if you do the same route every day you can't know. Wind, temperature, road conditions, other weather, all throw off your ability to measure properly.

"But I already have a power meter. I don't need 'virtual power' to help me with my training." Trainer Road provides a lot more than just virtual power. It can pick up your ANT+ power meter too. What it does provide you is unfettered access to HUNDREDS of workouts, and plans that have been assembled by experts that are proven to improve cycling fitness.

Like I said before. I've seen massive results for myself... I love giving Trainer Road huge kudos.

Edited by rmhoff 2013-09-25 2:45 PM
2013-09-25 5:19 PM
in reply to: yazmaster


106
100
Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
yazmaster,

do you have a powermeter? I do not, but I do have a heart rate monitor.
2013-09-25 5:43 PM
in reply to: Donto

Master
10208
50005000100100
Northern IL
Subject: RE: Winter cycling program
Originally posted by Donto
Originally posted by brigby1
Originally posted by FELTGood
Originally posted by JohnnyKay

Day 1: 2 x 20'  with (95% of FTP)
Day 2: 1 x 20', basically time trial effort (100-105% FTP)
Day 3: REST or very easy--like 30-60' of soft-pedalling (~50% FTP)

Repeat over and over and over...  Every other cycle, replace Day 2 with VO2 work.  Something like 5x5' with 3-5' of rest between.  (110-115% FTP).

FTP is the steady power you could hold in a 1 hour all-out time trial.  If you don't have a power meter, use that idea as a guage for your effort.  They are challenging workouts and will make much running difficult/impossible.  So you could dial it back a bit if you didn't want to commit that much to the bike (e.g., insert another bike rest day between Day 1 and Day 2).  But, it will work.

Looks great...but I train with HR, so what would be the equivalent  , I ampresuming zone 4 or so? thanks

2 x 20' in lower Z4. 1 x 20' reaching threshold and going high Z4. 5 x 5' go into Z5, but these are hard to pace by HR due to how short they are (although they feel rather long when doing them).

IMHO, HR training on the trainer is not ideal. I tried it on the very 1st round of BT/Jorge's winter cycling plan and it was basically useless due to the lag issue.  I switched over to virtual power (made my own spreadsheet) and is so much better as it removes any HR lag and RPE issues.  If you have a fluid (or mag) trainer with a known power/speed curve go with VP.  TrainerRoad has a lot of power curves for various trainers.

Yes, I find HR helpful, but power quite a bit more so.

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