Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
I dunno. Seems like 3 X 6 X 3 Z5 within a 60' Z2 ride twice a week would do a lot of good. Give your current training twenty or thirty years and see how it goes. I know that's a complaint about the CTS time-crunched theory. After 2 or so years of that, one stagnates. Not enough aerobic training impulse, too much anaerobic. That's also the reason that CTS says the their TCC program is only effective for rides of up to 3 hours. There's also this interesting bit, that riders who have focused on high intensity for many years, seem to get Afib. I'm now the oldest person in our group of ~130 riders who's still able to ride hard, those my age and older having dropped out due to Afib. I want to keep riding indefinitely so I'll keep limiting the high end.
I don't recall if it was here or on Slowtwitch somebody recommended that CTS book early in my riding days when it was still a journey to go 15 miles.
I did the intro roadie plan which was the best-of two 8min tests then a bunch of workouts like 3x8, 3x3 two sets, 3x9 under over, etc... It worked in the short term to get me competent up to A rides and able to hang.
Issue was, I didn't realize when they said in the book "this works but your 'matchbook' will be smaller" that it meant you almost only have a single match. I didn't have the aerobic engine to burn multiples and recover. So when I raced a road race and did something, that was it! And was frustrated.
2020 and into this year I've made a concerted effort to "consume" a looooot of tempo, sweetspot, and 95% level power. I'm a bit smarter also now but at weeknight worlds out of town at the "tough" A ride, I used to barely be able to hang in the lead group.
This last time, was able to help cause the entire group to splinter and then rotate with just 4 of us total to the "line". Guys definitely punching above my class also on a skills and power standpoint.
I credit that with the improved aerobic engine.
I think the time crunched folks that need some aerobic improvement should figure out how to work deals with life on how to get a couple longer rides a week with day off in between. Like instead of HIIT all the time with 60min workouts 5 to 6x a week.........do one hard 60min workout then two 2hr workouts per week. Both are 6 hrs a week.
YMMV. That's just random thoughts on my part.