TMonk

Looking back at my historical TSS. it looks like it doesn't really drop a whole lot until deep summer when I like purposely de-train. The volume is down, so I have more time which is nice, but TSS didn't dip a whole lot. I think the volume/intensity tradeoff was somewhat even for me.

After a certain minimum in CTL, I think lack of volume would start to have negative effects on your fitness. I think this is both a ride duration and weekly volume thing. Are you able to squeeze in a 3 hour ride per week by getting up super early? I think I remember an nationals level college athlete and pseudo-pro here (ZeCanon) saying that riding at z2 for under 3 hrs offers no training benefit to a trained athlete.

burnthesheep

I had a misconception about needing some more form to complete the ftp building workouts.

Come March, time won't be an issue.

TheKillerPenguin

I can generally maintain TSS if I'm sleeping and eating properly. If I'm stressed out I tend to hit a wall and TSS naturally needs to be reduced. It's really so specific to your own circumstances I don't think there is a hard set rule. I would suggest you start conservatively on week 1 and if it feels good up the TSS through weeks 2 and 3.

burnthesheep

I like this idea.

Most "plans" ease people into the hard work anyway. They usually start you with short/fewer sets, then add quantity and duration of sets as plans progress.

hubcyclist

3x30 @ 92% today, was fine until the last 5ish mins then much burning lol last sweet spot workout of block, 4hr z2 tomorrow (maybe if I survive snow shoveling) and then easy week

Hermes

When I lived in NorCal and raced almost every week and had a coach, TSS / CLT was interesting but not determinate. Periodization was more important and prioritizing A, B and C races. Many of my team members raced every week and most of the time raced both days on the weekend possibly two races each day. Most of my work between racing was interval top off and recovery. When I did the Topsport and Madera Stage Races, I did not need more endurance…just recovery.

Enthalpic

I did a bunch of literature searches years ago about the minimal exercise intensity that could elicit a training effect. It appears that all time above 50% of CP / FTP counts. Time in zone...

TMonk

well, that's def Z2, and I'd believe you over what Z's coach said.

burnthesheep

Almost did entire SST-long. For right now, the last 40min set is just too much. So I did half of that last set. So 40min of Z4 and 45min of Z3. For future weeks I have option to repeat or add the rest of the last set in. SST-med wouldn't have quite been enough stimulus.

I think I may do a very easy run tomorrow to close out the week and grab maybe 35 TSS points. That'd put me at a comfy 400. Only 20 below a typical week to week year long average. I don't think 20 less than normal with the added stimulus of lots of Z4 time per week is going to hurt anything for a few weeks.

hubcyclist

4hrs z2 to wrap up base. Ctl 90 tsb -20. Looking forward to taking it easy this week

Yep

It's a good question and I've always approached as if CTL and intensity can't really be pulled apart. TSS is a mixed metric in that you can get to the same load with high intensity/short duration, or some mixture thereof. On some level, if your CTL is dropping, you're getting less fit, no?

Example would be, during base phase, when CTL is rising, you're getting more fit. During build, where maybe CTL plateaus, your fitness is changing (from deeper to sharper?), but it's not increasing, is it?

burnthesheep

This week I think I can hit my normal TSS and get in my intervals. Feeling better.

Also, am trying to get in 45min worth of Z4 in each interval workout as a goal. With stretch goal moving closer into the 50's of min in coming weeks. If the workout is at the tip top end, it's negotiable. Then, in another week or so if I'm able to do enough sets to hit 50's min I will recycle back to the start week and up the power by 5w and repeat.

I found some canned ones on Zwift that I really like as they are more fundamentally sound than their original trash. They're too short, so I just reload the same workout or the similar one and keep going with skipping or abbreviating the warmups.

This time around also I am eating my gel for each workout. I don't care what people say about having enough in your body for a 75min workout, it seems to help me do the work.

caloso

30 sec on/offs. 2 sets of 20. The workout called for 3 sets actually, but I was short on time, which was just as well because I'm not sure how far I would have gotten into the 3rd set before dying.

burnthesheep

Really warm day here, mandatory lunch TT bike ride. Just got in whatever lower Z4 I could in random fashion being happy to be outside and moving quickly.

These roads and the cross winds out here made it seem slower than it should have been. I was moving about 2 feet lateral some of the gusts. I had the 9+ on the front.

I tried out a Giro Aerohead I bought used (used twice). It's a great lid. Roomy. I didn't feel like with my fit it had the forward vision of the Tempor though for some reason. Which with that huge visor surprises me about the Aerohead. If anything I may always use it from now on to training ride.

I will test all lids I now have (three tt lids) and pick a winner for low yaw and high yaw. Test them all on a still day, then all on a day like today with crap cross winds.

Based on today's ride.........so far even without Notio data, not so sure about this Aerohead. Despite it being the "darling" for most everyone.

TMonk

Took the morning off to do a "mini" team camp by myself today before our larger road team camp this weekend, which I am co-leading. Long ride tomorrow with a split 1/3 in for the 1/2 and 4/5 group (3's in either), complete with SAG and team meal with presentations after. Crit practice and bonus miles on Sunday, with some race sims and drills.

Today, I'm going to warmup on Zwift than take the TT bike out for a 2x20' on Fiesta, SST by feel, but keeping it under the hood due to the big week I need to survive. After, I'm stopping by the track to borrow a narrow nose ISM TT saddle from a coach, then heading out to meet a couple friends for another 2 hours of MTB, a bit over 4 hr total in riding. Only working a few hours in the afternoon to see how my group's QC results are going and keep my email inbox in check. Good times.

TheKillerPenguin

Power's been out all day :-| forced rest.

CTL is at levels last seen in 2017 though which is pretty rad. Able to put out OK watts even on the fluid trainer.

Hopefully power is back on tonight so I can follow through on weekend plans. Was aiming for 19hrs this week, but with having to take today off it's probably more like 16.

brian44

Three sets of 40x20 on the velodrome w/ 8 min of z2 between; it was brutal..they usually are for me. I usually do my interval work on the trainer (I have a Wahoo Kickr Bike), but it **** the bin for lack of a better term. Wahoo warranty claims have been awesome FWIW>

AlgarveCycling

Interesting reading this Thread!

I'm in the process of getting back to fitness and lowering my weight following a bad few months since last September. I had the 'flu back then, time off the bike, then just maintained with a strategy to begin training again in January - but had an accident in December, 55km/h sprint crash. 5 weeks off but lucky, all things considered.

This last week (6 days) has been fatiguing for me, rest day tomorrow. I have a Coach who trains with me and use Training Peaks. My week has been 672km, 5318m, 1543TSS but a relatively low 7750kj since I was aiming for mostly Z2. 132CTL, 217ATL. Longest ride of the week was yesterday, 204km, 1700m. I'm also still around 3kg heavier than I was and this year want to take myself down further, to 62kg ultimately as that will be a good racing weight for me. (I'm 68kg now, was 58kg when I raced in the 80's/90's).

As a 53 year old (next month), I'm finding recovery takes longer and I only re-started cycling 3 years ago following 17 years of doing nothing! I'm reasonably pleased with my 'comeback' since then but the drop in fitness recently has been annoying. FTP was around 286 (at 65kg) last September and last week I did 6x15s sprints the best of which had a 1091w 5s sprint, holding 1013w for 10s which I'm ok with so long as I still have that when I go down to 62kg - which I should. I'm not going to do another FTP until I'm back at 65kg.

My first race this season will be in April so plenty of time to get back in shape and my competition is other 50-59 year olds. Interval training proper will resume for the first time this year on Tuesday.

hubcyclist

Last day of rest week. I’m going to be doing a vo2 block so in prep I tried a quick workout to see how I do with a 5min effort and picked 110% of my currently set ftp, my Hr topped off at 170 which is still a bit under what I’d expect to see when I’m really maxing out so likely will bump up that target a bit.

ntnyln

Last week was a mix of lactate threshold/FTP work and a touch of VO2/FRC work. Sunday was a free day, so I jumped on Zwift and did the 90k Zfondo. Lots of off the bike work too. A mixture of core work, posterior chain activation, home strength and one day of gym work. I think I mentioned that I've developed an imbalance from riding indoors so much and besides doing strength/activation work, I've gotten a rocker plate and some rollers. For the time being I've been doing the rollers for my easy endurance rides during the week instead of my TT bike. I've smoothed things out a bit but I'm still not there. I was working on riding one handed and when I lift the right side, no issues. The left side is another issue. The other day, I took a tumble because I got a bit cocky. Balance and symmetry are coming and worth the investment.

burnthesheep

Idea seems to be working so far.

Week 1 was maybe 75% of TSS and into the Z4 workouts at baseline ftp value of 4w above my best Zwift 45min effort of 276w. So 280w ftp value for Zwift workouts.
Week 2 was 95% of TSS and same ftp value for the same workouts, but repeated a few of them part-way to get more time in zone
This week, I added 5w to the baseline ftp value and went back to week 1 Z4 duration, but keeping TSS at 95 to 100%. Now all at 285w Zwift ftp for the workouts.
Next week, try to extend duration on same workouts again but at the +5w value.

The one workout is under/over for 30min straight, averaging out to roughly 97% of ftp. So, being able to go up on that workout is promising as it's within shouting distance of the 45min bare minimum ftp duration I'm comfortable using with workout % calculations. Just adjust the workouts as I see fit based on the workout data. RPE and HR going down for same workout over time, add power or add duration.

burnthesheep

So something in the TSS or kj above seems off. Either the kj's are low or the TSS is too high. 1543 TSS seems way too high for just 7750 kj.

TMonk

Def. feeling fatigue rn. 950 TSS/19 hours last week, stressed at work. I had a slight sore throat yesterday and this morning too, fortunately I tested negative on the rapid test.

I'm on the last week of base 2, so I will have to keep a close eye on how I'm feeling to get through. I cut back todays 2x20' at Z4/SST on the trainer to 2x15' z2-3 as a start. I felt great during the second one, sore throat no more. Riding into work now, hopefully things smooth out throughout the week.

AlgarveCycling

According to Training Peaks, it is correct.

I do agree it demonstrates that I am relatively unfit though - my data is different when I am fit.

AlgarveCycling

I went back over the data and yes, you are correct, there is an issue - I rode the 200km day on my Wilier. That bike doesn't have a power meter...so only my HR was recorded. I train with my Trek mostly, that has a power meter. So that explains why the workload is off.