Using this thread to track my journey from post ToS to Unbound 200 through the Gravel Grinder 200 training plan. First 2 weeks will be kinda crazy, but will do double ups if I need to.
Day 1, recovery ride. Put in 43 mins of easy riding getting the legs flushed and ready for a race tomorrow. Not a bad way to break into the plan. Hoping the weather holds up this weekend, so I can catch some outdoor miles.
I love how the calendar shows what I was supposed to do and what I actually got done. Hoping strava workouts will also show up. Testing that tonight for day 2.
Sadly, strava didn’t link up to the calendar. 
Might be a nice to have down the road.
So tonight, Day 2, I didn’t get strength or cadence builds and holds. I had a 31 km TTT. The big take away is that I don’t have a great 1 min power without spiking my heart rate. Something I hope to improve for crit races in April.
I’ll be back on it tomorrow for an hour of running with the wolves. Whoop recovery 62%.
Day 3, whoop recovery 25%.
Still getting things settled. I just got my road bike fitted and bar tape on, so I did an hour, out and back route, over some rollers. Much needed outdoor ride from all the indoor riding I’ve been doing. It was surprising that I hit 990 watts after racing yesterday. Next Sat. should be very interesting. Hours afterwards, my body was still amped. I could feel my metabolism being ramped up. Been awhile since that has happened.
Tonight is There is No Try. Whoop recovery at 37%. Feeling pretty beat up.
one thing to note on the 1-min power point, paradoxically, improvements in one-min power are not just about practice short power. Check out this: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/youre-training-too-hard-for-criteriums-heres-why/
it’s a good article.
The good news is, you’ll get plenty of work for the aerobic engine when you’re doing your 4 to 5 hour weekend rides with efforts thrown in 
Good thing I’ve been training since late Nov, building up my base. Next Sat. will be a good test to see where I’m at and how far I have left to go.
Day 4, whoop recovery was 37%.There is no try (TINT). I felt like I was back in the tour with my body and mind beaten down. After my wife telling me to suck it up buttercup, I dragged my body down to the bike for TINT. I haven’t rode this video in awhile and it wasn’t half bad for my ride type. I felt great until the last 3 sets where my HR spiked and my legs were struggling. Finished with a 0.98IF.
Since 12/23/20, I’ve been using a smart scale to track my weight. 183.4 lbs was my starting point and between 169.3 and 172.1 lbs depending on water weight. Everything moving in the right direction. Looking forward to the strength and shorter ride tonight. 
Day 5 was a no go. Fighting low recovery and sleep, I skipped it to be better off for 6 hours riding this weekend. Even 12 hours of sleep didn’t help my recovery that much. Only up to 63% which isn’t great for the amount of sleep. Today is beautiful for Kansas weather, mid 60s and little wind. Sunday will be a mess with 20-30mph with 40mph gusts.
If the first week has told me anything is that I need better prepared. 6 days a week is a big toll on my body and it’s only going to get worse.
Thankfully the wind was out to help give me some resistance, but that damn wind picked up towards the end of my ride. lol.
I was once told in order to go fast, you need to go slow. I had to keep reminding myself of that, because I so wanted to push the pace. I felt great for the first 90 mins, doing loops on some rolling hills, but after my 4 sets of 8 mins on, 12 mins off, my legs started were getting sore. I only used two gels, burning all the carbs I loaded up yesterday. That probably didn’t help me much.
The last hour, I went out west to get some more climbing, so I wasn’t sticking to my 55% FTP at all. Ended up getting an extra 15 mins to round out a 50 mi day. Not a bad day, but another 3 hours tomorrow.
Whoop strain 20.5/21.0 burning 4600 calories…ooof.
Sunday, Day 7, FTP/MAP Builds: 2 sets 3 x 6.
I was grateful for all the low intensity riding. It gave my legs time to flush out the soreness from the other day. FTP/MAP, 1st set went alright. I got stuck right before a turn back into the cross wind, on some rollers, so my watts weren’t the greatest. The 2nd set, I made sure to easy spin until I caught a long stretch into the wind and then hammer it. I’ve got a lot of work to get those MAP watts up.
The remaining miles were just going around, hitting some local climbs, just having some fun. Finished with 50.22 miles in 3:25 min. Not a bad follow up.
Whoop 20.5, 4305 cal. 166.8 miles for the first week.
Week 2, Day 8. Rest. I might get some core work in just to do something. Tomorrow’s the only decent day to get some crit practice in before Sat. Wind and rain leading up till race day.
I’ll probably move my strength day to Thursday to give myself recovery Friday.
Day 9, Whoop 91% recovery. Strain 13.4/21.0
Last 4 days has had some brutal wind, but I think the gusts were worse yesterday. I found myself riding in 38x28 gearing, going 8.5 mph, dropping 200 watts on road. Now have that as a crosswind and it was on the edge of being a silly ride. I did get 3 laps around 1.87 mi loop, practicing cornering, leaning the bike and not my body into the corner. This weekend being wet and rainy, I’m brushing up on technique.
Today’s plan is the Trick and GOAT. Last hard workout to be ready for Sat.
Hi @goggles.
I moved this topic into the SUF Challenges category.
Good luck on your journey - Crush it.
Last couple of days has been family nights. Taking the kids out around the park and watching marvel movies, so I got 40 minutes of easy light spinning. Tonight is a 35 mins at 55% with a 30s MAP power every 10 mins, with a 5 recovery at the end of the set. I need to flush the legs.
Whoop recovery 91% and 97% today, Friday.
Crashed at the crit race yesterday. Grade 3 AC separation, so this is where the training ends.
Certainly a setback any I’m sorry to hear it. That sucks.
But I bet you’ll be training again in no time, you’ll just be indoor only for a while
Ouch. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Martin