Hello everybody.
I am loving the sufferfest APP and am two weeks into a “All Purpose Road” training plan. As rule have also had excellent and rapid response to any queries from the minions at Sufferland HQ. This is what I haven’t had an answer to yet though.
Even though my outdoor rides are marked as completed on the calendar they don’t show the time on each ride and don’t show on weekly accumulation of miles. Im worried that this is skewing my training.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Simon
2 Likes
thought I would bump up my post to see if anybody can help! can’t seem to get a reply from the support minions. I have the “Long Scream” workout tomorrow and its been set at reduced intensity. Just need to know if the outdoor rides not registering is affecting training plan.
Thanks all
1 Like
I’m going off of memory, and information recalled from an older post on FB, but that level of functionality is a few releases away. You could get a free version of TrainingPeaks if you’re wanting to keep track of total Fatigue, Fitness, & Form.
1 Like
Thanks for the reply. disappointing but ill keep an eye on fitness etc in strava.
Hey there. The calendar merely reflects the workouts you’re planning on doing and the workouts you’ve done.
It’s set to assume you’re doing what you’ve got in plan and doesn’t dynamically change based on what
You do (neither would a Training Peaks plan either). Don’t know if anyone does that to be honest. idea is SUF set your plan … and you choose to follow it as you can. The reason dynamic changes wouldn’t work is just because you ‘miss’ a workout doesn’t mean you’d then increase the next. Normal
Practice is to proceed with the plan irrespective of missed workouts or even when you choose to throw in more than the plan said.
So in short. Whatever you choose to do for each workout, the plan is fixed. Which is how (I think) it has to be. So in this case you’re next workout is scheduled that way in advance based on the plan.
Does that help?
The other thing is Simon - miles and so on don’t matter at all. SUF can’t ‘see’ your outdoor mileage I don’t think either. As @SirAlexanderLee said - for wider tracking there are a few apps that do that. SUF app is a calendar to show you your plan, not to manage your current fitness score (and even if it did one day it still wouldn’t be dynamically changing your plan as a result though)
In short your can have 100% confidence that the SUF coaches have set a plan that works, based on good science and research. And worth sticking to it and seeing how you go after a full plan.
Enjoy.
Thank you for taking the time to write that detailed reply. I have also had a reply from Support now, seems that have been a bit snowed under. The only time a plan would change then is if you do another half monty or 4DP Full Frontal (not brave enough yet lol) therefore adjusting intensity for higher or lower FTP, MAP AC etc?
1 Like
Yup. Then the plan itself as such would stay the same but each SUF workout you do would be applying percentages simply against the 4DP numbers you have.
So let’s you you went for it and randomly (I’d never recommend this) did a 4DP inside a plan and your numbers changed … the plan workouts are the ‘same’ but your numbers have changed so if your 20min 4DP numbers changed from 200 to 210 (or 190) you’d simply be working out against that new number.
The plan and each workout within it are about working you in different ways at a level that achieves an amount of stress on specific areas of 4DP, based on the 4DP numbers you’ve satires.
Eventhen - you can reject or amend those numbers manually even so it’s all configurable as you want.
It might help To separate out in your thinking the ‘plan’ which will work you’re various 4DP areas in a set way… from your 4DP numbers which the plan will use for each workout.
It all just happens for you 
start the workout and go smash it … and the next …
I’ll use me as a use case.
I started off on a 12 week plan. I had sensible pre start numbers as I’d been using the platform already and had tested more than once so thought they felt good as a baseline.
I literally just followed the plan. Whatever it tells me I do.
I also occasionally mess with it because I have a bunch of other commitments which are far more important than cycling. So I miss the odd one. I don’t try and ‘make up’ as that introduces stress at the wrong time in the plan.
I finish 12 weeks.
I test again.
My numbers have changed a bit.
I let the system update my numbers from the test.
And repeat. I often change the plan the next time for variety (they use to be all very specific in years gone by — the plans now are really cool though and the next plan you pick could easily now have different workouts anyway)
And so on … just let it do it’s thing and of course eventually you’ll get to a place where you start maybe doing a phase of picking and choosing, then maybe back to a plan again, maybe a custom plan for 3 months even…
And you get quicker outside as a result.
that sounds like a good plan. Im a sufferer of Early onset Alzheimer’s so sometimes have trouble getting my head round things! one thing I do have though is time and a keenness to get fitter hopefully fit enough to do the 4DP after the 12 weeks. My Half monty went from 172 to 202 ftp in 3 weeks so must be doing something right Eh/ Thanks again Sir Martin. A fine example of what this sort of forum should be all about. Im. settling in for the ride…
onwards and Upwards
1 Like
@spoons52 Simon, I run all of my training workouts through TrainingPeaks, which tells me my present and forecast level of fatigue, fitness & form. It takes data from my indoor rides (Sufferfest, Zwift, etc) and outdoor rides (I use a power meter & HR strap). I generally stick to the Suff plan fairly rigidly, but if I do (for example) a weekend outdoor ride of 4 hours instead of the stipulated planned 2 hours, I can see what effect it had on my present fatigue and adjust rest/recovery accordingly. It doesn’t change any of the plans - I have to keep a check manually. I believe that Sufferfest may be developing something along the same lines, but not sure when that will be available or what functionality it will have.
1 Like
im using TRAINING PEAKS so I can upload the outdoor rides to the Wahoo element and the two I have done so far have worked well on the unit if I plan my route well enough. I don’t really want to pay for another membership so don’t know if the calendar will still sync after 14 day trial. I also use Power meter and HR strap and use Strava for Fitness and fatigue.
2 Likes
@spoons52 I know what you mean about “paying for another membership”…It gets expensive doesn’t it!!! Depending on what any improved Suff calendar enhancements look like, and the recent changes to Strava premium, I may reevaluate it all in the New Year…but I like the layout and ease of use of TrainingPeaks (I’ve tried FinalSurge as well, but didn’t really like the interface for that…although good for a free service).
1 Like
I use my garmin edge while following the plan. The garmin connects to my KICKR, which transmits all the data. The KICKR and my HRM give garmin all the data needed to monitor my fitness levels, performance, and fatigue. The best part is there’s no import/export requirement - just create the indoor profile on the edge and everything uploads to garmin connect.
1 Like