The Long Road Back

Hi @CorbyMod,
Welcome to the SUF community! That’s an excellent question, and really, there are many ways you could structure your training. The way you’ve described follows a traditional periodization scheme, which certainly is one option.

Another option is to switch your MAP and FTP blocks if you choose the building block route, especially if your Full Frontal results report your MAP being much lower compared to your FTP. By doing this, you improve your MAP which allows you to further improve your FTP. If your MAP is low relative to FTP then you don’t have “room” to really improve your FTP because your MAP essentially acts as your ceiling.

If you’ve got just over 24 weeks before your first event (accounting for transition weeks between plans, etc…) then another option could be to choose another one of the 12-week plans that were created as “pre-season” plans such as the full century or 100-mile gravel, and choose to add the strength training program. I know these plans aren’t meant for a lot of climbing, as your goal event has, but you’ll be doing this plan far enough out that it will be ok…Especially if you do the strength program.

The last one I can think of is to combine the building blocks and the Volcano climbing plan (which is also 4 weeks). The volcano climbing plan will be the most challenging, so you may want to omit the tempo block and start with FTP and MAP, then do the Volcano, then take at least a week of recovery before starting the 12-week gran fondo plan.

Some options to consider, and I think you should take your Full Frontal results into account as well. Hope that helps and keep asking those good Q’s!