Apologies if this issue has been brought up here before, tried to search and couldn’t find this exact issue.
I’ve got an event in June that I am training for and I’ve just finished a 12-week general plan so looking to start another to keep the progress up. I’m looking to do the Mountain Fondo plan with an end date in early June (couple of weeks before the actual event). I’ve put this into the planner but choosing the end date on early June shows the start date as mid-March… which is in the past .
So, a few questions about this:
It looks like the plan I have selected is 12 weeks - can this be modified at all?
If not, what would people recommend as the solution; choose the end date as I described above, thus missing the start of the plan, or just choose the start date as this week, and stop the plan when I reach the early June date? Am I likely to make better progress missing the end of the plan or the start…?
Are there any other plans I could use that are less than 12 weeks? I’m looking for more high intensity workouts than the general plan had, and I’ve got more hours available too (6-9 per week)
Do any of the plans build in a taper? I’m guessing not hence stopping it about two weeks before my event and manually building a taper plan, but if they already contain them that would be good.
Thanks for the help, enjoying the progress with Wahoox/SYSTM so far!
I think ALL the plans build in a taper week as they are either 2 weeks on 1 week rest, or 3 weeks on 1 week rest.
You can’t “modify” the length of a 12 week plan, but, as you’ve seen, you can have it start in the past so in effect you’re shortening it. I would go with this personally, as missing the start (especially since you’ve already been training) will have no significant impact.
If you are aware of what it is specifically you are wanting to target for your event, you could consider using the Building Block plans (they are either 3 week or 4 week blocks) or just stick with the Mountainous Fondo with a start date in the past.
Yep. Totally agree with Sir Coutts. Missing the start of the plan is the thing to do since, as he said, you’re already in training. Another thing I’ve done is piece together 4 week building block plans to fill a gap and address my perceived weaknesses, but this won’t have the overall structure of an event targeted plan.
Ok, if I go with the Mountain Fondo plan I’ll schedule it by the end date and just miss the start of the plan (though may tweak by a week in case my first week coincides with one of the easy weeks in the plan).
Otherwise I could do 2 x 4 week blocks which would take me close enough to early June. I’m thinking one MAP block, one Threshold block - any reasoning for which order to do these in? Is MAP better nearer the event, having built a slightly bigger base with the threshold work?
The event is the Dolomites Bike Day (Bike event in the Dolomites - Dolomites Bike Day). It’s not particularly long but I’ll face the longest climb I’ve ever done (not many mountains here in the south of England!) at 11.6Km/6.2% reaching 2200m (Falzarego + Valparola passes), so the goal is to be as fit as possible so that if I want to take it easy and just enjoy the scenery (the Dolomites - ) I’ve got enough power below threshold (accounting for altitude/temperature etc.) to make it up on a reasonable time, or of I’m feeling good push on and see how quickly I can do it. Currently estimating it’ll take me 45-60 mins (for those two passes, not the whole route!).
@BobbyB I would stay away from the blocks for this sort of event and choose the abbreviated Mountain Fondo.
For that sort of event you really need saddle time and the blocks don’t focus as much on that because they have more above threshold work which requires more recovery.
Compare the weekend rides of the blocks - especially the MAP block - with the Fondo plan. Those long weekend Fondo plan rides are key for that sort of event.
Thanks. I was planning on supplementing the MAP block with longer endurance rides (probably one 3-4 hour ride per week) but as you say the block might be too intense and I’d need the off time for recovery.
I’ll look into the MAP block schedule in more detail and make a decision (I had noticed that the MAP block “moderate” plan was only 3-5 hours a week Vs 4-7 for the all purpose plan hence thinking about adding a longer endurance ride once a week).
@BobbyB For the climbing you will just want to condition your legs to spin for a long time. SYSTM has a lot of MAP work in plans at low hours because it is focused somewhat on the time crunched cyclist.
Regardless of what you choose, if you can I would try to get some extra spinning in during the week - eg. add in a longer warmup workout plus a cool down video each time you are on the bike. Neither will add to fatigue and will help with conditioning.
I’ve just been looking at the Mountain Fondo plan (moderate volume) and it’s got a fair bit of MAP in it so looks like a decent mix. I’m going to try supplement it with extra rides where possible/if fatigue is ok and hopefully I’ll be in decent shape to enjoy the event.
I haven’t looked at it quantitatively, but when I was doing building blocks, they didn’t seem any more intense or much different than 4 weeks in the middle of a 12 week plan, judging my seat-of-pants. That’s not saying I would recommend them above a targeted plan, depending on the circumstances.
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) I’ve got enough power below threshold (accounting for altitude/temperature etc.) to make it up on a reasonable time, or of I’m feeling good push on and see how quickly I can do it. Currently estimating it’ll take me 45-60 mins (for those two passes, not the whole route!).