I’m thinking about the soon transition from outdoor to indoor riding and looking at starting the TT Plan. But I noticed both TT options are for “Indoor + Outdoor” w/ or w/o strength. I want to ride indoors (not really, but I clearly don’t want to ride outdoors) - I mean that seems to me like the point of SUF - having a plan in spending the next 12 weeks in a controlled simulated environment (with a fan) rather than in outside icey temperatures. Yeah, I’m pretty whimpy but the chill just kills any enjoyment I get out of cycling.
So I thought no problem surely there are videos to do the outside rides inside. Not exactly. (I also did a search thinking some one else must have come upon this, but came up empty.)
So, for example, selecting the intermediate plan w/ strength yields in the first week the first outside ride as: “Tempo 2 X 20” for 2:15; the next is “Sub-Threshold w/ Surges 3 X 12” for 2:00. So when I then look at video options to try and match these outside rides, the closest I can see for the first is “Tempo 2 X 25” but it lasts 4:00; the closest to the next is “Sub-Threshold w/ Surges 4 X 12” but it lasts 2:30.
Tempo w/ Surges 1 X 60 is the next weekend outside for 2:00 and the video matches it in name but lasts 3:30. Lastly as example, “Endurance +” is outside at 3:00 but the video under that name is 1:30.
It doesn’t sound like bringing the outdoors rides indoors.
What to do?
I did this plan over last winter. The difference in video duration vs the plan is usually down to the amount of “extra volume” included after the interval sets and sometimes tweaks to the number of sets you do in the intervals. If you compare the notes for the weekend works outs to the No Vids in the app, you can see where to shorten the video.
In the case of the Tempo 2 x 25, skip the last 5 mins of the tempo intervals, then reduce the “extra volume” to match the plan.
For the sub threshold with surges you need to do one less set and reduce the extra volume.
The No Vids are actually really good as they contain really great advice from the coaches about the workout and what it’s trying to achieve.
I really enjoyed the plan, but, despite what I said above, it would be good to have the option to do a Sufferfest video at the weekend.
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Thanks for taking time to reply Alistair. I’m not quite 100% on your part about reducing the extra volume but will check the notes to figure that part out better. I can reducing the time of the No Vids but then the last example I gave was Endurance+ which is half the time of the outside ride - that means doing it twice?
No problem.
For the outdoor workouts you might have something in the notes like this:
Warm Up
10 minutes @ RPE 2 – 50% of FTP – HR <70%
7 minutes @ RPE 2.5 – 55% of FTP – HR <70%
2 minutes @ RPE 3.5 – 65% of FTP – HR <80%
3 minutes @ RPE 4.5 – 75% of FTP – HR <90%
30 seconds @ RPE 1.5 – 45% of FTP-- HR <70%
30 seconds @ RPE 9 – 150% of FTP – HR >105%
7 minutes @ RPE 2.5 – 55% of FTP – HR <70%
Main Effort 3
Work: 3 minutes @ RPE 9 – 150% of FTP – HR >105%
Rest: 7 minute @ RPE 2 – 50% of FTP – HR <70%
Extra Volume
20 minutes @ RPE 2.5 – 55% of FTP – HR <70%
Cool Down
10 minutes @ RPE 1.5 – 45% of FTP-- HR <70%
That “Extra Volume” is likely to differ between the prescribed workout in your plan, and what is in the equivalent No Vid workout. Just cut that portion down to match what’s on your plan.
Endurance workouts are just solid zone 2 work. Indoors either run an Open video, Endurance+, or even make use of the Inspiration videos that are zone 2 (if you read the description of the Inspiration videos you’ll be able to tell which are zone 2 work). You might need to run a combination of these, or rewind and repeat to get the correct workout duration according to the plan.
Hope that helps.
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For the Endurance+ rides I suggest to people that they reduce the volume by around a third. So a 3 hour ride become 1 hour, 90 minutes become 60 minutes and such. For rides with intervals in them, like the Tempo 2 x 20, I would reduce the amount of volume around those. So a way to do out could be a 20 minute progressive warm up, followed by 5 minutes easy spinning, then x 1 20 minutes tempo effort, 10-20 minutes easy, the second 20 minute tempo effort, then a 20 minute cool down. Total ride length of 1 hour 40 minutes but you could reduce the length of the warm up and cool down if 10-15 minutes of either are suitable for you.
Hope that helps