I wondered if anyone can offer any advice regarding how I might go about planning for the next two years of training.
I’ll outline my situation to give some context:
THE RIDER:
I’ve just finished a season of racing in the UK and I am taking a break before I plan to start structured training again at the end of October. It was a good season thanks to my first time using TR. I got a podium at my first A race, moved up a race category, and won my other A road race (my last race of the year!) in that new category. I’m 24 and have a cat 2 license. My FTP topped out at 324 and I race at 146 pounds - so 4.89 w/kg. I like going up hill, technical circuits, and hard 5-10 minutes efforts, but I really struggle in sprints and dislike one minute power efforts.
THE PROBLEM:
I am moving to Barcelona in February 2019 and although I would like to race during my first summer there, I think this might be an unrealistic expectation. Mainly because I am unfamiliar with the racing scene in Spain and I imagine it will take time to settle in, find a team, acquire a license, identify target races etc. All I can really be sure of right now is that the road races are going to be hilly, about 60-80 miles in length, and I should be in position to enter them by 2020.
THE RESULT:
My 2019 season doesn’t have a specific event or fitness peak to focus on. Therefore, I am unsure what I should do with my time. I know that whatever I do, I want to use 2019 to make me a stronger rider for my races in 2020. So my question is, given that I won’t be racing in 2019, what is the best way to use my 2019 season to become a stronger rider in 2020?
OPTIONS:
I know I have so many options available to me, so willing to hear people’s thoughts. I have two ideas for 2019 that I could follow.
1: Focus on improving my motor through endurance and sustained power work. Ultimately becoming better at time-trailing, with a big endurance base. I’d be ignoring the need to train short-power/aerobic power because I won’t be racing that year. So for 2019, something like…
Traditional Base I, II, III - Adding an extra week in II & III for improving time-trailling performance (14 weeks)
SSB (12 weeks)
Sustained Power Build (8 Weeks)
40K TT (8 Weeks) OR Sustained Power Build (8 Weeks)
Why repeat Sustained Power Build instead of Specialise with the 40K TT plan? Given that I have nothing to specialise for, I can just focus on trying to gain even more improvements in FTP?
It’s a total 42 Weeks. So after a week or two transition period, it would put me in a good position physically, and in terms of the calendar year, to start training for racing in 2020. 2020 would see me follow a BBS plan for a road racer (SSB>General>Climbing RR) to lead me into peak fitness.
2: Carry on training like I did in 2018, as if I was going to be racing. So for 2019, something like my 2018 plan history…
SSB/Traditional Base I, II, III (12 weeks)
Short/General Power Build (8 Weeks)
Rolling/Climbing Road Race (8 Weeks)
Transition (1 Week)
Short/General Power Build (8 Weeks)
Rolling/Climbing Road Race (8 Weeks)
A total of 45 weeks. Again, leaving me the with the option for a couple of transition weeks before heading into 2020, with a view to follow a typical BBS plan for a road racer (SSB>General>Climbing RR) to lead me into peak fitness.
THOUGHTS:
I am leaning towards option 1 just to change things up and experiment. Also, I know that following a plan full of vo2/aerobic workouts like those in option 2, would be difficult to complete without target races to motivate me to do them.
But would I be doing myself a major dis-disservice by not training my short-power/aerobic power/sprint ability?
Cheers,
Evan