Did a brief search here on the forum and within TR and couldn’t really find what I was after. Hoping for some help.
Are there any “mixed interval” style workouts, similar to what you would find in Sufferfest? I realize that the training plans aren’t designed around these types of workouts. Currently, when I want to do something like this I’ll piece together 45min - 1hr long workouts or even bring them into Workout Creator and craft a 2-hour weekend masterpiece. This gets old after awhile (the creating part, not the ride).
I’d love a training plan on TR that was full of mixed intervals. It would take a bit more careful crafting but I’m sure it could be done to great effect. The coaches are certainly knowledgeable enough to make it happen.
It’s one thing to design a progressive effective training plan, but to get creative with it just takes it to the next level. It reduces that element of monotony and mental fatigue. Just more fun generally to mix intervals up.
I would concede that perhaps there are downsides, but I bet there are upsides to it as well that shouldn’t be ignored.
Some of the 8DC workouts might suit your needs, as well as the other ‘race simulation’ ones (blue ,barren,blood,…)
Search the workout list for ‘race’ and see if they fit.
@Zahlmiac If nothing else, knowing about this one makes it easier to pull some sections out when creating my own.
@Shrike Yep, I agree. I very rarely want to just work VO2, or just work Sweet Spot.
@Warhound I searched for ‘race’. I think shortened versions of what you’re referencing would be ideal. I should be able to modify those in workout creator.
So @mcneese.chad, you’ve heard all my ramblings about “runner this, and cycling that”. What I’ve been doing the last 3 months is 2 “hard/medium” days a week (out of 5 total). Sometimes “hard/medium” is sweet spot, sometimes VO2max, sometimes threshold, over-unders…basically whatever isn’t Zone 2 (Coggan). ALL other rides are Zone1/2 (little low Zone 3 on the rolling hills). If I do a long ride, that counts as “hard/medium”, even though it’s Zone 2ish. I apply this approach on and off the trainer. I watch my TSB and my soreness. When it’s positive, do intensity, when it’s not, ride Zone 2 (as much as I have time for).
+25 watt increase in FTP, less soreness less often, and 4 hr long ride decoupling is under 4%.
Anyway, I’m finding that sometimes the “hard/medium” days are hard, but in a very one-dimensional way. Or maybe not hard enough, so I’ll tack on Pettit or half of Carson. Or more commonly, I finish a 120% FTP session and I can’t do another interval at that intensity, but why not do some tempo work? It’s a hard day, make it hard. I want to be able to work many systems on that hard day.
Sitting on this rather old thread since it’s bang on topic and is a good reference list of workouts.
@IvyAudrain it would be a nice feature request (and prob an easy win for the devs) to add a mixed option to the zone filter selection. Might not be so easy for whoever gets the job of adding that tag to the workout but that can be a slow Friday afternoon job!
Hey! Its not perfect but I think using the “Burst” Interval filter from the workouts page would be helpful for this. This will filter for workouts that have the anaerobic/sweet spot “float” efforts, where you float above FTP then settle back in at a pretty high intensity.
it is a bit long though, at 4:15. The half length or the 3/4 length look like great mixed workouts though!
