Training plans year over year - start intervals all over again?

Hey guys,

Been thinking about this one while doing my workouts this year. As many of you I’m now back in the Base phase training for the 2020 season and while I’m not at the same FTP as the end of last year I feel like the intervals could start off at a longer duration than they are now.

The FTP setting year over year can make the workout harder compared to last year so that’s ok, but each year, the sweet spot base period starts with short duration intervals (tempo, sweet spot) and builds up until 20 - 30 mins.

I can certainly pick and replace the workouts with longer ones already but that would be a tedious task. A kind of dynamic plan would be a great feature so you can give a few parameters to the plan which then builds you workouts according to these parameters, like starting at a longer interval duration etc.

Anybody in the same boat of thinking? I’m just looking to not waste too much time building up to the same longer durations of intervals since I’m mainly targeting the gran fondo’s with longer climbs (Alps etc).

Thanks and keep up the training everyone!

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I have made 5 SS workouts with intervals from 6-45min, i do the same workout same day each week, but increase watt and intervals. (My workouts have “infinite” intervals so i just keep going until im happy each day/week.

  1. Easier to follow progress
  2. I get longer than 30min intervals and harder than 90%
  3. I have reduced break time than many workouts in early SSBHV1 and 2.

Week 3 gave 368min SS with avg 91,7%FTP.
Total of 10,5 hours and 730TSS

Interesting, thanks!

I’ve also been thinking about the micro improvements that happen in between two “tests” where you change your FTP.

At the beginning, 12 min’s of 90% seems hard, and while you progress it becomes less hard. But I’m guessing it’s more that your 100% is rising so the 15 mins is no longer at 90% but actually something like 87%.

It’s different when you’ve kind of hit your max capabilitites. I’m thinking Iron Man athletes for examply that are used to doing long efforts around 80-85% of FTP and somehow have hit their upper physical limit and extending the duration at which they can hold that limit is the purpose of their training so they have more left in the tank for the run.

Not so much for us mortals :slight_smile: