Got a 100 mile tt in July but cant decide whether in specialised to do sustained build or century plan. It even crossed my mind to go and do sweetspot base hv. I’m aiming for a quick time so will be spending most of the event in the sweetspot range. Looking for some recommendations. Cheers
Shawn.
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The plans you listed are all from different phases of training, so I’m wondering where you are in your training. Have you gone through base & build already or are you just starting to train for your event now?
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- I am confused, why are you deciding between a Sustained Power Build (the middle of full plan structure) and a Century Specialty (the end of the full plan structure)?
What exactly have you done to this point for plan programs?
Sorry I’ll try to be a little clearer, I’m half way through mid volume sustained build as I only do TT’s. For the final phase I’m torn as to what would suit best for a 4 hour tt. I did the 40k tt plan last year but only raced Upto 50 miles so not sure if it’ll give me the best adaptations for a 100 tt. Hope that’s clearer guys. Cheers.
I suggest the Century Specialty. It is about holding long power, and is appropriate for following your Sustained Power Build. I think it is the right choice for continuous power as I expect in a long TT.
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Century was my 1st choice but couldn’t quite commit. That’s the way I’ll go, thanks.
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Hey Shawn!!
You should check out this article designed specifically to help you decide what plans will be best for your specific time trial.
Your TT certainly falls in the “Extra Long Duration” category.
Cheers!
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@Shawngough I’ve done a few century time trials. A couple in under 5 hours. I’ve done ultra time trials. Earlier this year I went over 210 miles in a 12 hour time trial. So those are the results…here is the method.
I used a sweet spot base, sustained power build, followed by a hybridized specialty. For specialty I used best bike split to create a TR workout matched for my pace & the course profile. I drilled that at the intensity I wanted to achieve race day. Every 8 to 10 days I did a Seiler 4x8 workout.
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All my 100’s and my one 12hr have been off the back of Ironman training so I’d suggest you take up triathlon 
Slightly more seriously in a good few years with TR I haven’t actually used many of the Speciality plans. Sweet Spot Base followed the by the High Volume Sustained Power Build with a few longer rides coming into the race season and a few races has been plenty enough for training for long distance TT’s for me to get my 100 mile PB to 3hrs 44m last year.
@Brennus’s suggestion of creating your own Speciality plan is a good one but you might also consider using one of the Full Distance Triathlon plans, or maybe a mix of that and something else. While you’re not training for an Ironman, it’s specifically designed for riding a 112 mile TT.
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Hi, am interesting in this topic, but have not been able to find this workout.
@PhilSJones the only reliable/easy way I know to share TR workouts that aren’t in the TR workout repository is to create a team, put the workout in the team library, and then give all team members access to the workout.
So I created a ‘Seiler’ team and put a few ‘Seiler related’ workouts in there. You can use them at your leisure but you have to join the team.
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Is it the 100 up at Cockermouth-Keswick? If so I did the National there last year. I did sweetspot, sustained build then a hybrid using lots of longer sweetspot workouts, plus a chunk from the triathlon plans, from memory workouts along the lines of Pioneer, Cumberland etc, there’s quite a few of them that extend the duration out.
I raced most weekends, so got plenty of 25m TT in, if they were fairly local I rode out, raced, then rode home to bank extra time and TSS. If I wasn’t racing I’d do a long steady tempo ride, nothing to crazy, probably 3-4hrs at a decent but not lunatic pace without any stops. The combination worked for me, only regret was wearing velotoze on the day, it was over 30 degrees and my feet swelled in the shoes and caused me real pain for the last fifty miles, and having to stop for a pee, decent course though, there’s a few 25m events on it if you haven’t ridden it before, would be worth doing one so you know the route as there are a couple of places where you need to put a bit more power down and a couple of places where you can ease off.
Thanks guys, some useful tips for me to ponder on. I’ll probably go with the century plan but with some modifications.
Greased Flea, yes it’s the 100 at Keswick. Being a 3 hour drive I don’t expect to be able to do any advanced recces of the course. Your plan of steadily increasing sweetspot / tempo rides is my plan in the build up to it, also a great tip regarding the velotoze. 
I might see you there then! I’ll be riding for Croston Velo, say hello if you spot me! Good luck, it’s a very scenic course, hard to keep the head down as you want to views.
Last Year’s Ride Here’s my ride from last year, gives you an idea of the profile at least, it’s not flat!
I want to know this, Im half through sustained power build in rest week. 3 weeks to go then rest week again . My next phase is specialty which is century.
What to know and how much zone 3 or sweet spot do I need to supplement with the the rest of the program… Of course out side rides like in a 3hr ride. 6x 30min efforts 10min recovery or 3x 50min at zone 3?? Which will be near event pace.
It’s not covered any were I’m just a bit of guidance or from what you guys have experienced thanks folks for your help. G
I would do plenty of tempo/SS work. Yeah use out the intervals as far as you can.
When I did a recent sub 4 solo century on my TT bike I just sat in the tempo zone for the entire duration. Obviously fueling and comfort become the other obstacles!
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I was thinking sweet spot on the Saturday as prescribed by the programme , then Sunday zone 2 one week then following week tempo/zone 3. Or target race pace.
I’m looking for 5hrs as my goal. I’m just doing this as a personal challenge something to work towards. I wasn’t going to ride more 4 hrs as a training ride.
I have 12 weeks. Don’t know whether I’m going about the right way or not. Thanks for your reply.