Duathlon style training

Training
1

I wonder if anyone could offer some advice on how best to use the TR software (or other alternative) to support my needs/interests.

So my No1 goal for this year is to slim down. My FTP is roughly 320w and it has been for a while so I don’t expect a drastic decline. It has wavered between 300w and 348w for a few years. I primarily run as I find it the most enjoyable form of exercise. I use a Stryd to measure effort for running.

At the moment I run two or three times a week.

I ride my gravel bike to my local Parkrun on a Saturday, do the 5k and ride home. During the week I will do another 1 or 2 steady runs (about 60min each).

I do have a second goal and that is to get an improved time at a 100 mile hilly sportive next May.

My dilemma is that, in the past when I sign up to a TR plan, I find myself missing most of the workouts because I’m either too tired from the previous run or I want to ride outside for pleasure. However I feel I need to have a plan in place otherwise I drift.

How would everyone else go about this? Low volume and sprinkle in some alternatives/Train Now? The problem I found before was that Train Now might recommend me a climbing or attacking workout the day after a long run and it just wasn’t the right thing. Sometimes even the endurance workouts would have a higher RPE that expected. At that point I’d give up and watch TV with a beer.l which is definitely not the way to slim down or train for an event. I got to the point where I just did endurance workouts. After time I’d get bored with this approach.

I guess I just want to know how to go about doing a low intensity, mid volume plan that covers a mix of running and cycling. Is it possible with TR?

2

I also focus on duathlon and have used the triathlon plans with success from TR, but delete the swims and also delete the runs for my own run plan. I focus on sprint duathlons and went to age group world champs last year off these plans with 3 runs a week, 3 cycle TR workouts a week (mod vol sprint Tri plan) and one day totally off.

At sprint level I think low volume is 2 rides a week and mid volume is 3 rides a week so gives some flexibility.

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3

Second vote for doing the Triathlon plans. Even if you arent following the swim and run portion exactly as intended the bike workouts are still of a level where you can complete them while still doing other activities.

I have done the Sprint Tri mid volume but am currently on Low volume because the two bikes and runs a week can be done in midweek lunches leaving me a day for strength training and the weekends completely free for family time. Having said that Family time does include parkrun and a fair amount of other physical activity so they arent “time off”.

4

Why does plan builder not offer triathlon plans?

5

Actually wouldn’t it be great to completely customise your plan so you can give an end event goal and then say which days you want to run/ride on and plan builder would then calculate the appropriate workouts.

Add in TSS from say a Stryd and I’d say you have an unbelievable product.

6

It does.

7

Everytime I do the plan builder it offered me low or mid volume sweet spot.

Do I have to ‘say’ that I’m doing a triathlon event in order for it to choose a triathlon plan?

8

Yes

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