Guidance with Choosing a Base Plan

Training
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Quick background…
Have been competitive in triathlons the last several years after a 5 year layoff. I love sprints and I also enjoy 70.3 distances. I don’t like olympics at all. I was planning on doing NC 70.3 this October but a crash in late May derailed that (broken collarbone etc.).

I am getting back into running and riding and I want to focus on getting my base built back up. However, when looking at plans they look like they are all more intense than what I would expect. The non tri version is sweet spot focused. Why isn’t it focused on more endurance with sweet spot sprinkled in?

Anyway, is there any simple guidance with what to pick to build my endurance first then get into sweet spot, or am I overthinking this? I feel like the workouts I am previewing aren’t 80/20 focused but more like a 20/80 focus…hope that makes sense.

I am little frustrated as I feel like I need to reestablish my endurance and “true” base rather than doing moderately hard intervals. What am I missing?

I also think I want to just select a ride based plan rather than a tri base plan for now due to reestablishing my routines with returning to work and wrapping up PT and trying to get riding and running consistently and sprinkling in swims as I feel I can.

Thoughts?

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Check out the polarized base or traditional base plans

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Personally I would just pack as much Z2 ~60% FTP and add 1 or 2 LT1 workouts a week with progressively longer TiZ.

LT1 can be guesstimated by using the inflection point in a HR/Power chart and usually sits on the Z2/Z3 boundary in a 7 zone model.

I always keep some intensity in base but that is 1 solid Vo2 workout every 10 days, 7x3, 5x4, 4x5.

But volume is 90% of the picture IMO, most amateurs can/should add as much ‘easy’ Z2 as they have time for and periodize the intensity.

3 Likes
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As mentioned, polarized base and build look exactly what you want. Or traditional as well.

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Hey @lightyear! Sorry to hear about your collarbone… I am glad you’re back to training now and focusing on getting your Base built back up!

I would agree with the general consensus and look at our Polarized Base or Traditional Base plans.

You can manually add these Base Phases to your Calendar before looking into committing to a tri plan by logging into your **TR account>>Training Plans>>Individual Training Phases>>Base Phase.

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Grrr!!
I really appreciate everyone’s responses. You are in agreement with what I am looking for./and have been looking for forever…and finally found!

And…I gotta say, I am REALLY annoyed that the plans I am looking for are down at the very bottom of the options. I honestly NEVER realized that the plans were posted so far below what I was looking at. It doesn’t make any sense to me that a traditional or polarized plan would be UNDER Ironman distance plans. That is really wonky in my opinion. I literally have been looking for the “polarized” plan for about a year and didn’t understand why It was never “available” for me. That really pisses me off.

Now that I know, I can finally focus on it. Man, I am seriously annoyed.

Thanks again guys!

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Hey @lightyear, I am so sorry for the frustration :pensive:

I can see how placing the Traditional and Polarized phases more to the top can help! I will pass the feedback to the team :slight_smile:

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Thanks. Yes, that (to me) makes the most sense. :slight_smile:

1 Like