Quick background. I’ve been riding bikes / running / swimming / etc. for years. Last year was my second year of racing and training (all volume based). I did a few Olympic Tri’s (XTERRA) and and few XCM bike races. As luck would have it, I got into Leadville via the lottery at the Tahoe 100k race. So this year, Leadville is the A race. I looked back at last years training, my weekly TSS was usually somewhere around 400 (sometimes 300’s, a couple weeks it was up above 600).
I’ve been off the bike (no exercise at all) for the last 2.5 months due to tendinitis in my foot. The foot is all better, getting ready to start SSB at the beginning of February. Here’s my question: Should I do the Low or Mid base plan? Should I do the first phase at Low, then ramp to Mid for the second phase? I have two kids, half time (divorced). So every other week I don’t have much, if any time to train on the weekends (because being a dad takes priority ). I’d like to get in a couple days a week of weight training as well. I’m a little concerned that the low volume plan wouldn’t be enough for an event like Leadville? FYI, I plan to do mid volume for the remainder of my training.
Sorry if this has been discussed previously. I did some searching, but couldn’t really find anything with my unique situation.
What I would recommend is start with low volume and if you feel like you can do more, add in a workout or two to your week. If you find you are adding in workouts each week, jump up to the mid volume plan and go from there!
Test the waters as you are getting back into training and see how it goes! The last thing you want to do is over work yourself and potentially bring back your injury so ease into it and experiment with what volume works best for your body and your schedule!
Ian, if I do the Low plan for the first half of the Base would it be okay to move up to the mid plan for the second half if I felt up to it? Overall, I feel like I need to be at the mid plan for most of my training since Leadville is such a beast, and loonnnggg.
). I’d like to get in a couple days a week of weight training as well. I’m a little concerned that the low volume plan wouldn’t be enough for an event like Leadville? FYI, I plan to do mid volume for the remainder of my training.