Modifying SSB LV to -4 and adding in endurance rides?

Training
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I am starting week 2 of Sweet Spot Base on the Low Volume plan. This is the first time I have ever done structured training. I do not race or anything - just want to make sure I no longer get dropped on the hills during weekly group rides and can keep up with some buddies who ride a bit faster and harder than me :slight_smile: I am looking at modifying the workouts to the -4 versions to drop 15 minutes off at least one, if not both of the weekly rides. While I know 15 minutes is not a lot of time - at 4:45am it seems like forever…

I have the early mornings available to do rides almost daily and want to add in some 30 and 45 minute rides to “recover” the TSS I am losing from dropping 15 minutes. I am wondering if I can safely add in two of these rides while taking one day off during the week. In addition to gaining some power I have about 15 pounds to lose so I am wanting to be active more than 3x week. So my weeks might look like:

  • Monday - 45 min low TSS
  • Tuesday - 45 min training workout -4 version
  • Wednesday - 45 min low TSS
  • Thursday - 60 min training workout
  • Friday - off
  • Saturday - 90 minute workout
  • Sunday - 45 min low TSS or Off depending on weekend

Where I also struggle is deciding which endurance or low TSS rides I should do? Today I did Carter and looking to find something for Wednesday after doing Goddard -4 tomorrow. What other workouts should/could I be looking at?

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First off - structured training is the best way to maximize the time you DO have available for training, so even when you’re very limited on time you can often still make some progress. I don’t know what level of fitness you’re coming from, so the TSS specifics will be relative to where you’re at vs what you can/want to tolerate, etc. For some, even 45-min versions of the low-vol plan might be a lot.

Here’s my thoughts based on personal experience, and also making a few assumptions:

  • 1hr is a long time on the trainer when you’re new to it. If you have the time, try and work up to doing those 1hr rides, it’s worth it, and unless it’s a time restriction you’ll get there. Have plenty of available entertainment, save a tv show you want to watch specifically for the trainer, podcast, etc. Finding what works was key for me at the start.
  • Short endurance zone rides I like are: Taku, Carter, West Vidette, Black (1hr). Search the catalog Workouts by checking off the time you want and ‘endurance’ and you’ll find others - I choose the workouts with variation in them because nothing is more soul sucking to me than staring at the timer going down on a long interval at the same watts (like Pettit, Andrews, etc)
    Find ones you like, extend them as you can/want, and you can’t go wrong.

Hitting that long ride on the weekend is probably key also, try and make sure you nail that vs doing another 45-min ride each day on the weekend.

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Awesome - thanks for the reply. This is what I was looking for! Sounds like my plan should be ok. I do plan on keeping the 90 minute weekend ride in there and one of the 60 minute rides if I can get my rear end out of bed.

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