More base or more build?

Training
1

Howdy everybody. I’m going to be doing a 200 mile race in July, and I’m wondering how to best make use of my time. I’ve used the calendar function to work back my training plans from my 200iler in July, making it my A event of the year. So I’m doing Century Mid Volume, and Sustained Power Build prior to that. I’m now left with nine weeks between the end of my current general build plan and the start of sustained power build. I had originally intended to do Rolling Road Race in January, but that would mean my training progression for the year leading up the my A event would be: base, build, specialty, build, specialty. Do I need to skip specialty in January and do some more build? That would make my training progression: base, build, base, build, specialty. I’m a little hesitant to do the latter because my B events this year in May all fit nicely within the rolling road race plan, but if I’m making a misstep in skipping a base phase I’ll make the sacrifice.

Thoughts? Thanks all.

2

You don’t need to base before every build. Your first plan will work fine. You might be stronger for your A event with your second plan though.

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3

Or. Is there any merit in doing four weeks of rolling road race specialty then straight into four weeks of base?

4

TR Podcasts have addressed the issue of “Too Much Time” before your “A” Race. For long distance athletes (specifically century, ultras and multi day durations) the most important thing is building a very large base. So they recommend Base / Build / Base / Build / Specialty. Specialty is the icing on the cake, it refines and tapers you towards a specific event.

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5

I would definitely go Base > Build > Base > Build > Specialty.

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