Love the plan builder, as it takes out a lot of the guess work.
I recently built a plan with a July goal event. It’s has me doing SSB 1 for 2 weeks, then a rest week, then a full 6 week SSB 2. Should I do the 2 weeks of SSB 1 then take a rest week already? I’m coming off plenty of rest, so a rest week after 2 easy weeks of SSB 1 seems like a waste, there’s really no training to absorb/recover from. I always have a hard time getting through 6 weeks of SSB 2 because I’m old and don’t recover as well, so I’m wondering if that rest can be better utilized after a few weeks of SSB 2?
Though, I wonder if it’s important to be fully fresh going into SSB 2 and the ramp test and all that? Thoughts? Can I move the rest week out a couple weeks to the middle of SSB 2 or just follow the plan?
i did the full 12 weeks of SSB1 and SSB2, concluding on 1/6. I then was sick and mostly off the bike for 3 weeks. . I did maybe 500-600 TSS total in those 3 weeks - perhaps just enough to maintain most fitness, as one of those 3 weeks was scheduled recovery from SSB2.
I then built the plan using planbuilder, with my july event in mind. As previously stated, the plan now calls for 2 weeks of SSB1, then rest, then 6 weeks of SSB2.
So it looks like SSB1 could be a bit of a tune up to get you back on track. I agree that 2 weeks doesn’t seem to be enough though to then have a recovery week. If it were me I’d do the two weeks of SSB1 , then move the first week or two from SSB2. This would essentially give you a modified 4 weeks (SSB1) - recovery week, then 4 weeks (SSB2) - recovery week.
Plan builder doesn’t know you’ve already completed SSB1 &2, so it’s starting you off slow. However, I’d pick any 2 weeks of SSB1 as a tune up that you think you can handle and wouldn’t necessarily start with SSB1 weeks 1 & 2. Those might be too easy.
1.) Should I still do the Ramp test as scheduled in SSB2, despite directly coming off 2 weeks of SSB1 (im planning on doing the last 2 weeks of SSB1 - the hardest)?
2.) Will taking a rest week in the middle of SSB2 affect the progression (specifically VO2)? Meaning, Ill come back after the rest week on week 3 of SSB2 with those 3min VO2 intervals after a week off. I feel like the SSB2 VO2 intervals gradually go up each week, thus building on them is important.
All that being said, i’d love a rest week in the middle of SSB2, as last time I was struggling to get through it all (mid vol). Im old and recovery is a bitch.
I would take the ramp test at the modified beginning of SSB1 and SSB2. Move around workouts so you have a ramp to start each 4 week block.
No, you’ll be fine. Adjust workouts up/down a couple % if needed based on your RPE for what those workouts should feel like. Don’t worry about getting everything exactly right, it won’t matter in the long run. Be consistent, listen to your body and fuel for each ride. Don’t sweat the small stuff.