Recommendations for one week block of outdoor training

Training
1

Hi,

I have a weeks holiday and am looking for best ways to structure a 6 day training block.

I am used to doing c500 tss per week, 5 days per week, 10hrs per week.

I typically follow a plan through the winter and really see the benefit of structured training. However as the weather has got better the last 6 weeks I have reverted to all outdoor riding mainly group stuff - which I enjoy and means I do a lot of threshold stuff I know is not the most productive - so want to revert to a solid week of structured outdoor rides while on holiday for a week and have time to ride.

Happy to find 1hr sessions but bookend with z2. If anyone has any suggestions on how to structure 6 days and which zones to target on which days that would be great. Even workouts that work really well outdoors. I should have a bit more recovery time than my average week.

TIA

2

One possible approach is to try out block periodization but it requires 2-3 weeks of followup plan: throw together 4-5 high intensity workouts during your holiday and after returning do only low intensity rides until fully adapted and recovered.

See:

Haven’t tried it myself but it sounds interesting and I’d like to try it as well.

3

Training is training, indoors or out. Why wouldn’t you just follow the structured TR (or whatever you used) plan like you have in the past?

4

If it was me, I would like to do some nice long outdoor rides and enjoy the nature&weather.

Treat it as a volume camp, plan some nice long 3h+ rides, enjoy the scenery. I could easily get to 15h+ like this.

Ride Z2, take a friend, recover well afterwards, take a nap, watch the giro, you’ll be good :+1:

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5

This is absolutely not true….I really wish this idea that group rides are not productive would die. We can discuss whether it is as productive as structured training, but it is absolutely productive.

As to the question, I agree with @schmidt ……use it as a volume week, focusing mostly on endurance rides. Maybe find some climbs to get some intensity in if you want, but I would use it to boost your volume.

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6

This is something I’ve wondered about. For example if a race or group ride has 50% more TSS than a scheduled workout…I have a hard time believing the race/group ride is not more productive. Admittedly probably not 50% more…but I dont really believe that structure wipes out all of that additional volume/intensity.

7

I actually stopped following a plan about 6 weeks ago when I picked up the outdoor riding - so not currently on a plan.

Looking at responses I may do a combination - a few nice long zone 2 rides with no agenda and pick a few shorter structured sessions

Luckily I enjoy both.

I am intrigued by the block periodization but I fear that level of intensity in a week may be too much.

8

I’m reminded of my bad knees and physical hip impingement (and tear) when I get more time to ride and take it.

However, if your joints are good, go for volume in places you don’t typically have time to ride, whether that’s an hour away in the car or just extended from your doorstep. That can be a really nice mental boost for just a little extra work. Especially without the stress of needing to be back within a tight window of time.