I was in the middle of a plan leading up to a 100km gravel race this weekend when covid struck, after a couple weeks off and resumed training I realized my power was zapped. AI FTP confirmed a drop from 270-256 over the last 28 days. I got discouraged and started riding Zwift because it’s more “fun”… but after a week on Zwift I can already feel the over training setting in, I ride way too hard on that platform trying to keep up with riders way out of my league.
Anyway, I could go on. What I’m really getting at is I’ve decided to forego the race this weekend, or at least not have any expectations for placement and just go ride it for fun if I do make the drive for it. I want to start a new plan on Monday to build back to where I was and continue to build but I won’t have a race on the calendar until January, so what plans do y’all recommend to look into?
All my racing is on gravel between 100km-100 mile distances, if that helps.
How’s your HR? That took a while to get back to normal for me post-COVID. If I were in your shoes, I’d probably ride endurance by RPE/HR for a few weeks, especially since you mentioned overtraining creeping in.
I’d probably put your event in plan bulder with a start date 2 or 3 weeks out, then see what it recommends. I’m guessing it’ll start with sweet spot base for a bit which should help you get you back up and running.
I think start with plan builder and start a new plan next week. I’ve heard a lot of folks talk about the polarized plans which I’m going to try to get more volume but keep the intensity manageable.
I think the biggest other things are to make sure you get enough recovery and listen to your body, oh and fill out the survey responses accurately
I’m sorry to hear that illness has derailed your racing plans. It sounds like you’ve been on a roll with your training, too! I see your recent gains!
Moving forward, if you’re feeling recovered from COVID, I’d say go and do that event either way! I find that I have some of my best experiences when I’m not actually racing but rather just experiencing the event. It’s always fun to get out and ride with others in a new place. You have a better chance of really taking in your surroundings this way rather than being hyper-focused on your effort.
Regarding your new plan, I agree with @FrankTuna on this one, and I’d still recommend plugging in your January race and allowing Plan Builder to do its thing. This will get you headed in the right direction, and you won’t have to worry about switching things up or cutting phases short when your race is right around the corner. Plan Builder will give you the right amount of time in each phase to best prepare you for that event.
It sounds like you had a good thing going with your training prior to COVID, and I’m confident that things will come back quicker than you expect.
I’d suggest thinking about a yearly periodization. It’s not easy to stay in peak form all year long. It’s October and the off season. It’s time for base miles. How important is an event in January? Could it just be a B level traning event? Food for thought.
