Stick with Time Crunch 30 or Modify SSB/Plan Builder?

Training
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Looking for some advice for those more knowledgeable than I.

BLUF: Recreational rider - Should I stick with the Time Crunch 30 plan and repeat or try to make modifications to the SSB Low Volume/Plan builder low volume?

Background: I am a mountain biker (4 years) who is new to structured training. Found TR via the podcast and started using in July to prep for a long weekend trip in November with the group I am part of. I am the slowest guy in the group so I wanted to improve my ability to keep up/not slow everyone down. 206 FTP tested, in July; jumped to 233 in early October and had a great trip in November. Due for a Ramp test this week i think. I say that to say that I am seeing improvement on the Time Crunch plan (probably due to the fact that it is structured)

Due to time constraints/other obligations I am limited to 30 min a few times a week. It is what it is.

So my question: Which plan should I use? I see two options:

  1. Stick with Time Crunch 30

  2. Do SSB/plan builder and then manually edit workouts to 30 min versions where available. I don’t think there is an ‘apply all’ style function where i could change all of those workouts in a plan so I would be doing every workout manually. For the workouts that don’t have a 30 min version I would search for a 30 min workout in the same zone with a similar or slightly higher IF.

Anyone ever had a similar issue or does anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks for any advice you all can provide.

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Hi Brownbear
I’m far from being an expert myself but this post interests me because I would also class myself as a recreational rider & more or less have the same goals as yourself a friendly bit of competion with the group i ride with.

I have been a TR user for sometime off & on done LV SSB & Build plans a couple of times with great success. A year agao I had a cycling accident & fractured my neck when I got back onto my bike it wasn’t the same for me anymore I lost all my motivation to ride & train I tried to start it up again using the same formula i had used in the past LV SSB but each time I didnt even get through the first week of SSB I just didn’t seem to have the motivation or time with all my obligations etc so I didnt bother for a time but then since Christmas I have changed my approach using the time crunched 30 LV as a minimum commitment per week just so I can get the structure. Im 5 weeks into the plan & have already being topping my weeks up with a bit of zwifting & feeling great.

You could give SSB a try & see how you get on if you have no other specific goal but to have healthy fun with your group & try your experiment rather than be a slave to the plan. Im 53yrs with a FTP of 202w I think the my highest FTP was 250w

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