Taking a break. as a form of bail out

Training
1

Today’s (productive) over-under threshold workout was too much and I fell apart at the end of the 3rd interval. This was my first OU with a recently increased FTP as I start LV LD Tri Build plan :anguished:.

While it was tempting to just end it all; I decided to take a long break (15min), cool off and let my HR recover. I then did the 4th interval and answered the survey as AllOut. AT asked me why and i answered Intensity. AT sees it as a Completed wo and suggested an easier PL for my next over under. So no issue there.

I believed it was better to keep the Intensity unchanged so the workout remained an over under and didn’t become a SweetSpot.
Reducing it by 10% would have made it a SS ( Fang Mountain -3 is 4x9-minute over-under intervals with 1-minute valleys at 85% FTP and 2-minute peaks that ascend to 105% FTP)

Afterwards, I found this TR article but it doesn’t mention taking a “long” break. https://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/201954934-Workout-Bailouts

So when do you

  • reduce intensity vs
  • taking long break
  • back pedal / short on of the interval
2

So far I’ve not had to do the latter two but I tend to do workouts in resistance mode often now AIFTP D has ramped up my FTP which will naturally see me reduce the intensity as the wo progresses.

3

I believe that Nate said to turn down the intensity. I have trouble with OU as well.
First go down 5%, then 10%. If you have to go down more it might just be a fail.
Completing almost the full workout without substantial rest in my mind, but I’m to more experienced users comments.

4

I’m surprised he would advocate that because reducing an over Under down 5-10% makes it a Sweet spot right?
Typically: taking 10% from 95 to 105%. → 85% to 95%

At least with the time off, I did spend 36 minutes in that “joyful” zone and next time, hopefully it won’t crush me.

5

You are correct that this changes the workout. But the next level down while tired, I assume is better than taking time off and starting fresh.

6

Lol, I think I’ll probably need that bail out on tonight’s 90min threshold workout after racing last night. I hoped making last nights race a B race (too close to my A race to make it another A race) AT would have adapted around it. It never though yesterday’s skipped workout was still there after it adapted and tonight’s got longer :-o

1 Like
7

One thing to consider is that just because TR gave you an FTP and 94% is where it says SS ends and Threshold begins doesn’t mean that your physiology agrees. Your FTP may not be correct and the fatigue may be an indicator you haven’t yet grown into that new FTP, so even with a -10% reduction it could still be threshold.

2 Likes
8

You have a choice of not reducing the intensity and not finishing the workout, or reducing the intensity and completing a workout you might call sweet spot. Completing it, however it is labelled, is surely better than not completing it as your ego said it’s not threshold?

1 Like