Stupid question. Started a masters low volume plan. First race is set for 7 months after the plan commenced.
Why would I be scheduled vo2 sessions in the first fortnight of the plan starting? Shouldn’t vo2 work come in much later on? Or at the very least not in the first few weeks or during the first block of base?
Not critical. Just curious.
Not really. Like Mr @The_Cog has elucidated, everything up to Vo2 efforts is aerobic work of one type.
Specially Masters, is good to hit the throttle often, consistently.
Really hard “anaerobic” work, for lack of a better word is a different deal and that should come later in the progression.
I’m a stronger cyclist since adding intensity to the base season.
YMMV
I guess I consider SS and threshold work to be “intensity”.
My takeaway from many VO2 related podcasts is that masters age athletes (30+) can benefit from regular VO2 workouts through the year in attempt to maintain their VO2 levels at the very least. It degrades consistently as we age, but regular training can slow that loss from what I understand.
So, it seems worthwhile to do more than just in narrow bands since it can be harder to build / rebuild vs maintain and hopefully grow. I mention this specifically since you picked a Masters plan and presume you are at or above that age above. If you aren’t there yet and chose Masters for other reasons, this idea may not apply.
I consider stuff above FTP up to say 6min MMP, intensity……within the aerobic domain.
I don’t see V02 workouts until the 3rd week of Base II. I do see a lot of Threshold workouts in Base I. That would put you 6 weeks of workouts before a V02 workout.
I’m old so I might be blind.
It doesn’t. In fact, in absolute terms the rate of decrease in VO2max is greater in athletes (“the bigger you are, the harder you fall”).
Now if you reduce your training from when you were younger, you will regress, and make it seem like you have accelerated the aging process.
IOW, high intensity intervals are no more and no less important at any age.*
*Although there is a theory that you need to train hard as an adolescent to achieve a really high VO2max.
Yes, I heard this form the great Ben Levine
Same here. Had V02 first week of base 1 after some end of season rest. Had similar note to support. I moved them off my plan to rebuild TTE and endurance at lower intensities. Now starting VO2 third week of base 2. Now ready.
@tfelds did support get back to you yet with the “why”?
To you and @AussieRider, try as I might, I put several different “test” plans into my calendar… combinations of low and med volume, with some different disciplines, using @AussieRider’s 7 month window for an event, and haven’t yet received an instance where I didn’t get my first VO2 workout until week 2 of base 2 (6 weeks out from plan start), which was how my current plan was created as well, when I built it beginning of November…
I’d definitely be interested to hear the outcome of how you got one scheduled so early!
Isn’t the rationale that you need one VO2MAX every week or every two weeks to keep it?
I got a bunch of Threshold during base, but didn’t have VO2 show up until build so 
@Will_Peters yes. They said this was normal. I happened to post to the forum, too, as I was really confused since the plan also included 5 weeks on and 1 week off.
Coincidentally, this was also the day they had just announced Master’s Plans. I scrapped my plan and re-added with Master’s using Plan Builder. I’m now seeing very good week-over-week improvement and am able to add back a harder day as I feel motivated and able. Need to manage burning out especially this early in the winter training season.
I’m now a bit more hands-on with my plan, watching what is being recommended and then upping workout PLs as I regain my base and fatigue resistance.
(EDIT: I missed that @AussieRider is questioning VO2 for Master’s. Missed that sorry. Would still recommend keeping your hands on the plan while AI makes adjustments. The thread below still has good suggestions)
You can see the previous thread here. @mcneese.chad has some good advice there as well. Hope this helps.
