Tim the video on the CX plan description seems to no longer be live

Also be sure to check out the instructional video that explains how to set your training zones within TrainingPeaks. The video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8WYmYUjcn8&feature=youtu.be

Tim Cusick
TrainingPeaks WKO4 Product Leader
717.515.5382 / tim@wko4.com

Sorry about that! You can find the video here: http://youtu.be/nn4mVHpbBEM.

Feel like I'm misreading tomorrow's workout (GMSR plan - v02 intervals) — time says 120min, but 4 X 10min with 10 min max recovery, 15 min warmup and 10 min cool down = 105min. Is it supposed to be 5 intervals?

the remaining 15 minutes should be spent laying on your back in the grass feeling your legs quiver like jelly.

@Dan Reiners in that case I naaiiiiled it

Sorry a tad slow, in the video is says ride all other time at endurance / level 2 for workouts.....or lay in grass and wait your tunnel vision to disperse...whichever works for you :-) 

@TimCusick
I was wondering if you could explain how the taper works for GMSR?

*looks at tomorrow's NP Microbursts*

Tim,
    I'm trying to generate the torque effectiveness and pedal smoothness charts in wko4.  I've been using a Quarq with left/right balance for a few years now, and I've been on wko4 since late last year.  

   When I click on the tab for the chart, it reports "this chart is blank because there is no data in the selected range."  But it can give me ANT+ balance and ANT+ pedaling summary report.

    Does Quarq not figure torque effectiveness, or that the data it provides is not sufficient to generate a report?
 

Correct, Quarq's "powerbalance" does not have the correct data, is an estimate.  Read this little ebook, full explanation 

JillWhite said:

@TimCusick
I was wondering if you could explain how the taper works for GMSR?

Jill - running out door to meet wife, any later and I might not ever be able to answer, will get to it in morning.   

Hey @TimCusick, I'm hoping you can help me out with two training questions I have.

How to plan around a missed workout? 
Yesterday a spoke snapped during my warmup for the "Tempo with bursts" workout. I don't have a spare, so I had to abandon the workout. The wheel is coming out of the shop today. In the event of an unanticipated obstacle like that, how should I revise my workouts this week? I suppose I'm asking the question both in general terms, for future reference, and specifically in terms of preparing for the Green Mountain Stage Race in four weeks. Questions that crossed my mind are: Should I do Wednesday's tempo workout today (Thursday), and today's microburst workout tomorrow (Friday)? Should I plug in Wednesday's workout on Friday, or incorporate it into a weekend ride? Or is Wednesday's workout simply lost, and it's best just to complete the week as outlined in the plan? 

How to incorporate races into a big training weekend?
I'm committed to racing in the local park on Saturday morning. The Cat 5 race is quite short, only 17 miles. The GMSR plan calls for a 4h 30m "Kitchen Sink" ride on Saturday, and a 2h endurance ride on Sunday. I have the chance to race on Sunday as well, 35 miles and 2450 feet of climbing. I want to get the most training benefits out of this weekend as possible. What's the optimal arrangement? 

Tim,
     I was halfway through my workout today when I had an opportunity to draft an 18-wheeler.  I was fine staying in the draft up to 40mph, but then it started picking up speed.  was close at 42, but then it went over 45 and I was blown out.  

    Damn your bursts!  

ok, slow to get to all these.  Here we go:

Jill - I am writing the rest of the GMSR plan tomorrow so will post and explain, be easier to show you my plan.  For a stage race we want to rest a little early and build back some load going in, just a little.  If one-on-one coaching, i target around -5 TSB for this type of a stage race.  

Max - if one day lost, drop what looks like the easiest workout and keep things in order, seems like that is what you are suggesting.

Mug: us the big ring :-)

Thanks @TimCusick. What about how I should incorporate this weekend's race opportunities and TrainingPeaks workouts for the most optimal training? 

At this time, race hard and build speed, then go out and train, just complete the target time in Level 2 since you will already have some good intensity.  If you really want to make it hard, ride the level 2 first :-) 

All - new plans are ready to load.  I did not track the GMSR riders as well as should have, if you want the GMSR plan, please let me know (Jill have you).  The GMSR plan gets pretty unique these last 4 weeks (just FYI).   I think all the CX peeps are set and loaded.  Monday is rest and we will load other plans once we confirm GMSR peeps.

I just applied the GMSR final prep plan to Jill and Max, others?

@TimCusick I'm GMSR as well

Ben - posted for you.   We will post all other in about an hour, just getting the GMSR

Hey @TimCusick another query for you about when efforts not in the program are good / bad…

Now and then I like to throw a little endurance suffering into the mix, and am getting pretty stoked on bikepacking. Two 100 mile days this past weekend loaded up with 33lbs of gear. As long as I'm still sticking to the plan during the week are these rides kosher? Guessing I should steer clear of anything like that in the couple weeks prior to GMSR?

Hey @TimCusick I'm planning on doing a 25mile crit on Saturday at 3pm. Would it be best to skip a rest day and do the FTP Weds, VO2max Thursday, openers Friday or stick to the schedule as planned?

BenFinoRadin said:

Hey @TimCusick another query for you about when efforts not in the program are good / bad…

Now and then I like to throw a little endurance suffering into the mix, and am getting pretty stoked on bikepacking. Two 100 mile days this past weekend loaded up with 33lbs of gear. As long as I'm still sticking to the plan during the week are these rides kosher? Guessing I should steer clear of anything like that in the couple weeks prior to GMSR?

Avoid intensity and that is fine.  That being said, don't need to just soft pedal, just put in some solid endurance work.  As you get close to GMSR you might want to tone down.

Cool, thanks Tim!

Tim, can you please update my plan for the GMSR? I don't think that I'm on it. thank you!

Sure thing, you've been moved to the GMSR.

Hey GMSRacers, how did everyone's week on the slightly different training plan go? I like how it mimics the stages.

I did Thursday's Time Trial workout on the trainer: one 15min FTP interval and one interval in which I tried to simulate the elevation profile of the course, which ended up lasting closer to 18 minutes. Did anybody else try something like that? 

I missed Friday's workout because I expected, wrongly, that I would get out of work early. Since I was racing on Saturday I did the usual TrainingPeaks "pre-race workout" in the park Friday night. I'm curious to know where everybody did the 7min V02 Max intervals.

Saturday I raced the Castelli series in Prospect Park, which I substituted for the Tempo w/ NP Bursts, and then after the race rode in my endurance zone until I hit 2hr 30min total. I'll do the same this weekend because I'm pre-registeredd for the L&C Cup.

Sunday I did the workout on the trainer, which is good for the microburst intervals--but I just don't have the patience (or the iron tailbone) for the roughly 90 minutes of additional endurance riding that the plan calls for. I lasted 1hr 45min total. The microbursts seem to work best for me if I put it on the big chainring and then toggle between two cogs on the cassette for the hard and easy efforts. How do others do it? Heart-rate monitors can't follow such short intervals, so I have to go by feel. I noticed that my best (read: hardest) 15sec efforts were peaking at just about 40kmh and 105rpm, so I began to adopt that as a target, which helped me keep up the intensity as the workout wore on. I imagine a power meter here is a brutal taskmaster. To anyone else training with only a HRM: what's your strategy?

What worked for you and what didn't? Did anybody train together? 

Who wants to do the 4hr endurance ride on Sunday, 28 August together? I think it would be fun to go out as a group. Same with the Race Week V02 Openers in the days preceding the race. 

I physically cannot get through the VO2 max workouts.  Today was the worst so far as I only managed 1 rep of 6 minutes.  This may have a little to do with the fact that I did my FTP builders last night and the VO2 max in the morning.  Probably not enough recovery.  Very frustration.  Also, @TimCusick the route for stage 2 has changed and it sounds like more of a roller type course with short 1 minute punchy climbs.