Training peaks annual training plan

I assume you are talking about the WKO+ software? I have used it for two months now in conjunction with my power meter and love it. The reports it gives you helps you understand where you are weak and where you are strong. You can modify your training plan accordingly.

Freil does advocate that your peak weeks in training for an IM are over 1,000 TSS, which I have found to be pretty taxing. My high so far was last week at 882 and that was a tough week. I have a recovery week this week and then will shoot for the magical 1,000 mark the week after. Should be fun...

Mike

thanks for the feedback although i'm using HR and PE, working my way up to a power meter. Anyone else?

Are you thinking of using the Virtual Coach feature of Training Peaks?  If so, what you will get through this program is a "personalized" training program based upon the TTB.  It is based upon some inputs from the athlete and then an algoritim that builds a program for you.  Now, the other side of this is that you would get the same program that you would get from some coaches as some rely heavily on the VC to develop programs.

If you are just planning to use Training Peaks, then all you really get is a Flash based drag and drop calendar and access to an ATP like you see in the TTB.

If you are just looking for a training plan, I would suggest that you would likely get the best value from the Gold membership here; access to well written training programs and access to coaches in the support forum who can answer questions regarding your training and racing.

Shane

Shane, yeah i plan on using the VC to build my ATP. I was thinking that a coach would use the same tools so why not do it myself.i like the idea of the year all laid out and since i'm not a type A personality that would really help
thanks

JustinK,
I am in the 3rd ATP year, using trainingpeaks.com VC. I also have a shelf full of books, mostly coming from Friel's coaches or coaches influenced by Friel. Needless to say that I follow his principles of linear periodization. I have gone form couch in summer of 2007 to summer 2009 HIM 4:39 PR. The VC and Friel's principles will work. I am not here to elaborate on Friel's methods as there are many haters, so not looking for an argument. I also have to tell you that I am changing some work this season and modifying VC workouts quite a bit, later about that.

Here are several advantages of VC:
1. Semi tailors ATP to your limiters. I say semi as it does not give you a specific volumes in each sport, it rather suggests frequency of workouts.
2. It gives you a frame from which to operate if you understand Friel's books.
3. It will semi tailor the workouts based on A race distance selected.
4. Again can be effective if you know how to tweak based on your need.

Negatives:
1. It is not a coach, it will not tell you how much, how to schedule weekly workouts to allow for recovery........
2. It does not do a good job in differentiating between HIM and IM distance workout selection, very poorly done
3.It defaults to a 3 week taper always no matter what, wrong, very wrong
4. Workouts in one period keep repeating in same quantities and in order to progress you have to fully understand what a progressive overload is and how to apply it in various phases of training
5. New interface is terrible
6. No real support from coaches there as they have purposely built this thing with these wholes in it, so they could possibly recruit people for coaching services, the answers they provide are very vague at least for any specific question that crosses into consulting per their perception
I could go some more. But will stop, email me with specific questions and I will answer as best as I know. Also keep in mind that I am no expert or a coach. Depending on where you are with your fitness and training, VC can be a good tool if you know what to do with it.
I am slowly drifting from LSD early phase training as other argument pertaining the long course racing and specificity makes more sense. There is a lot more LT work this time as well as VO2max early in the base. This will not sit well with VC and Friel.  

I can say that any good coach would NOT be using the VC to do your training plans if they are any 'good'.  Use them as a reference if they are on the Friel bandwagon...maybe.  Just drag and drop them...save your money.

If you simply want to create a plan for yourself and customize it based on your known limiters, then it's a good money saving option.  Just pay attention to the progression and use your references.

I personally love the new interface on TP.  If you haven't taken the time to look at the video's. do it because you will learn a lot.

Good Luck!

I strongly believe that as well, however I've talked to a few athletes who have coaches using TP and if you plug in their basic parameters and use VC what pops out looks suprisingly similar to what their coach provided.  Then if you look at what the coach was supposed to be providing, in each case you see "personalized" training program listed as one of the items the coach is charging for.

At least other coaching programs that are algoritim based are upfront about it and the athlete can make the decision to train using a computer generated program or not.  I find it very disappointing when a coach uses VC and passes it off as their own work; perhaps the couple of examples of have seen are the exception rather than the rule but suspect this is not the case.

This is part of the reason why I suggest that athletes always ask for samples of training plans for a couple of athletes as one should be able to quickly tell whether the program is template or algorithim based or if the coach is sitting down and actually building the next week of training based upon what happened in the preceding weeks.

Shane

Agreed. Just for giggles I went to create a fake training plan for someone training for LP using the VC (which by the way I didn't really know what it was) and the ATP is not really how I set up mine. But it isn't surprising as I don't follow Friel's interpretation of periodization, the workouts I use are not similar to his and well I don't believe the whole
"muscular endurance", "anaerobic endurance", force bs. (though I have used some of the strenght training exercises on the library a few times before)

Great...now I have to go look at my 'new' ATP you just created!

Edited by Marvarnett 2010-02-02 1:43 PM

lots of muscular endurance training for you until FL 70.3!

Dan, you and I need to have a chat, b/c i HATE the new TP interface. Maybe you can teach me what you love about it. I click back to the Classic mode every time, and it's going away in 2 weeks!

oh man my post got hijacked! thanks for the feedback everyone it was helpful