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2019-04-18 3:51 PM

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Subject: Base volume
I just did a 12 week Oly plan leading up to my sprint B race, sort of as a practice run for my Olyimpic A race in September. Now I've got about 14 weeks to fill before I start my plan again. After reading a bunch, I decided I should go back to base & build. I found a 16 week plan similar to the one I just followed, and figured I can just do the base & build from it. The start of the base is about 1/2 my current volume. Should I modify the workouts to my current volume or just stick to the plan? If it makes a difference, I have a couple of sprints planned through the summer, but don't plan to go all out.

Thanks


2019-04-18 8:56 PM
in reply to: riles32807

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Subject: RE: Base volume

Originally posted by riles32807  I have a couple of sprints planned through the summer, but don't plan to go all out. 

Why not?

2019-04-19 7:41 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Base volume
Originally posted by Left Brain

Originally posted by riles32807  I have a couple of sprints planned through the summer, but don't plan to go all out. 

Why not?



I struggled all last year with planter fasciitis, & shin splints from trying to train harder than my body was ready for. I took 3 months off to heal October/November/December. Reassessed my goals & training. I'm happy to put in good efforts without chasing PBs, if it means getting to my goal healthy.
2019-04-19 7:59 AM
in reply to: riles32807

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Subject: RE: Base volume
I think LB is referring to racing hard not training hard. I think if you give yourself enough recovery and easy efforts before and after the sprints then you can push the races for a full effort. Since I've started working with my coach I've realized that if my easy efforts are scheduled appropriately then I can push my hard (race efforts) better and still feel overall healthier and less sore/injury prone than a lot of medium effort workouts.
2019-04-19 8:34 AM
in reply to: jnuger

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Subject: RE: Base volume

Originally posted by jnuger I think LB is referring to racing hard not training hard. I think if you give yourself enough recovery and easy efforts before and after the sprints then you can push the races for a full effort. Since I've started working with my coach I've realized that if my easy efforts hard efforts are scheduled appropriately then I can push my hard (race efforts) better and still feel overall healthier and less sore/injury prone than a lot of medium effort workouts.

^^^ Almost exactly right....I fixed one part, but my bet is you just said it differently than I would.  The truth is, most of us can handle very little hard work proportionate to our overall training.  An injury is waiting at the end of all training done too hard.

2019-04-22 9:54 AM
in reply to: Left Brain

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Subject: RE: Base volume
Am I completely misunderstanding base & build?


2019-04-22 10:42 AM
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Subject: RE: Base volume

Originally posted by jnuger I think LB is referring to racing hard not training hard. I think if you give yourself enough recovery and easy efforts before and after the sprints then you can push the races for a full effort. Since I've started working with my coach I've realized that if my easy efforts are scheduled appropriately then I can push my hard (race efforts) better and still feel overall healthier and less sore/injury prone than a lot of medium effort workouts.

jnuger,   When I started working with your coach a year and a half ago he would sometimes tell me that he was thinking of giving me another full week and then a rest week and ask me how I felt about that.  I always jumped on taking a rest week think that I would come out of it rested and refocused.  However, when I look back at the end of the rest week I had sometimes logged more training hours than my full week.  :-).  Instead of doing a 60-minute Bike Trainer workout at an IF (intensity factor) of 75 I would do a 60-minute bike trainer ride at an IF of 65.  Instead of doing a 75-minute run at 7 min/mi pace I would do a 65 minute run at  7min/mi pace.  At the end of those rest weeks, I sometimes felt more fatigued than I did going into them.  I didn't get a full recovery, but things were dialed back just enough that I was able to keep up with the workload that followed.  

The truth is that on the hard weeks I might have 10 workouts in the plan but only complete 8 of them.  During the rest week, I might only have 8 workouts planned but complete all of them because the week wasn't quite as full.  So rest weeks were more productive but not always a full rest.    

 

As for Training volume question on the OP I would think that after a "B Race" Sprint that you shouldn't be trashed and should be fine with starting your 14-week base build where you currently are at.  The only caution is that you are going to be building so what might seem easy now is going to get more and more difficult as you go.  I feel that one gets more out of starting conservative so he is fresher in the first week or two and can build as outlined in the program than to start at your limit and then after a few weeks having to step things back down because it got too difficult to continue as outlined.  So...if your current training volume feels easy then I would continue from where you are at.  If your current level of training pushes you I would cut back so that you have some easy week at the beginning that will prepare you for the work to come.  The focus is on where you will be at in 14 weeks.  Don't worry as much about where you start as where you want to finish.



Edited by BlueBoy26 2019-04-22 10:47 AM
2019-04-22 11:16 AM
in reply to: riles32807

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Subject: RE: Base volume
Ahh the ole "base build".

Not a fan of the connotations.

Slow and volume...

I'd rather see people work the fitness and strength in this period. Volume may be down, but intensity hits the high aerobic end and high muscular endurance. Great time to really work on those elements when you don't have a race cycle to taper for. Work in recovery weeks and it's great!
2019-04-22 2:11 PM
in reply to: BlueBoy26

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Subject: RE: Base volume
Originally posted by BlueBoy26

As for Training volume question on the OP I would think that after a "B Race" Sprint that you shouldn't be trashed and should be fine with starting your 14-week base build where you currently are at.  The only caution is that you are going to be building so what might seem easy now is going to get more and more difficult as you go.  I feel that one gets more out of starting conservative so he is fresher in the first week or two and can build as outlined in the program than to start at your limit and then after a few weeks having to step things back down because it got too difficult to continue as outlined.  So...if your current training volume feels easy then I would continue from where you are at.  If your current level of training pushes you I would cut back so that you have some easy week at the beginning that will prepare you for the work to come.  The focus is on where you will be at in 14 weeks.  Don't worry as much about where you start as where you want to finish.



Thanks. I don't think the race itself trashed me, more the training leading up to it. I did zone 2 rides & runs last week and am feeling better, but theres still some foot and joint aches I'm concerned about. I'm not sure if they're from training or getting older. =)

I carried some swim and bike fitness over from last year, but I started in December with a couch to 5k plan so I'm worried that my run base isn't where it should be. I'm solid MOP, not much I can do this year to change that. If I can stay healthy and carry over fitness to next year though..
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