First time Training Plan Help needed...

Originally posted by rotipom . . . The book plan ends with a weekend tri race but my race is not for another 6 weeks after that. I know there's important periodization built into Friel's plans so what should I do with the next 6 weeks after my plan ends? Do I repeat the last 6 weeks of the plan or the last 2, 3, 4? Thanks so much! Any help much appreciated .

I'd start repeating weeks now.  First, identify the recovery weeks in the plan (in a sprint plan the pull back is often not as obvious).  Once you have done that, do a build week, then repeat the build week.  Don't forget to insert the recovery weeks.  It's been awhile since I've looked at that plan.  Since you're 7-weeks in to the plan, you'll likely be extending the 3/1 build/recovery cycle to something like 4/1 for the remainder of the plan to extend the end date. 

Something like this I would think -

You're on week 7 now, next week may be a recovery week.  I'd change that and repeat the current week, then take your recovery week.  Recovery is VERY important, however, at the sprint level the relative volume of the plan allows you to extend the build cycle.

For example - Week # 7, 7, 8 (assuming #8 is recovery), 9, 9, 10, 10, recovery,  9,10,11, 12.  That gives you an idea so if week 8 isn't a recovery week. you can modify that suggestion appropriately.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.  If your body is telling you it needs rest, take an additional passive rest day during the extra week.

By doing it that way you'll keep the prep phase at the end of the plan intact so you'll be best prepared for race day.

Hope that helps.  Happy training!

Hi Amy,

My bad, I mis-understood your first post and somehow thought you were working with a longer plan.  The easiest "modification" will likely be to simple overlay the plan on the calendar with the plan end date on race day.  Then pickup the plan wherever that would have you today.  That will have you backing up and repeating earlier parts of the plan.  No harm in that at all.  The main thing you want to try and avoid is repeating a recovery week or changing the final two weeks of the plan.  By simply realigning the plan to the calendar you will avoid those pitfalls.

Hope that helps.  (Sorry for the delay, your post got caught in our SPAM filters because it had the link in it).