The Time-crunched Cyclist

johncp

Anyone read this yet? And could you post a couple of sample sessions if you have

outofbreath2

Shameless bump!

Thinking of getting this as a Xmas present for husband - any reviews or opinions welcome.

Many thanks.
OOB2

keef66

Wife just bought it for me for christmas. How do I know? It's sitting in an Amazon box on my desk (have all the Amazon stuff delivered to work cos it's more secure).

It's not shrink-wrapped, so can I resist having a little peek??........

Anonymous

I've got it. Looks good. Can't start it though till 18th Jan otherwise, if following it to the letter, it won't fit in with first races...

It's an 8 week plan you can only do two or three times a year building you up to a very obvious peak...

outofbreath2

keef66 wrote:

Wife just bought it for me for christmas. How do I know? It's sitting in an Amazon box on my desk (have all the Amazon stuff delivered to work cos it's more secure).

It's not shrink-wrapped, so can I resist having a little peek??........

You know you want too..... we won't tell.

Thanks for the overview NapD (if I may call you that!). I may just take the plunge anyway - what harm can it do.

ballspondroad

I've started reading it - so far (page 38) it's a bit American self-help manual style with a lot of irrelevant verbiage and some dubious science. Obviously the time crunched cyclist is time crunched because he's reading training manuals. I also have a feeling he's expecting me to have a power meter, but we shall see.

ballspondroad

Why does (page thirty eight) come out like (page 38) ?

shockedsoshocked

38.

Infamous

8 + ) = 8)

What's in the plan? 5 hours of intervals per week?

Anonymous

Infamous wrote:

8 + ) = 8)

What's in the plan? 5 hours of intervals per week?

6

cookiemonster

Im three weeks into the experienced competitor program

Its very similar to my own home-grown plan, lots of intervals and sub-threshold sessions with longer stuff at the weekend - which, at 6-8 hours a week, was good enough for an 8 hour marmotte. I'm actually finding it pretty tough; its more relentless than it looks. I'm finding that it was much more easy to skip or push a day out when I was doing my own thing; while following the plan, you cant hide from todays session.

I'm looking at doing some of the races in the imperial winter series, so i'll let you know whether it works in a months time

jon

Poulsy

outofbreath2 wrote:

Shameless bump!

Thinking of getting this as a Xmas present for husband - any reviews or opinions welcome.

Many thanks.
OOB2

I can just picture it on Xmas day

'Darling, I think it would be a good idea to reduce your training time and spend more time with me and the family, so I planned ahead and bought you this. Happy Xmas'

outofbreath2

Poulsy wrote:

outofbreath2 wrote:

Shameless bump!

Thinking of getting this as a Xmas present for husband - any reviews or opinions welcome.

Many thanks.
OOB2

I can just picture it on Xmas day

'Darling, I think it would be a good idea to reduce your training time and spend more time with me and the family, so I planned ahead and bought you this. Happy Xmas'

Curses - foiled again!
I'm flattered :oops: but you're overestimating my capacity for manipulation.

But since you bring it up, training for whatever the book recommends would be quite a drastic increase in what he's doing now due to work commitments. I might even give it a go myself - although a bit toned down following Cookiemonster's review (thanks btw!).

Poulsy

outofbreath2 wrote:

Poulsy wrote:

outofbreath2 wrote:

Shameless bump!

Thinking of getting this as a Xmas present for husband - any reviews or opinions welcome.

Many thanks.
OOB2

I can just picture it on Xmas day

'Darling, I think it would be a good idea to reduce your training time and spend more time with me and the family, so I planned ahead and bought you this. Happy Xmas'

Curses - foiled again!
I'm flattered :oops: but you're overestimating my capacity for manipulation.

But since you bring it up, training for whatever the book recommends would be quite a drastic increase in what he's doing now due to work commitments. I might even give it a go myself - although a bit toned down following Cookiemonster's review (thanks btw!).

So its for an increase in training. He may or may not thank you for that then

outofbreath2

I'm taking a calculated risk with it...

Crikey, I've just thought - I don't want him to be suspicious since I clearly want him out of the house more :shock:

cookiemonster

seeing as im the only one giving this a go then im guessing no one is going to help me here, but...

The notation for the power intervals is of the form:

2 x [3 x 3min. PI (3 min. RBI)] (8 min RBS)

I'm guessing this means:

3 mins at "power" level (heart rate or power determined by CTS test)
3 mins off the power

do this three times

8 minutes rest (at "endurance level")

repeat the above


But here's the thing - later on in the program the PI's are noted as:

6 x 2 min PI (2 min RBI)

Why do the earlier PI have [3 x 3min PI] and later just 3 min PI?

I cant find a key to the notation...

jon

jgsi

Signing up for this one starting New Year.
Probably attempt the New Competitor schedule as I want to do a fast time on the Cheshire Cat and then into some TLI racing soon after.
It will be interesting to follow a set program fairly rigidly.
I haven't done that for at least 12 months
The book itself is vfm and lends itself to picking up and reading a few pages.
I can see tho' that there is gonna be a temptation to adapt his training methods - as long as they dont go too out of synch, I am sure the results will be the same.

dbjockey

I've picked up a massive amount from this book.
Some of the stuff where it mentions the US racing scene and races is pointless and wasted on me, but
regarding training, the energy systems, nutrition, and all that stuff it makes interesting reading.
It all makes sense really.
I am doing this and will revert to hills/stength/weight after the 11 weeks.
I think this is ideal for the 2nd year rider like me, who before this only really had the notion of
"doing more riding", "losing weight", "building leg muscle", and the occasional turbo session in order to increase my cycling ability. If you need a plan and want to know why then this is great.

Gav888

cookiemonster wrote:

Im three weeks into the experienced competitor program

Its very similar to my own home-grown plan, lots of intervals and sub-threshold sessions with longer stuff at the weekend - which, at 6-8 hours a week, was good enough for an 8 hour marmotte. I'm actually finding it pretty tough; its more relentless than it looks. I'm finding that it was much more easy to skip or push a day out when I was doing my own thing; while following the plan, you cant hide from todays session.

I'm looking at doing some of the races in the imperial winter series, so i'll let you know whether it works in a months time

jon

Now a few years on, how did the plan work out?

jgsi

I sold mine on Ebay soon after