Time Crunched Training Plan + occasional extra hours

thomsva

I'm following the "beginner century" -program from the book The time crunched cyclist. Earlier my training has been unstructured, but I like the concept outlined in the book so I thought I'd give it a try.

Most of the time I am "time crunched", so in that sense I fit the target group for the book. I have had to skip workouts but often I have the opposite problem; extra time. When possible I like spending all the spare time I have on the bike. I am now in week 3 of the program, and now I wonder if I should be more careful when putting in more hours than the program suggests?

Examples:
1. The plan says I should do 3*10min intervals on a 60-90min ride, but I have extra time so I ride for 180 minutes and do the intervals in the last hour of the ride.
2. I go for a 6 hour ride in the weekend instead of 90-120 minutes suggested by the program.
3. I commute 20+20km on a rest day

I try to plan my occasional extra rides in a way that I feel recovered before interval workouts. Is there anything else I should think of? Is this a good way to use occasional extra availiable hours?

36spoke

sounds to me if you can ride for 3 hours in one day, and 6 hours on a weekend day, and have the oppertunity to ride a 40km commute on the weekdays, then you are not really a time crunched cyclist

i would suggest that you use your long ride at the weekend to ride at L1 & L2 to build your endurance

the 3 hour ride could incorporate a hilly route so you could do some "hard hills" or hill intervals or on a flatter route to do some sweet spot training

on your commute home you could do your 3 x 10's or shorter intervals

many of us dont have as much oppertunity as you seem to have, so i am sure you will get plenty of suggestions

thomsva

Thank's for the suggestions.

Yeps, you are right that I'm not always time crunched. But on average I do have a busy life and I can't plan in advance for 10+ hour weeks. The opportunity to spend more time on the bike often comes unplanned. This is why I like to have no more than 6-8 hours planned workouts per week. I think it's more motivating to plan for less and being occasionally able to put in more, than the other way around.

stevesavage71

im on week 5 of the experienced century programme and am in the same situation as you with a few extra hours, so I just go out but keep the intensity down, I also juggle the rest days about a bit to fit around work and avoid putting hard workouts together. The plan is going well, but I am quite worried about overtraining.

lochindaal

I did the experienced century program as part of my winter training.

I would advise either taking the rest or making it a simple Zone 1 ride. By the last few weeks the intensity really ramps up and you feel very tired after sessions.

I have found though my power output feels way better this year.

lmrt

A friend of mine just finished the one of the phases in the book, lots of turbo and intervals he said. I haven't personally looked at the book but he's a third cat racer and has been following the most appropriate programme. First race after following the programme phase he crashed, second race he came fourth on a very tough circuit and felt good, it certainly seems to have done him a lot of good. Now he's on the maintenance phase. Good luck with your training.

thomsva

Many thank's for the input!
Your comments about more fatigue and worries for overtraining later in the program makes me think that it's best to take it easy when putting in extra hours.

My short term goal, other than improving my fitness, is to participate in a 300km mass event in June (Vätternrundan in Sweden). The time crunched plan may not be the best possible preparation for such a long event but at least it's a plan and that is more than I have ever had before.

ballspondroad

I seem to remember that he gives advice on how to incorporate the opportunity for longer runs somewhere after he describes each training schedule ?

DubaiNeil

ballspondroad wrote:

I seem to remember that he gives advice on how to incorporate the opportunity for longer runs somewhere after he describes each training schedule ?

Your not wrong IIRC, there is a section about what to do if you have more time than you had planned for, so maybe have a look at that. I recall there was some advice relating to upping the quantity and reducing the intensity...

Neil

thomsva

Yeps, I checked the book again and there it is. The issue is best addressed in the section about incorporating an "endurance block" into the schedule. When I first read the book I got the impression that an endurance block meant something that you could use outside the TCTP period. But now I read it again and as far as I understand it could also be used to replace weeks within the TCTP. The endurance block is a 1-2 week period with much more volume and less intensity with recovery weeks before and after.

I will not have a whole week of spare time so I can't use the endurance block exactly as in the book. But the section gives me some help in adjusting my schedule if I for example get the chance to enjoy a high volume weekend.

grahamlawrence

I saw this book on Amazon and wondered if it is worth the money. What's the overall impression?

thomsva

grahamlawrence wrote:

I saw this book on Amazon and wondered if it is worth the money. What's the overall impression?

Yes, if you like what you read in the description I would say it is very well worth the money.

For me the overall impression is very positive and I enjoy following the training plan. A couple of years ago I have tried to build up a plan with long base and build periods but I never followed it well enough. I like that the time crunched plan is only 9-11 weeks long so I can train and ride unstructured most of the year and be more focused for the 9-11 week period. This has helped me stay very motivated.

stevesavage71

As i said earlier, ive just finished week 5 of the plan, im taking two weeks off the plan to do a sportive this weekend. Yesterday I cruised around my local 40km loop, taking 5 minutes of my quickest time, also there is a hill which I time, and I went from 18mins to 17mins, with a lower heart rate. Therefore I can say that I am very impressed with the plan, we shall see at the weekend how I tackle 185km!!
Book is worth every penny

thomsva

stevesavage71 wrote:

As i said earlier, ive just finished week 5 of the plan, im taking two weeks off the plan to do a sportive this weekend. Yesterday I cruised around my local 40km loop, taking 5 minutes of my quickest time, also there is a hill which I time, and I went from 18mins to 17mins, with a lower heart rate. Therefore I can say that I am very impressed with the plan, we shall see at the weekend how I tackle 185km!!
Book is worth every penny

Sounds great! I am in week 4 at the moment and I have already noticed that intervals with similar power output feel easier than a couple of weeks ago, also my heart rate tends to be a couple of beats lower.

I will also go for a longer ride next weekend. I plan to take a couple of easier days before and at least one rest day after the long ride. If I have to skip workouts to recover from the long ride I will give priority to the interval workouts and rather skip an EM(endurance miles) ride. I have done all the intervals in the program so far.

keef66

Well I've enjoyed reading the book, but I now need to acquire a HRM in order to do the training. I'm tempted to get the Garmin edge 500 bundle from handtec; just need the money.

mamba80

I have followed(ish) this plan but am luck enough to have extra hrs now an then.
so i follow the TCP but then add in endurance blocks of back to back rides (which i have found the most benificial and the hardest part)
I was initially sceptical of this plan (and found the book quite hard to understand to start with!) but have found it of great benefit, knocked over 1min of my club hilly 10tt time and found finishing long sportives much much more enjoyable.
also the advice on nutrition has been good as well.
Could anyone seriously over train on just a few hrs a week?

Finbar Saunders

How is everyone doing this plan progressing? I just did the field test and will try to start the plan next week. But even 6 hours a week is tough for me so we'll see how it goes.

thomsva

Finbar Saunders wrote:

How is everyone doing this plan progressing?

After four weeks on the plan I felt very much stronger than before. But i run into illness, fever and some slight knee problems, so I will not be able to fulfil the plan all the way. But based on my impoved fitness during the first weeks I'm sure I will try the plan again, maybe later this year.

stevesavage71

im on week nine now and feel pretty good for it. I have learnt how to structure rides and train specifically for things (hills, max) etc. Before i was just going out and riding, and probably not improving my fitness. I am a bit worried as I am doing the QH next week and feel I should be spending more time on the bike as I suffer after about 5 hours in the saddle.
After this sportive i shall return to mountain bike racing and i believe I will be a lot stronger for 1-2 hour events. I' going to do another 12 block in the autumn.

So to sum up i think this plan is good for short racing but longer endurance im not so sure...but it beats just riding hand down.

skinsey

I followed the TCTP for experienced century riders to the absolute letter, leading up to my first sportive at the end of March. I found several things with it:
- it was great discipline, and even as a reasonably able rider, I felt as though I made great strides in performance
- I surpassed my expectations and PBs in early season events
- however (and to be fair the book does hint at this), because I didn't have a 'proper' base I've found myself being far more tired a long time after events than I have been in previous years (when I've done more base training, and longer weekend rides). Ie it's taken me 10-14 days to feel like I can do any serious riding after an event, as opposed to just pootling about. Again, in previous years, it's been more like 3-4 days.

So, my conclusion - if you're genuinely short of time, and have a specific goal then it's a fantastic tool. But if you can find more time to build that base, as well as do the power-related sessions, that's a preferable long term option for your overall riding abilities.