Carmichael training plan

rinte
rinte Posts: 7
edited September 2015 in Training, fitness and health
Hi all,


I am planning to use one of Chris Carmichael's Time Crunched Cyclist training plans to prepare for my sportive. Will be adding two weeks Endurance Block too. My question is: when should I do my endurance block for best result? Before starting 8 week high intensity training, in the middle or after?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • poynedexter
    poynedexter Posts: 283
    when is your event?
    how long is it going to be?
    what is your level now?
    give us more info about you and your life.

    what do you expect to achieve at your sportive? please quantify what you want to get from your plan.
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19709573#p19709573]rinte[/url] wrote:
    Hi all,


    I am planning to use one of Chris Carmichael's Time Crunched Cyclist training plans to prepare for my sportive. Will be adding two weeks Endurance Block too. My question is: when should I do my endurance block for best result? Before starting 8 week high intensity training, in the middle or after?

    Thanks in advance.

    hmmm, is this the same training plan he had Armstrong on?? :lol:
  • rinte
    rinte Posts: 7
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19709773#p19709773]poynedexter[/url] wrote:
    when is your event?
    how long is it going to be?
    what is your level now?
    give us more info about you and your life.

    what do you expect to achieve at your sportive? please quantify what you want to get from your plan.


    The event it's only end of april next year, it's 67 mile long loop round Loch Ness with a decent clime in the middle. I am not going to start training for it now, most likly going to be off the bike during the winter.

    Did it this year in 3h 20min., trained for 8 weeks with Carmichael New Century program, felt quite strong all way round apart towards the end, coming out of Dores.

    Basically I would like to improve my time. With shift work and a baby there isn't murch time to ride the bike, thats why I am planning to do hight intensity, low volume training, but can book some holidays for endurance block if it would improve my fitness for the sportive.
  • rinte
    rinte Posts: 7
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19709886#p19709886]redvision[/url] wrote:
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19709573#p19709573]rinte[/url] wrote:
    Hi all,


    I am planning to use one of Chris Carmichael's Time Crunched Cyclist training plans to prepare for my sportive. Will be adding two weeks Endurance Block too. My question is: when should I do my endurance block for best result? Before starting 8 week high intensity training, in the middle or after?

    Thanks in advance.

    hmmm, is this the same training plan he had Armstrong on?? :lol:


    Need to train even if you on the juice ;-)
  • poynedexter
    poynedexter Posts: 283
    what do you mean by a 2 week endurance block?

    if you mean that you will stop doing intervals for 2 weeks to do long miles on the road, then i have issues with this:

    2 weeks to build endurance is way off the mark given that you will be off the bike for the winter.
    you will need to allow for considerable recovery into this 2 weeks given that you are going from turbo to outdoors for 50-70 miles.

    i would try and fit 1 long road ride into your week for as many weeks as you can. if you want to better last years result then you will have be fitter than last year. what did you do last year?
  • rinte
    rinte Posts: 7
    Well if would do that block in between my interval training I would take an easy week before, than do 2-5 hour rides 5 times per week for two weeks, another easy week rest and be back on interval training. Would it be beneficial to my fitness?

    Last time I only did interval training for 8 weeks. I do other thinks during winter for fitness, light amateur basketball..

    Cheers.
  • lochindaal
    lochindaal Posts: 475
    The TCTP is designed to get you fit enough to complete your Sportive (and it is good at doing that) but it won't give you a good base fitness. It even says somewhere in the book something about you won't hold your fitness for long.

    As you are starting training now you don't necessarily need to follow it though it can be a good template to get you started through the winter.

    The traditional method is to ride longer endurance rides through the winter and then increase your intensity for power and speed. This would mean you add the TCTP program close to your event to improve on the base endurance you have gained over the winter.

    You can do it the other way and do the TCTP now which in some ways in the Northern hemisphere is good as you have shorter sessions that can be done on a turbo when the weather is crap. You will then start your longer rides later gradually increasing the distance and workload around the end of January.

    Alternatively take a look at Trainer Road and you can get lots of predefined programs to follow.
    Tri Coaching
    https://www.h3otriathlon.com
  • rinte
    rinte Posts: 7
    Thanks for the reply.
  • homers_double
    homers_double Posts: 8,320
    FFS this is what's wrong with the Internet. Just ride your bike and enjoy it.
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • GGBiker
    GGBiker Posts: 450
    Doesn't sound like he enjoys riding the bike though, understandable if your main experience is the time crunched program, if you are doing the prescribed intervals you will be suffering, I found it a joyless experience when I tried it, the build up of mental and physical fatigue was depressing after a few weeks. Less intensity, more volume is more enjoyable for me.
  • charlie_potatoes
    charlie_potatoes Posts: 1,921
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19709886#p19709886]redvision[/url] wrote:
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19709573#p19709573]rinte[/url] wrote:
    Hi all,


    I am planning to use one of Chris Carmichael's Time Crunched Cyclist training plans to prepare for my sportive. Will be adding two weeks Endurance Block too. My question is: when should I do my endurance block for best result? Before starting 8 week high intensity training, in the middle or after?

    Thanks in advance.

    hmmm, is this the same training plan he had Armstrong on?? :lol:

    No
    "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul
  • rinte
    rinte Posts: 7
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19711140#p19711140]GGBiker[/url] wrote:
    Doesn't sound like he enjoys riding the bike though, understandable if your main experience is the time crunched program, if you are doing the prescribed intervals you will be suffering, I found it a joyless experience when I tried it, the build up of mental and physical fatigue was depressing after a few weeks. Less intensity, more volume is more enjoyable for me.


    I do, a lot more then expected myself. I wouldn't be doing any sportives if I didn't ;-) And even enjoyed doing intervals on turbo trainer last time prepairing for the sportive and I've got a massive buzz riding it. That's why I'm doing it again and want to better myself :-)

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