Call for questions for this week's Q&A podcast!

Hello everyone!

@FRANK and I will be recording a Q&A episode this Thursday, so get your questions in here (or send an email to help@fascatcoaching.com if you want to remain anonymous)! We’re here to answer any questions you may have about training, nutrition, recovery, racing, etc. AND for those of you racing at SBTGRVL, any last minute questions about the course or pacing strategies.

We look forward to answering your questions, so fire away!

Jackson

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Will I be able to raise my FTP during the interval phase on a CX plan? Or is the goal about being able to recover quickly to produce power? I’ve noticed that my 20 minute power has plateaued, probably due to being over 50. My cycling spectrum is more of a sprinter, so my overall FTP hasn’t been stellar.

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Good one thanks @patricko76051 - we’ll add this to the mix :muscle:

Hey guys. I am traveling by car 6hrs to Virginia GO Cross on Labor Day weekend. This comes at the end of the first rest week of the 6 weeks to Cyclocross.

Since I believe my openers will be pretty important to feel fresh racing at the end of the rest week, should I do the openers before I leave for the 6 hour drive or after I arrive in Roanoke, VA? If there is any other advice you have for coming off a rest week for my first CX race of the season?

I am loving the plan and the podcast! Feeling stronger every day! Thanks for everything!

-Michael

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I will be doing the 18 week sweet spot training this winter. The weekend rides call for some long 4 hour rides but I live in Wisconsin so most of my workouts will be indoors on the trainer. I have heard you say not to spend more than 2 or so hours on the trainer for a workout. Do I adjust my training or just suck it up and ride the 4 hours?

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Good Morning!

My question is about off-season weight loss. My goal for the season was to upgrade so I can get back to fighting it out with the 2/1 field. I did that, and thanks for the help btw! Now that I can see my last three races, I want to start looking at upgrading the body for next season. Shedding a few kg seems necessary for me to compete at this level.

When should I start? After post-season break, during the 18-week sst, or some other time?

Cheers,

Jim Hurst

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If your legs aren’t there for the scheduled intervals is it worth it to keep going or should you call it? IE I have 15s on 15s off at 300w. I do the first set on target. On the second set I am dying a thousand deaths but only hitting 285. Should I keep going? Are the only gains mental at this point?

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I have a question: I’ve been a podcast listener since episode one and really enjoy it. However, I was recently able to watch one of the video episodes which brings me to my question. When will you be doing the podcast “Winning in the hair salon” ? :smile:

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Plateaued?

15 months ago I started training for gravel races after not riding for years. This year I’ve done a few 100 mile gravel races and finished without a problem, but near last place. I’ve been following the Gravel In-season plan, and will be done with it following my last race of the season this Saturday. My FTP seems to be stuck around 220 watts for the last 9 months. What do I do this offseason to get that FTP up, and finishing in the top half of the results next year?

Thanks!
Eli
(Age 43)

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Hi,
I am working with the 6 weeks to CX plan.
When should the plyo workout be done? Before , or after the interval set or can I spilt the workouts durning the day?? Plyo before work and intervals after work?
Thanks
David
Colorado

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Two questions:

First is about the coaching subscription plan. Forgive me for the simplicity here, but I’m two years into cycling so still learning a lot. What will you do with the power analysis? Will you use it to recommend modifications to a training plan? Then if I don’t yet have a power meter yet, what would you analyze?

Second question is I don’t work a M-F job and my days off are Monday and Saturday. This makes FTFP tough. Any basic suggestions on how to modify the plans to fit my work schedule and maximize training.

Thanks

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Hello Kim Butler here from West Virginia I am retired teacher of Exercise Physiology from Ohio University Have Have been racing on bikes, pool, running,karate for over 40 years. Now 68. I signed up for six weeks of cyclocross. Great workouts but at my age there is no way I could begin to do all of those suggested days in a row. So I will have to modify alot. At 68 I need many more recovery days in order to do harder workouts. I eat a mainly plant based diet with shakes after workouts. I use air relax compression device, Marc Pro Estim, pro massages. Vyper roller . Get 8 hours of sleep with a nap. So question is could you modify workout plan for age appropriate plans. I have found even that I need to swim on recovery days in pool with little or no kicking and not pushing off wall hard to recover. I will do some of your workouts. But no way to do all of them every week. Thanks.

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MTB Marathon…but on a singlespeed, how would one modify the marathon plan to deal with the unique cadences and power outputs for singlespeed. Or is this a whole new plan that needs to approach the training from a different angle?

thanks
jon

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Okay, thanks everyone! We’re gonna answer each and every question posted here - headed into the studio now [10:34am MST] - thank you!!!

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@FRANK, regarding one of the questions you answered yesterday from Ryan and his son who likes cyclocross. THANK YOU for stating that a 10 or 11yo should NOT be FTfP’ing! Everyone who knows me in the Mid-Atlantic knows I have a 10yo daughter who also races 'cross. But more importantly, everyone knows that she doesn’t train, she only rides maybe 10 or 20 minutes a week with the neighborhood kids for fun, and has many other non-cycling activities. Also for fun, she and her girlfriend started their own CX team this year, HEC (Health, Education, Cycling), mainly to promote the health and education part and she actually wants to travel to Tacoma this December for CX Natz since it’s her first year of eligibility. The good thing is that she knows and understands that she will likely get crushed, but also have a blast in the meantime. My point is that I hope more listeners of this podcast, and readers of the forum, will think twice about pushing their young ones into training and training plans at such a young age. Unfortunately, I do know some coaches out there who do coach 10 & 11 yo’s. Glad to hear you are steadfastly against this!

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Any specific suggestions for which training plans to follow if my goal for 2020 is podium at XC Nationals (or nationals in general so other get benefit from the conversation) for Men’s Cat 2? I feel like I obviously need a plan, but with a year out it seems like I have more time than I know what to do with and it seems silly if I just keep repeating off season plans. Any suggestions on how to go about choosing plans or alternatively general advice for timing training for an event this far out? Thanks team. Looking forward to the podcast as always.

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