I am new to FasCat Coaching plans, but not new to structured training. I have two questions.
I am currently half way through Six Week to Sweet Spot (Basic). I plan on following this with CX Summer Sweet Spot w/skills (Intermediate). After that I will do Six weeks to CX Specific (Intermediate). This will take me up to early Sept. and the beginning of what is traditionally the opening of our local CX series. This will probably be delayed or cancelled due to COVID19. Beginning in Sept. I will do weekly Zwift races, (one hour crits), once a week until CX racing starts. Does these training plans and their sequence make sense?
On recovery days, (especially in the Sweet Spot Basic plan), I plan on doing 30-60 min. of Zone 1 active recovery rides. I am a 68 yr. old masters racer with an unlimited amount of time to train. I am used to riding everyday and getting in a short run twice a week. Are the Zone 1 rides OK if I feel good to ride?
I love the plan I am doing now and am looking forward to the other two CX plans as well.
Yes that progression make sense, if the season were to start on time. We are heading into the unknown which make things a bit more difficult. But the best you can do is plan like you are and hope that things do start on time.
Once you get closer to September you will know more. The only thing is you don’t want to do too much intensity. So if you do 6 weeks to cx, then 6 weeks of intensity training before cx even starts that might be too much high intensity training. But we can revisit that later this summer when we know more. I’m sure there are a lot of other cross racers out there in the same boat. I would move forward after sweet spot 1 into Summer Sweet Spot CX and go from there.
Activer recovery days are fine as long as you keep them easy and TSS down. Recovery is the most important thing you and do. If you don’t properly recover you will not get faster. Since you have an unlimited amount of time it sounds like riding a short recovery ride would not interfere with you ability to get sleep and proper rest through the day. Those that have jobs, little kids around and etc are better off just resting off the bike than on it.
Jake, my question is similar but a little different. I just completed the CX Summer Sweet Spot part of the bundle. I know, too early! I jumped in really excited to start riding and honing skills without realizing there would be a two month gap until the next unit. From the comments here, looks like I ought to start Six Weeks Till Cyclocross around early August. Does it make sense to continue the training I just completed until then? If so, can I just copy the workouts in the same sequence into the Training Peaks calendar for the summer and would you recommend changes?
@MudIsFunner you could copy and paste or re-apply your plan OR you could do something completely different and fun like Sweet Spot Marathon MTB , the Strava KOM or perhaps another goal you have for this summer?
I really enjoyed the mix of activities in the first plan, and think reapplying it is an attractive option. I would also mix in some MTB work and some road racing (at the moment, looking like time trials for us on the Western Slope). To reapply, is that done through Fascat or Training Peaks? Many thanks for the advice.
