first off I am very glad and thankful to have followed a structured training plan.
so here is what I did, how it went, conclusions I am trying to make out of it and some questions I have.
I started January 12 with the training plan (base2) and was at a CTL of 68. I already did a month a build up again to do more miles but did not find the motivation to get out like I did last year. I wanted to have a bit more of a ‘guide’. I want to point out that I always kept commuting to work by bike which would add around 200 k each week.
after the 6 weeks of FTFPing I got a very noticeable result as my CTL was now 80 fatigue was high with 93 and form was down -9. I did the field-test that week, plus a big training block with multiple longer rides to end that block. my FTP was the highest over more than a year.
then I got it wrong… I should have taken my wins and REST a week. I did not do that.
so I went with a couple of rest days into hillclimb training plan 2. as some may have read, that did not go as planned and by the rest week (week4) I was still making progress, but was way too fatigued to get the maximum benefit. I never felt fresh and kicking it, like it should feel at this point. so I stopped the commutes to focus more on the specific training for a week and picked them up with less travels. I also let go of the idea of doing the full LBL 260k loop I had in mind. it was too much too soon. so I ended with again a big improvement in my ftp (highest ever, better than the one I did last summer on a hammer ride) and Ctl was now 105 fatigue was 136 and form -5. ending my week of the test again with a big 100k gravel ride and 130k spirited road ride in the weekend
so happy days. but not all went as expected.
one week later (yesterday) was my ‘A event’ and I went to do a 140k cyclo (solo) in the Ardennes (not the 260k I originally was aiming at) and thought I would hammer it out. I did not do that. I did it, it was OK, but I did not have the good legs I started to feel a couple weeks back. I did get better at 100k and was able to do the last final climbs a bit better, but both my average speed and feel was lower than what I anticipated. it felt like I was pedalling squares and ‘governing’ instead of going all out, which could and should have been the goal and capability.
my conclusions and questions
I am still getting out of the hole I dug myself, but I think with some rides (longer days and shorter more high intensity work) I will be at a higher and most of all better allrounder level than I was before.
I am so glad I took the training. the hillclimb is a big step up from the base (but I could be biased on this as I did not start as fresh) take the rest weeks more seriously.
I have had the guidance and assistance from this forum to see through the fog to get back on track. I know a lot about my body and training from over the years, but seeing it in metrics and having a view with knowledgeable insight from the coaches here is golden.
what do I do now. redo the hillclimb intervals because I think I left something on the table or go for the higher shorter interval work as I am still not really training to do sprints?
I will do that ride again, but better 