Log: 12/11/2011

Training Principles - 1:

Individualization, Periodization, Progressive Overload, Balance, Specificity, Reversiblility, Evaluation, Rest-Recuperation-Diet.

Individualization. 
"Training prescriptions must be shaped by the fact that different individuals may respond
in significantly varying degrees, and have varying recovery needs, for a given workout or training load. Other factors to be taken into account are age, training status/history, individual characteristics (e.g., strengths and weaknesses, as assessed with Power Profiling), weather, training opportunities (e.g., local availability of roads/trails, terrain, traffic), work schedule and other responsibilities, competitive priorities and preferences (which races you want to do well in, which you want to use for training, and which you enjoy the most, since motivation will determine how diligently you train), role within a team, etc." Howe

12/11/2011 - Road

AeT.

    Duration:      1:29:32
    Work:          701 kJ
    TSS:           54.4 (intensity factor 0.606)
    Pw:HR:          -12.04%
    Pa:HR:          -0.18%
    Distance:      35.25 km
    Elevation Gain:        441 m
    Elevation Loss:       430 m
    Cadence:         30    218    91     rpm
    Temperature:     20    30    27.1     Celsius


Recovery.

    Duration:      40:20
    Work:          102 kJ
    TSS:           8.1 (intensity factor 0.35)
    Distance:      7.515 km
    Elevation Gain:        69 m
    Temperature:     24    26    25.9     Celsius

Muntanyes tomorrow. Hoping legs are not too DOMSy from efforts over previous few days.

Mid-Season Base: Wrap-Up

Ok, so have spent the last 4 weeks loosely speaking - building some base back.

Post injury and illness I found that CTL had fallen significantly, so I designed a program of high volume, mostly lower intensity work designed to get CTL back up to ~100TSS/d while also tuning up the aerobic engine..

In reference to the PMC above:
A: Peak

B: Post injury and illness trough

C: End of mid season base (today)

CTL ramp was aggressive:

Wk1: +5

Wk2: +7

Wk3: +7

Wk4: +0

There was an element of risk associated with such a steep ramp; I hadn't planned on the back to back 7's but followed the training plan nevertheless as many days consisted of two separate sessions - allowing for recovery in-between.

Week4 was planned as a "rest" to acclimatise to CTL at 100TSS/d before moving forward. With the reduced volume this week I still felt tired toward the end of the week and did less than planned.

Progress from here will be at a rate of +3 to 4 CTL/week until reaching ~110-115. I have found from previous experience that once CTL reaches 100TSS/d I'm starting to feel strong and able to cope with longer, more intense and race-like training sessions.

FTP was down at least 11% from level realised at peak(A) (based on sustainable output over 2 back-back 20min intervals at beginning of week2). End of week4 this has climbed by 7%  which I'm happy with - but have 4% to claw back before any real inroads to progress can be made.. 

Build phase begins tomorrow.