TrainerRoad - STW approved sessions

Despite the fact your FTP did not improve over winter it was still a period of training that's given you the foundations for your season.

Only you can decide if you want to sacrifice BotB for increased training for the 9th. My advice - do either or and not a half arsed fudge.

Results aren't really a valid way of judging the success of your training. Are you fitter - apparently not (though FTP isn't all IMHO), are your skills improved, can you dig deeper, is your pacing better. Unless the answers to these are positive you're racing for your experience and the event is part of the long term journey to your goals. That means you should be setting event goals such as:-

1. Best possible start
2. Hold position along the beach into the single track
3. Maintain position while recovering
4. Manage pacing
5. Always racing for position
6. No crashing

Judge yourself on these not some arbitrary position that depends more on what others have done than what you have done.

Are you fitter - apparently not (though FTP isn't all IMHO), are your skills improved, can you dig deeper, is your pacing better.

Things have actually changed in two fronts:

Fitness - my VO2max efforts show improvements, by ability to cope with pain / bury myself has improved and my muscular endurance/strength it greather than before - I'm improved pace & ability on climbs. Yes my FTP is flat but I've not gone less than 5w under on a test either, and I've been doing the 8min tests which because of my vo2max issues aren't my preference.

Strategy - now starting my 3rd year I'm much improved. I can "see" whats going on, know what to do, when to holdback/overtake, who to aim for,how to watch strengths and weakness aligned with defense of my own. I'm very much more comfortable with pacing and can "see" the race in a non panick way far better than before.

I believe both of the above are outcomes of experience and my own relative ability and overall comfort about myself on and off the bike.

Thanks all three for the training guidance this week. Scott MTB on the 9th is more important.

any idea [i]WHY [/i]your FTP hasn't improved.

I had a period of no improvement, actually dropped FTP whilst training. I followed a training plan of 2 x 20 @ 90%. After several weeks of that my FTP dropped to '90%'.

Obviously i needed a different stimulus - I was gutted at the time. Got back into a program that works for me and i returned a 11% increase. Happy with that.

any idea WHY your FTP hasn't improved.

Can't speak for Kryton, and he probably has his own ideas, but he's time crunched and has 3 years training under his belt. Its entirely possible that with those constraints there's only very marginal improvements still to find.

I'd consider his return of increased muscular endurance and ability to dig-in/suffer to be a reasonable return.

I obviously come off 4/5 months of winter turbo in a slightly fragile state and probably need more rest/taper than I am applying at the end of the plans to avoid mental and physical issues.

Its entirely possible that with those constraints there's only very marginal improvements still to find.

Possibly. I seem to have improved weaknesses (VO2max & climbing) which ultimately was my aim. I'm also crap at FTP tests, and have little choice but to perform them after work PLUS I've had issues with stress at work over that training period. Viewed retrospectively, I'm completing 95% of my intervals only failing a little on the final bits of Vo2 Max but am flat on tests.

I also missed a TR instruction to a)repeat Threshold sessions until I'm able to complete them before I move on and b) lower the intensity of Vo2max if I wasn't succeeding, so in some workouts I may have been pushing at a closed door!

rebuilding to secondary set of objectives

After the Scott MTB Marathon I'm starting a Torq plan leading up to the next one on 28th May. The planning stage of that allowed me to specify more closely the time/when I have time available. Its built me a nice looking plan which is akin to TR, can be replicated by finding the matching TR workout indoors of performing them outdoors now that summer is here.

For example, Thursdays are pretty much Threshold workouts, which I can achieve indoors, through my road club "hills" training ride which happens Thursdays, or by taking my MTB to my locale and riding a familiar testing loop.

End April through May has Wednesday might MTB races (1hr) as well so I'll get some decent intervals there. 🙂

I would just add this isn't just self certified - I've had comments from my road club colleagues that I am stronger than before on lead outs, sprints & climbing.

You do seem to place a lot of pressure on yourself Kryton57.

Racing every Wednesday with a threshold session the next day in the build up phase to a major race. This does, with the base information I've gleaned from this thread, kinda feel like it might not have the desired ending. Sorry.

At what point will you free yourself of the mental shackles of a plan and just go out and ride and recover for a bit?

Racing every Wednesday with a threshold session the next day

I wasn't clear, one will replace the other 🙂

At what point will you free yourself of the mental shackles of a plan and just go out and ride and recover for a bit?

I have been doing that lately!

I would just add this isn't just self certified - I've had comments from my road club colleagues that I am stronger than before on lead outs, sprints & climbing

FTP (8MP, 20MP or 60MP) is only a point on your power - time curve. It's entirely feasable that your curve has changed shape whilst your 8MP hasn't increased.

FTP (8MP, 20MP or 60MP) is only a point on your power - time curve. It's entirely feasable that your curve has changed shape whilst your 8MP hasn't increased.

That's a very good observation.

Glad to hear it. 😆

As others have said, FTP is only one part of the picture. If you have a way of comparing your critical power for other durations (I use TrainingPeaks to do this) then you get a better picture of other improvements. This is useful for spotting and monitoring limiters too.

Well, z2 30 minutes complete's OK last night and seems no ill effects.

So, Sweet Spot indoors today, or an outdoor loop consisting of 40 minutes of perhaps power measured climbs with a 20 minute cruise back home for lunch?

Good to hear you're on the mend.

Sounds like a plan. Outside for that session seems more logical if the weather permits.

First 'Criss Cross' session coming up. 5minutes threshold with 5minutes sweet spot 'recovery' and repeat x3. Much dread.

Can't manage threshold 😯

Can't manage threshold

Jesus. Sure you're not ill?

adsh - do you have a new FTP? if so it might be worth completing the workout with the intensity dialled down and having a crack at 100% the next time.

Kryton - mimicking the TR workouts exactly is pretty hard outside, but it's usually possible to get the gist of the workout, and riding around in nice weather is better than coating your garage in sweat. I have a screen on my garmin that has %ftp and lap power showing on it - this helps to get the interval in the right ballpark.

I did Tyndall (15/15 anaerobic repeats) on the road last night and it felt GREAT.

I did go out on the basis of riding sweet spot which, with variations of traffic/wind I managed for an hour...

...albeit at FTP. I swear outdoor FTP is different from indoor FTP. Cruising around for 32km's for an hour at "FTP" should have had me quivering.

I swear outdoor FTP is different from indoor FTP

Many coaches would say the same thing.
Indoor FTP is probably lower.

Climbing FTP can also differ from flat FTP due to differences muscle recruitment.

Not ill just a lot of fatigue in legs. Week 3, last interval and a day off hasn't cut it. Will retry tomorrow - joy.

Taken an easy week so far due to work/live/fatigue.

Two one hour sessions at around 80% and two 30 minutes sessions.

First blow out tomorrow, I'm doing an 80km gravel ride with 8 marked out segments, uphill, and a 5km handicap race to finish. Nothing serious but it should give me a good indication as to where I am fitness wise.

Finished hard 3 week block took 4 days off to recover and despite cramp most nights (always on recovery) managed a very good ftp test today with a 10w increase on best and more on end of last season. Vindicates the pain of more intervals.

Solid progress adsh!

I'm working my way through the new short power build plan, which is pretty hard work but seems to be paying off. Starting to simulate TR rides outside now that the weather has improved and the trails are drying up nicely, which makes a pleasant change from riding the rollers.

A sanity check please, if I may... Between Scott Marathons, I'm using Torq's plan generator to provide a plan to the next race, based on XC Marathon. However, I set up a plan to 28th May last night and aside from one Saturday morning full of sprint sessions, it consists of Tempo, Sweet Spot and recovery rides only - theres no Intensity. FWIW its knocking on 8hrs a week volume.

I will be replicating the workouts outside as much as possible, if I have to default to the Turbo due to time/weather I will use a TR workout to simulate the required efforts.

BUT - this appears to go againts the grain of TR's low volume = intensity ethos albeit who am I to question Torq?

I'm worried about doing the wrong thing, and my performance at the recent Marathon wasn't good so would apprteciate any comments on this.

What wasn't "good" about your last marathon performance? Was it an endurance or intensity weakness?

I'd always want to see some intensity (VO2Max type intervals) in a plan as I think that this is needed, especially in MTB racing for those want to race/be competitive.

8hrs a week of true quality is a solid plan.

Unless you repeatedly climb/ride flats at threshold before recovering on single track you are probably better off with tempo and sweetspot.

True sweetspot is very tough. Torq (coached) had me doing 5x 15minutes at 90-93% of FTP. That nightmare session is enough to give good gains by itself. I proved this by racing well having only done that one quality session for over a month. One more interval session and some tempo (or base if you're too knackered) and you're good.

The critical thing is to make that key session the highest quality - you need to be well rested, well fed, feed on the bike and truly dread it. It should take every ounce of self discipline to complete.

Ok thanks.

'Chef, the good bit was finishing tbh. Usual for me I wasn't strong on the climbs, and I got really tired and my focus was lapsing on the downs with the addition of taking the wrong bike - carbon HT on hard dry ground - for the distance. Due to noisy camping I did have a poor nights sleep. I'll download the results later to see where in the percentile of vets I came, but I would expect to be poor as I'm not a strong climber and this has lots of hills.

Duriong this plan period I will have "accidentally" performed once a week race intensity as I will be racing weekly (London Beastway) from April 29 onwards,

ADSH - thanks, I'm sure they klnow what they are doing, so I will follow diligently. Your perspective on quality rings true and I'd rather be outside so I may buy a power pod to give me some accuracy for SS - did you use power or HR/RPE?

The Torq plan also allows me to genarate a climber plan for strength, maybe I should try that between May and July for the 3rd round.

Given you said you got really tired, i'd say tempo and SS sessions sound like exactly what you need. I don't like them long term, but they are great for 8 weeks or so of building the engine.

As adsh says, once you get up to 60+mins of SS in a session you really know about it and it starts to become a mental game as well as a physical one towards the end. I'll echo the advice to fuel well to ensure its a good quality session.

Interesting. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water after one poor result, it may have been down to a 1000 other things not training related.

That said, if the tiredness was felt from the middle of the race onwards then certainly the suggestions to look at tempo/SS type training makes a lot of sense.

Did you start too quickly? There is a fine line in getting to the first single track section in a good position versus blowing yourself up for later?

No, it was a neutralised start, and i didnt hammer the first climb alhough it was big and a bit of a shock to the system.

I looked back over my winter training and the sessions or opportunity's ive missed have been the longer SS and weekend rides due to weather. My short course xc pace and management has improved, so im thinking im training ok for 90 mins but lacking volume/stamina for more. So, ill stick with the tempo/SS plan - theyll be more long club rides now as well - and see how i go in the chilterns for the next round. Ive crunched the numbers and im in the top 3rd /62nd this time so now i can compare the next round.

From your other thread:

Time crunched training doesn't do anything for your core, arms, shoulders and Mental state which all come in to play hugely. If you're core is done and you still have half the race to go, you are going to feel beat up regardless.

How often do you just go out for long mtb rides when you push at pace in technical terrain. Now that my training plan is as simple as 'ride my bike as much as possible, in whichever way i feel like on the day' I'm really noticing sore shoulders after faster rides. I'd ditch the club runs for a few hours on the mtb

To repeat what I said in there, I wasn't expecting to do these events so trained only for XCO, within which I have improved my pace.

Even within my XCO place I've missed some SS/Tempo weekend workouts & longer winter rides as life took over.

So in reflection, well underprepared. I'll focus now on longer rides, and the SS/Tempo Torq plan.

I've cancelled my trainer road subscription so can't find out, but does anyone know if there is a scientific reason why TR tended to put the higher intensity intervals work in the week and then the weekend is longther threshold intervals etc. Despite my 'I'm not training anymore' mantra i still roughly structure my week (rest monday, hard tues, short easy weds, hard thurs, short easy fri, hard sat, longer and easy sunday.

Tomorow I has been planning on doing some hill intervals, but i really don't feel like it, so instead think I'll blat around the local mini trail centre for my threshold stuff and incorporate some sprints on Saturdays ride.

I've cancelled my trainer road subscription so can't find out, but does anyone know if there is a scientific reason why TR tended to put the higher intensity intervals work in the week and then the weekend is longther threshold intervals etc.

Thats what caused my issues - I should have moved the Threshold workouts from Saturday to Thursday to avoid missing them.

but does anyone know if there is a scientific reason why TR tended to put the higher intensity intervals work in the week

Don't know if its TR's reasoning, but there are 2 reasons for doing this.

1) Generally the higher intensity sessions are the shortest, which ties in well with time crunched athletes squeezing in sessions before/after work/family commitments.
2) You are likely to be fresher during the week than after a week of intervals, putting the most intense intervals first makes you more likely to be able to hit your target powers for all sessions

[b]ferrals - Member [/b]
I've cancelled my trainer road subscription so can't find out, but does anyone know if there is a scientific reason why TR tended to put the higher intensity intervals work in the week and then the weekend is longther threshold intervals etc.

The only reason why they schedule anything in a weekly format like that is that they (probably rightly) assume that most people have more time at weekends and are more time constrained every other day. Monday off to recover from increased TSS over the weekend and/or from races.

Personally - I commute monday to friday with the odd day WFH, so I fit the workouts into the commute, and will either do trainer work outs on the WFH and weekends, depending what suits. The only important thing is to be consistent and understand that the bigger TSS workouts usually have an easy or off day prescribed before them for the reason that you need to be rested and ready or the quality may suffer, or worse, the session may get binned.

Just finished the last big week on Sweetspot base phase 1. Would echo the above statements about the difficulty. Two 130+ TSS rides in two days is tough.

First block of training I have ever made conscious decisions about fuelling training rides before, during and after.

cheers, fifeandy & barrykellet, I though that was the case.

For me I'm fairly flexible around work time but saturdays is family time so actually I'm probably more time constrained on the w/e.

A lot of the time I am similar so usually base the week round my day off, saturday in that case.

So... i flunked a 20min test Monday, badly. such was the extreme dull leg pain couldn't keep going for more than 5 mins at a time, despite completing the 5 mins vo2max warmup no probs.

As its effectively invalid, do i lower my ftp according to TR as i obviously struggled, and use my next few Ss sessions to gauge back upward?

I have been carrying a quad strain for some time, but it didnt hurt or strain during the test - would this have affected it?

How tired were you going into the test... i.e a week of limited to no riding and a few gentle spins or after a lot of riding over the long weekend?

My mistake it was Tuesday. yes an easy week - edit i forgot, i did a 15m TT goodnfriday then, last ride 84k easy on Saturday, good nights sleep ever since.

I have a tickly cough though, that started yesterday and seems to be borderingbin a cold today, although HR etc was fine at the time. Surely that cant have been the issue?

i dont know what to do with my ftp tbh.

Woke up coughing up brown stuff. That answers that then, and most likely another training week / opportunity for miles bites the dust.

Don't worry, such is life! Just ignore the test I reckon, and try to pick up where you left off. Can always dial it down a few % for the first few rides back if necessary.

So I'm debating between short power build and general build. I don't have any events this season as such this is just for fitness as sweajnr means I'm not riding outside as much as I'd otherwise manage.

When I look at some of the short power workouts they (obviously) have some big changes in power over short times (e.g Joe Devel +1). e.g 15 seconds @ 150% then 15 seconds @ 50%. My set-up is a Power2Max PM and an old Minoura turbo trainer. Anybody got any experience of how best to set up the trainer etc to cope with such rapid swings in power.

General build (which I did last year) also seems to have changed substantially.

Anyone got any thoughts on good sessions to play with when coming back from an injury? Just using Free Ride 30 and doing my own thing, but most of the sessions might be a bit pointless if just reducing the percentage figure?

How bad / long-term an injury?

Ive just had some surgery, and am going to have to play it very gently for a bit, so really I'm going to just do what I feel like. I find sweet spot style stuff like Mount Field pretty OK, with my FTP bumped down a load from where it was. I'll just do that and play it by ear until I feel like I'm solid enough to go properly into Sweet Spot Base. That'll hopefully only be a month or 6 weeks.

Assuming your injury is mechanical, it's probably the case that high intensity is out, so I guess you just have to do the best you can, whilst prioritising your recovery.

Not that bad and medium-term. Ruined an ankle ligament and kept riding on it without realising for a year or so. So have had to have some small bone repairs and rebuilt the ligament using an internal brace. Had the op 3 weeks ago now, first turbo session towards the end of last week then was on again last night.

Mount Field is probably a good call, just playing with the ftp setting as you say. Will give it a go tomorrow

Now, if only I could unclip my left foot properly 😳

Sounds a bit of a pain. Hope it recovers well. I'm lucky in a way - mine's higher up so my legs are perfectly happy wiggling around on a turbo. I had my first go a couple of days ago. Was good, considering. Could do with higher bars to be comfortable, but expect that to change pretty rapidly so probably won't bother doing anything about that. I did get a bit of a sweat on and upset my wound dressings a bit though, so am going to wait a few days before my next go.

Best of luck!

Having spent 2 months doing very high intensity but short intervals I have my first Z4 sweetspot this afternoon and I'm dreading it. New FTP has it not far from where I was at threshold at the start of winter and I just know it's going to hurt badly.

In case anyone is interested, the Tacx Neo seems to have drifted down in price over the last few months. Now quite widely available for under £900, including Amazon for £884:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0112VE4NO

I'm still using my Vortex, in Erg mode with Powermatch mostly on. It's working well more often than not now, but still occasionally just goes all to pot and I end up switching out of Erg for the rest of the workout. I'm pretty likely to get a Kickr or Neo by the autumn, I reckon. I'm erring towards a Kickr, partly because of mrblobby's experience that Erg mode on his Neo feels a bit rough. and partly because I saw this interview that Ray Maker did with a Wahoo chap, who I liked:

Back slightly more on topic, I'm now two months post-spine-surgery, and had my first physio session this week. All seems good so far. I've done a few TrainerRoad sessions (sweet spot ones like Mount Field, Tallac, Pallisade-2) in the last fortnight, and will squeeze in another one tomorrow before flying off to the US for a work trip. I'm lingering there for a couple of extra days in Boulder, Colorado, so will do my first outdoor ride after the surgery, in the ROCKY MOUNTAINS baby! Sorry, I got a bit excited there. Once I get back I'm going to plough right into Sweet Spot Base and watch the fitness come rolling back in!

Great thread, without having to read 82 pages has anyone move to TrainerRoad and regretted it, if so why?

Has anyone move to TrainerRoad from something like Chris Carmichael’s Time-Crunched Cyclist training plan, if so how have you found it?

Is there a better option than TrainerRoad for a ‘normal’ racer trying to make the most of his time to be as fit as possible?

Speaking personally - and this has a lot to do with my working practises - I've been criticised by fellow racers and a coach for not spending enough time out on the bike. I'm an MTB racer so core strength, flexibility and technical riding is important and I've neglected those.

I'm making changes in this winter season to address that, vis a vis don't neglect [i]outside[/i] riding

Has anyone move to TrainerRoad from something like Chris Carmichael’s Time-Crunched Cyclist training plan, if so how have you found it?

Is there a better option than TrainerRoad for a ‘normal’ racer trying to make the most of his time to be as fit as possible?

I really like TR - just don't do enough of it, so at times it feels like I'm not justifying my subscription. But that's my problem, not TRs! The only technical problem I've had with it is that my turbo is quite basic and suffers from drift as it warms up, which can affect virtual power accuracy quite a bit. Not all turbos do this, some are stable.
I now have a power meter so the accuracy issue is resolved, but I still need to slowly raise cadence to deliver steady power, which is a minor issue.

I think you'd have to be at quite an advanced level to find problems with TR, like the plan designs weren't quite right for you or something like that. For the vast majority of riders who want to get stronger it fits the bill.

has anyone move to TrainerRoad and regretted it, if so why?

first caveat - i'm only moderatly fit.

Similar to Kryton...

2015 i spent loads of time on the trainer over the winter - to the detriment of outdoor cycling - I came into spring the fittest i'd ever been. Did Paris-Roubaix early April. My lack of core strength really showed; The cobbles highlighted an issue with spending not enough time on the bike/ in the gym.

It's all a balancing act.

Thanks for the replies, with the Carmichael TCC plan it works well as you can do the interval sessions indoors during the week to make sure you’re nailing the power and then spend the weekend outside, so it keeps a good balance. From reading about TR I think their time crunched planning is similar.

Right - I have an FTP test at lunchtime today. I'm usually very bad at completing them to my/any potential. I've been off the booze for a while, slept well last few days and have just had a decent breakfast. I really want this to go well and for me to finish the test with as best W/KG I can muster.

If you've any last minute tips they'd be gratefully recieved!!

Put The Prodigy on, loud! Good luck!

+2.5%

Phew. *falls over*

+2.5% is good.

I'm -7.5% but that's an estimate as I'm not up to testing yet. Just glad to be able to get on bike.

But your health is improving? Thats good, obviously.

Its not bad for a badly self coached athlete. Gives me a measure now for the Torq session in October.

I'm looking to shift my focus and looking for some advice/ thoughts.

I've been through build, sustained power and century training plans.

I've completed my century (london 100), and the training seemed to have done it's job. I'm now looking forward to CX season which i'm going to dabble with this winter.

[url= http://blog.trainerroad.com/how-to-train-for-cyclocross/ ]This blog post [/url] on Road into CX suggests sustained power into a CX plan.

I'm thinking Short Power into a CX plan, as i've already done the Sustained Power plan.

Does my logic hold up?

When does your cx season start / finish?

My training is all outside but not far off the cx plan already - but first race for me is mid sept and all over by christmas

mid to late october. I'm only going to get the second half of the season as i'm on holiday for 3 weeks at the beginning, a great way to kick off a season i know! 🙄

Any recommendations for a typical opener workout?

Need a backup plan for the turbo/rollers in case it doesn't dry out by late afternoon...

Truuli is my go to, but just done pahrah as a cx opener which was good

Cheers ferrals, Truuli +1 looks like it will do...I'm usually around 6 short bursts and anything between endurance and tempo in between, about 90 minutes in all but really don't fancy that on the trainer!

Yeah truuli works well, I quite often do a couple of all out bursts at the end instead of the last interval. I like doing openers on the turbo, means I don't have to clean bike the day before a race!

Did pahrah today as been away for two weeks on the trot so lacking fitness and just wanted something short to remind me of pain.

G'day TR fanboi's and girls. Despite my love of both Zwift and Friel, my obsession with the Ask a Coach podcast means I'm Coach Chad curious!

Just wondering what plans you've followed to completion, what sort of results you've got and what any pros and cons (of the plans) are.

I guess it's the Sweetspot base options that have made me tempted. My training hours are relatively fixed across the year so I like the way the plans build intensity without needing to do double figure hours at any point.

The only tricky thing I can see is missing workouts for races. I'll be targeting series of Crits next season, peaking a couple of times- which tend to be not as hard as one of the hard interval sessions but not easy enough to be endurance. Any tricks for managing regular races alongside a TR plan?

Thinking of SSBase 1 and 2, sustained power build (more of a personal limiter than short power) and then the Crit Speciality.

Also wondering about Sweetspot Base and losing weight. Is it too tough to do alongside a significant calorie deficit (compared with a more traditional Z2 kind of base)?

Cheers in advance 🙂

I think they discussed the issue of racing whilst in the middle of a plan a couple of podcasts ago.

Personally I've found sweet spot base to be very manageable along with weight loss. A couple of years back I was doing sweet spot base low volume plus a 3-4 hour zone 2 ride, and losing weight quite nicely. I mostly did my TR sessions early in the morning, often fasted. I think this is probably something you have to test for yourself though. I have great confidence in TR plans getting me fitter, but I've done them from an untrained starting point, so hard to say how much is down to the specifics of TR, and how much is down to just consistently riding.

I do have a decent amount of faith in the theory though (and coach Chad!), so I remain a fan and plan to start sweet spot base again soon...

Oh and I enjoy the workouts - they vary just enough to keep it interesting!

Awesome, thanks Gray. Yeah, I think he said he had plans afoot for a Race Maintenance type plan so it might be here by 2018.

I'm just concerned that if I race every Tuesday say, and that's a crucial set of intervals, I'll miss not just one element but also all the progression built in to that.

I'm currently using Sustained Power Build to try and rescue my FTP for October and for example, tomorrow is 4x8@ 108% and Sunday is 2x30 mins Sweet Spot. I'm racing at Hillingdon so was going to do my best to make it like the 4x8 but swap it for whichever one it ultimately ends up replicating closely and doing the other one on Sunday.
I'm just concerned that the subtle balance of intensity and endurance or rest could easily get out of kilter if I was shuffling stuff around too much- to the point that I'd just as well create a Friel plan.

Yeah, I think the gist of what they recommend is to use your common sense and listen to your body. It's not hard to figure out which of the prescribed sessions are the real 'quality' ones, and the message is always to prioritise quality over anything else. Typically in a low volume plan there are two main workouts and one that's intended to be swappable for an outdoor ride. So if you do a race where you've not burnt through loads of TSS, then it's simple, you just swap that for the less focused workout from that week's plan. I imagine it will often be hard to replicate a workout's format in a race, so that might be the most common strategy. However, it's not an absolute science, so if you can get close and have some fun along the way then why not? Anyway, if you're on a low volume plan then I'm sure that you'll be able to handle doing a race AND the two quality workouts each week. You'll know if you're overdoing it.

Currently on mid-volume and finding it manageable so it should do for most of the year.
I guess if I really muck up a week, I can just repeat it before moving on.

Can't be arsed to check now, but if I remember rightly, the mid volume just adds some low intensity stuff. I take that to mean 'the two quality workouts are the meat of the week, the rest is up to you', so get your volume on top of that however suits you (though bearing in mind this is supposed to be a base phase!) provided it doesn't adversely affect the quality.

Yeah, I'll be racing less frequently (probably 😆 ) over the winter so should be able to follow the Base plans quite well.
I've got the Beta version of the iOS App so I get to mark my outdoor rides as 'Outdoor' rather than leaving them blank or as 'Skipped' 8)

I guess if I really muck up a week, I can just repeat it before moving on.

you can but remember to have your rest/ consolidation week every so often.

I'm starting sweet spot base in October, went for low volume and will compliment it with a Sunday cafe/club run. We also have a local winter bash on a Saturday which will occasionally replace the weekend session when the weather works out, then active recovery on Sunday.

1 & 2 will take me up to Christmas week, sustained power build from new year through to Majorca in March.

All my training will move outdoors from that point, that's where I need to work out the racing/training balance...got the Freil book to read so will hopefully have a better idea by then. Or maybe bite the bullet and pay someone!

Think I already know the answer to this, but is there any way to transfer the workouts onto a Garmin to follow outdoors...without having to build them manually through Connect?

Haze, i was recently advised by a coach to keep my training outdoors in winter where possible - all to do with maintaining muscle memory on the bike, handling and core strength, all of which is negatively impacted on the turbo.

Not to take away from the focussed work turbo's provide, just dont neglect the other areas.

Yeah I get that, hence why I've been thinking of adopting the TR workouts onto my Garmin...so long as the weather is reasonable (ice etc) I can have a spin out to the local lanes where we have some decent stretches for intervals.

Assuming I can read the Garmin okay in the dark!