Maryks has had great press here - I'd try her program but I also think it helps to understand how periodised training works? That way you get to train to the way you respond to training. Maybe she uses that kind of feedback but if you just try to stick to a generic program it doesn't always work so well... Here's my 2c worth, from reading and experience. First, rest weeks shouldn't mean too much time off the bike. Then, using the principles of periodisation, you can adapt your schedule to how strong you feel. This is what I understand about how periodised programs work, and where rest and recovery fits in: Periodisation works in macro cycles of four weeks so that you build a base (4 to 12 weeks - aerobic) then strength and speed (4 to 8 weeks - tempo, sprints, hills and leg speed drills) and then taper (1 to 2 weeks - cutting volume not intensity)and race. You pick one or two races a season to hit with your best and plan these cycles around that. For the micro cycles within each macro phase, you follow an increase of volume mainly but also intensity over 3 weeks and then drop down to the second week's volume in the fourth week. For the next 4-week cycle you pick up where you were in the third week aiming to build a 10% increase between weeks. I focus my increase mainly on my long rides, going from 50km one week to 55 to 60 then drop to 50/55 depending on how strong I'm feeling. Then start the next 4 weeks at 55 say. Within each week you can do anything from 3 to 6 rides, of 1 to 2hrs, with 4 to 5 being most realistic unless you're unemployed! After your base phase (I build progressively from 60% to 75-80% HR using the max HR minus resting HR [called HR reserve] x % plus resting HR formula) you need to do one hills (tempo 10 min building to 30mins intervals, +-80% HR) one sprints (4 to 8 varying from 30s to 2min as close to max HR and cadence as you can) and one long ride. Best is two longish rides back to back if you're training for multiple-stage races. Even if not, to have a long ride at 80% followed by another at much lower intensity the next day has a huge impact on your fitness. The other thing is to make sure you recover properly between micro and macro cycles. If you're tired or can't get you HR up then you need to rest. As they say, it's when you rest that you're building fitness, which is why periodisation works. And why you need to have more weeks aerobic base training than you do for the power and speed phase... I'm sure you're doing a lot of this already, but it's getting the proportions right in each phase and then using the 3 weeks up, one week down, cycle that really lets you make the most of limited time. Hope I haven't gone on too much. And hope this helps. Now, can anyone tell me what to do about age and weight??
