Training Blog: Andy Dolphin – April

Week 14

This week culminates in a long training ride for our charity event (see footer). So the week would focus on low volume with HIIT, and introduces the first build phase of the training plan;

• 5^th April – 65 minutes inc w/u, endurance based with 6 x 60 seconds intervals at 140% FTP with 4 mins between
• 7^th April – 60 minutes inc w/u, endurance based with 3 x 3min VO2 intervals with 5 mins between

Both sessions should have been longer with more endurance, but considered there would be a lot of endurance in the Sunday ride

• 10^th April – 202 miles with 12% ride time in heart rate zone 1, 72% in heart rate zone 2 and 16% in heart rate zone 3 – good reading on the 10^th was encouraging.
• Not surprised to see the Pro result on the 11^th

Week 15

The second week of the build phase didn’t go to plan, affected by fatigue from the 200 mile ride plus a stomach virus later in the week. That said, the first 3 days after the 200 I did feel good, irrespective of the reading the day after (11^th).

Therefore on the Tuesday (12^th) I did a 60 minute endurance session including 5 x 60 seconds efforts at 140% FTP. The next planned workout on the 14^th I felt ill, also on the 15^th and 16^th. HRV readings were towards lower recovery. Having not done a 200 mile ride before there was no way of knowing what the impact would be. But a valueable insight gained by Pro readings suggests recovery (for me at least, and admittedly with illness thrown in) took a while until the first half decent reading on Sunday 17^th. So went for an easy endurance ride for 90 minutes. A late night at a concert on the 17^th didn’t help my recovery, also an element of dehydration as it was hot, gave me an orange reading on the 18^th

Week 16

Tiredness started to build this week. The first session of the week on the 18^th was planned intervals at 140% FTP, but my reading reflected how I felt, so instead focused on endurance and lower tempo for 60 mins. By the 20th I felt ok to do the planned VO2 intervals, 7 x 5min with 4 mins recovery, remainder in endurance, 90 minutes. I couldn’t get to do the group ride on staurday 23^rd, so went on the 22^nd instead, 50 miles incorporating various zones. 24^th was a good reading, in a 30 mile ride I did the first half high cadence easy gear, and the second half with sweet spot efforts.

Week 17

This will be a recovery week culminating in the final long training ride before our charity event.

 

This training all counts towards a charity event riding to raise money for Breast Friends. You can check out more on the JustGiving page.

Profile;

I am a recreational athlete, who has around 5 to 8 hours a week to train (season dependant). I have a family with 2 young children and run a business. Therefore, the ethos of my training is to use training principles that elicit the best results in minimal time.