Well one training block into the 2011 programme and I am so pleased, the bug that plagued me earlier in the year hasn't re occurred (yet?) and the extra rest day in the weekly programme seems to be paying big dividends.
So three weeks of training completed and I'm now in the middle of a recovery week prior to starting the next block of base training. Each session I completed, was done achieving or exceeding the power numbers I was aiming to hit. Admittedly this is Base training and I am therefore doing 'diesel' type power outputs but with intervals up to 40 minutes, I am happy with that achievement.
My CTL* is creeping up nicely, perhaps a little slower than previously, having knocked out a training day, but I am moving forward at about 4 points a week, so progress is progress and assuming positive things I can predict where I'll be as time goes by and be able to adjust the training load if I need to as the season moves forward.
Whilst my CTL is definitely moving in the right direction, more importantly I feel reasonably fresh to start each training session, which means that I achieve my planned workload, at good power levels for each ride I do. In past years, my achievement of each session goals might recede as the days rolled by in a week, which is demoralising. At the moment I am looking forward to each session with confidence.
I'll see how that pans out as I move from Base phase to Build phase where I start to introduce some 'top end' work. In the meantime I have one more block of Base training to complete.
(*CTL is Cumulative Training Load as defined by the software that I use to log my training. It is an indicator of the effects of the training I carry out and very broadly helps me with overall fitness indications. I know my absolute personal ceiling in CTL terms so would help me prevent over training. )
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