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Hi Linda,
I was 1 day away from finishing a 12 week base training plan when I sustained what was some sort of kind-of-not-really hamstring injury. To try and heal, I stayed off the bike as I was told to, and swam for 3 weeks.
A few days ago I did a 1 hour ride, then a 2 hour ride, then a 4 hour ride yesterday and a 5 hour ride today. All mellow, nothing hard, a good chunk on the road. No hamstring pain.
Right before I got injured I was about to start the PR 50mile plan. But now after 3 weeks of no biking and just getting back into it, I’m not sure what to do.
Also, I don’t have a set race I’m working toward. I just like to do your training plans. 🙂
Can you tell me where I should start?
Sorry to hear about your hamstring injury.
A good comeback tactic is to start back at 50% training plan volume and gradually ramp up to full volume as your body adapts. On the first high intensity interval day, do only 25% volume of the intervals then wait one day to see if your hamstring is healthy and ready for more.
Lynda
Forgive me for not being 100% clear; just to make sure I understand, are you saying I should start in with the first week of the 50miler plan at a lower intensity, and actually not go back and start over at some late week in the base training plan then?
Correct, start in with the first week of the 50 miler PR plan at a lower volume and intensity.
Do weeks # 1-4 of the 50 miler plan gradually ramping up to 100% volume and intensity. Then restart the 50 miler plan at week #1 and follow it at 100%.
Did that make more sense?
Lynda
Oh, it does make sense, I’m glad I asked as I had definitely misunderstood you. Thank you for clarifying!
I think now it’s my turn to clarify one thing, and hopefully it’ll change your answer a bit. 🙂 Doing what you’re suggesting is obviously smart and the best thing to do. It also pushes me finishing everything up near October, when it may already be snowing here. Even though I shared I don’t have a set race day, I was a dolt and didn’t share that I’d love to be able to have as much of September as possible to ride around not on a plan. This being said, do you have any suggestions how I could best tighten up your recommended plan a little bit?
Thank you so very much Linda!
Hi Lynda!
I’ve been doing a slightly modified first 3 weeks of the PR 50 mile training plan — working into it as you suggested. I’m on a rest week now (phew!).During these 3 weeks I noticed that on day 1 of your 2-day blocks (Wednesday-Thursday and Saturday-Sunday) I’d feel fresh and complete my workouts as prescribed and do fine. Then, on the 2nd day of the workouts, I’d struggle to keep my heart rate in L3 for the length of time you suggested. In weeks 1 and 2 actually, I could barely GET to heart rate L3 on those days. Thing is, my perceived rate of effort was most definitely L3.
In situations like these, how do you recommend handling those second days when you’re coming back and working your way back to fitness? Take the day off? Do a 1/2 day. Keep doing my best and go off my perceived rate of effort?
(Some day I will get a power meter, but that’s not in the cards for this year…)
Thank you!
I recommend using PE (perceived exertion) as your pacing metric on day 2 instead of HR. Some athletes are affected more by HR depression with fatigue than others. If you had a power meter I suspect you would find that you are pushing a power level above your target in order to get your depressed HR up on day 2.
For athletes very affected by HR depression with fatigue a power meter can make training simpler.
Use this Training Intensity Guidelines table to calibrate your PE to target intensity.
Lynda
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