I’ve done two relatively high-volume weeks so far in my TMB program and have just finished up the first of 8 recovery weeks in the next 6 months, if stuff works out. Recover weeks are easy, but that potentially makes them hard. First of all, you need to convince yourself that dialing back the program to half the hours you just did the week before is a good idea.
We probably all have the gene that tells us that if we aren’t training, we aren’t improving, when of course the opposite is true. Someone wiser than me said that bad things happen when you train, good things happen when you rest…or something like that. We get the idea, but it’s still not easy to just not ride.
And then of course, since you’re not riding, you’re not burning calories, which means Sunday Night Pizza becomes all that more critical than it does the weeks you are riding. I was down 1.5 kg at the end of Week Two, only to find that I’d gained back 800 grams when I checked the scales yesterday morning (after the Sunday pizza). I took it easy yesterday, though, and I lost 600 grams overnight again.
On the bike things are going well. 3 hours is easy now and I’ve done a couple of 4-hr rides that are just fine, too. One thing I’ve been trying to do is train my fat burning machine. My rides are in Zone Two mostly, so the story goes that I should be able to burn more fat than glycogen; the latter being a very limited source of fuel, with the former reportedly being inexhaustible. This is not an automatic choice the body makes, though, so you need to train your bod to choose the right fuel (so the story goes). One way to do this is to not eat on your rides, or at least part of them. Fasted rides used to all the rage a few years ago and I’m sure that some people still do them. I never have because I love breakfast too much, but I am trying to extend the amount of time before eating on each ride. I’m up to 2 hours now.
I’m now starting my next two weeks of heavier volume rides, so the 19C forecast for Wed, Thu and Fri is welcome.
The Vicious Cycle 
Nothing like pedaling slower than molasses in January or dripping slower than Maple Sap in March!
You said, mon frère!
19C will be very welcome
Gerry, I’m following your posts with interest – and envious that you have months to go. I’m riding the Tour of Flanders sportive at the end of March and concerned about the lack of training. The weather here (in Scotland) has been awful so much riding on the turbo. Fingers crossed I’ll be on the road at the end of this week. But…. I’m not envious of the mountains you have to climb!
Hi Jules! Good to hear from you. Flanders and the Classics sportives are a problem this way, no question. I’m sure that you’ll do fine, with all the miles you have in your legs over the many years you’ve been riding. Are you doing the long distance?
Aiming for the long distance – probably shorter distance if weather is bad. Entered last year but was taken ill the day before so didn’t ride. Determined to succeed this year!
I once took a wrong turn at the Amstel Gold sportive and ended up doing the shorter version by mistake. You could do the same and blame it on the signage!