Cutting right to the chase, this winter, one of my weekend days will consist of skiing or snowboarding rather than riding the bike. Four the past four years or so I've skied some, but I don't think ever more than 10 days. This winter should double that, and will result in a corresponding decrease in longer rides.

Wondering if any of you coaches or training/racing gurus have faced something like this and how it was addressed?

Me: Cat 3 (but race majority masters 35+ 123), 70-73K (I'm working on it!), FTP now = 280, in season 305+, max number of training hours = 10/wk (3 or so less on ski weeks).

Thx!

Knowing more about the rest of your schedule during ski weeks would be helpful. Block training may be an option for you, ie Monday through Friday would be pretty heavy and intense while your weekend was essentially free. If you would be able to spin easy on either or both weekend days for 30 minutes this would help with recovery, otherwise not ride at all.

I have to incorporate this method from late February through early May, and have done so with success the past two seasons. It's great for someone with a flexible schedule during the week while having weekends that are too booked to bike.

It's great for someone with a flexible schedule during the week while having weekends that are too booked to bike.

Alas, my sched is about as inflexible as they get. I'm an 8-5:30 working stiff and then I've got frequent kid extracurriculars to attend to after work. Most of my training is done before work (5:30 - 7:30).

That said since I wrote my inquiry I've been doing 6 on 1 off, mostly on the trainer and my CTL is building steadily. The snow is finally here, so we'll see how the plan works once skiing is added to the mix.

Treat the ski days as you would a weight lifting + light cardio day. That's essentially what they are, as the aerobic stress isn't large comparative to steady state or long intervals. That is, unless it's XC skiing...

Since you are training with power, you should be able to reasonably guess the TSS score of the workout by how you feel. Depending how long you go for, how hard you make it, and how sore your legs are (after the 'break in' period where you will undoubtedly have sore legs), this should give you an accurate assumption as to how much recovery you need.

I wouldn't factor the TSS into your overall training program, but that's just me.

shawndoggy,

The first 22 years or so of my life was dedicated to ski racing (alpine).

If you can arc some some powerful turns top to botom somewhere like Vail all day, I think it would compliment your cycling much the way you do seated low rpm hill intervals. If your sliding around like 99.9% of all the freds out there it won't do you much good. If you're a fred too, enjoy the day, have an apre ski drink or smoke some ____ and chill out.:)

Where are you skiing?

Nitro, I am curious why you wouldn't factor the skiiing TSS into the overall training program.

If you're a fred too, enjoy the day, have an apre ski drink or smoke some ____ and chill out.:)

Where are you skiing?

Yeah, I can rail 'em:) , though I prefer the trees and the bumps. Now in my late 30s I'm a bit more mortal (like I''ve gotta work on monday), so I've taken up alpine snowboarding too (been boarding since 1986, when I spent my paper route money to buy a burton performer elite 150).http://www.dvssnow.com/museum/boards/burton_performer_elite150_t.jpg

Keeps me on the cord, and nothing beats a 40 mph frontside turn with your cheek six inches from the snow.

http://www.priorsnowboards.com/images2/bg_boards_wcr.jpg

(not me -- I wish I looked this good)

I'm at Mt. Rose (Reno/Tahoe)... another reason for taking up carving... lots of steep cord and not too much else.

Nitro, I am curious why you wouldn't factor the skiiing TSS into the overall training program.

The same reason I do not treat weightlifting or recovery rides into TSS. Many people split away from counting all activity toward weekly TSS (although honestly, CTL is probably a better measure of what you should do the next day).

For those of us who only use TSS, it might be better to count sport-specific TSS into the equation. To me, 1x and sometimes 2x/wk of skiing just isn't enough for me to feel like it's contributing to my specific training program. If I were XC skiing, or regular skiing 3-4+ times a week, consistently, I would reevaluate my statement. But, only doing it occasionally is more of a hobby than training. I doubt with that infrequency it would push somebody over the edge of overtraining.