Original episode & show notes | Raw transcript
The central challenge the hosts set for themselves is to create a training plan that would work for the largest number of people, most of the time, across various cycling disciplines. This immediately brings them to the core dilemma of any pre-written or “canned” training plan.
Rory Porteus articulates this as the “80/20” problem: a stock plan can get an athlete about 80% of the way toward their potential, but the final, most critical 20% comes from individualization, feedback, and adaptation. This last 20% is the primary value of a coach. The hosts’ dissatisfaction with their own generalized plans underscores a key takeaway: the more general a plan is, the less optimal it is for any single individual.
Before dissecting the specific plans, it’s crucial to understand the foundational principles they both adhere to. These are the non-negotiable pillars of endurance adaptation.
Progressive Overload: For the body to improve, it must be subjected to a stress that is slightly greater than what it has previously adapted to. Without this, fitness stagnates. Both plans systematically increase the training load, either by extending the duration of intervals (time-in-zone) or by increasing the power output required.
Consistency: The most powerful training stimulus is the one that is applied consistently over time. The hosts emphasize that the best plan is useless if it’s too difficult or unenjoyable to be followed. Long-term fitness is the product of consistent work, not a few heroic efforts.
Fatigue Management & Recovery: Adaptation does not happen during training; it happens during recovery. The hosts are adamant about this, stating the “11th Commandment” is “Fuck not with thy recovery days.” Both plans mandate two weekly recovery days (one completely off, one very low-intensity ride) and incorporate full rest weeks. This is to allow the body to repair, adapt, and absorb the training load, preventing burnout and overtraining.
Auto-Regulation: This is the athlete’s ability to adjust training based on subjective feedback like fatigue, motivation, life stress, and sleep quality. Kolie’s plan is built almost entirely around this concept, while Rory’s acknowledges its importance by advising athletes to cut blocks short if they feel overwhelmed. The ability to auto-regulate is a hallmark of an experienced athlete.
Specificity: The principle that training should reflect the specific demands of the goal event. An athlete training for explosive, short efforts in a criterium needs a different stimulus than one preparing for a long, steady mountain climb. Both plans introduce specificity in their later stages.
The podcast uses specific terminology to describe workout intensities and physiological states.
FTP (Functional Threshold Power): The highest power output a cyclist can sustain for a prolonged period (typically 40-60 minutes). It serves as a crucial benchmark for defining training zones.
TTE (Time to Exhaustion): The duration for which an athlete can hold their FTP. A key goal of threshold training is to extend TTE.
Threshold Training (Tempo, Sweet Spot, FTP): This refers to workouts done at or near FTP.
Sweet Spot: An intensity range approximately 88-94% of FTP. It provides a potent aerobic stimulus without the high fatigue cost of true FTP work, making it ideal for building an aerobic base.
FTP Intervals: Efforts performed at 95-105% of FTP, designed to directly increase threshold power and extend TTE.
VO2 Max: The maximum rate at which the body can utilize oxygen during intense exercise. It represents the ceiling of the aerobic system.
Anaerobic Capacity (or VLaMax): The ability to produce energy without oxygen, crucial for efforts lasting from a few seconds to about two minutes (sprints, sharp attacks, etc.).
The two plans represent distinct philosophies tailored to different athlete profiles.
This plan is best understood as a structured introduction to training for a beginner or early-intermediate athlete with a specific race goal 12 weeks away.
Philosophy: Provide a clear, progressive, and easy-to-follow path. It prioritizes structure over flexibility to ensure a novice athlete applies the correct stimulus.
Structure: Three 3-week training blocks, each followed by a 1-week rest/recovery week.
Block 1 (Weeks 1-3): Sweet Spot Focus. The goal is to build aerobic base and muscular endurance. Workouts consist of long sweet spot intervals, with the total time-in-zone increasing each week (e.g., from 60 minutes total to 75, then 90).
Block 2 (Weeks 5-7): VO2 Max Focus. The goal is to raise the aerobic ceiling. This block introduces highly intense VO2 max intervals. It includes a “big” week with back-to-back hard days to provide a significant overload stimulus, but with the strong caveat to listen to one’s body.
Block 3 (Weeks 9-11): Race Specificity. The goal is to sharpen for the event. This block mixes FTP maintenance with anaerobic capacity work (like 30-second on/30-second off intervals) and efforts that mimic the specific demands of the target race.
Critique:
Pros: Unambiguous, ensures progressive overload, and is likely very effective for someone new to structured training.
Cons: Its rigidity is its biggest weakness. It cannot adapt to life stress, sickness, or individual recovery rates. It can also become monotonous, potentially reducing motivation over time.
This plan is best understood as a toolkit for an intermediate or advanced athlete who is proficient at auto-regulation.
Philosophy: Provide a flexible template that empowers the athlete to make weekly decisions based on their goals, fatigue levels, and preferences. It prioritizes adaptability and long-term consistency.
Structure: A repeatable weekly template. The athlete trains for 3-4 weeks and then takes a rest week.
2 Mandatory Recovery Days: One day off, one very easy ride. These are non-negotiable.
2 Mandatory Workout Days:
A “Threshold” Day: The athlete chooses between Tempo, Sweet Spot, or FTP intervals. The method of progression is more time-in-zone.
A “VO2 Max” Day: The athlete performs 12-20 minutes of total interval time. The method of progression is higher power output.
1 Optional “Fun” Day: This can be a group ride, skills work, or a mountain bike ride. This day requires careful management to ensure it contributes to fitness without causing destructive fatigue.
All Other Days: Easy, low-intensity endurance riding.
Critique:
Pros: Highly adaptable to any discipline and the athlete’s day-to-day feeling. It’s engaging and teaches the athlete to be in tune with their body.
Cons: Its flexibility is its greatest danger. It requires a high degree of discipline and self-awareness. A less experienced athlete could easily do too much (e.g., turn the fun day into a third destructive workout) or too little, thereby failing to achieve progressive overload.
The podcast concludes that these two plans aren’t mutually exclusive but rather represent a potential evolution in an athlete’s journey.
An athlete might start with a structured plan like Rory’s to learn the fundamentals of intervals, fatigue management, and consistency.
As they gain experience and self-awareness, they might graduate to a flexible framework like Kolie’s, where they can take ownership of their training and adapt it to their unique needs.
Ultimately, both hosts reveal that even the best-laid plans are a starting point. The art and science of coaching—and of being a successful self-coached athlete—lies in the constant process of planning, executing, receiving feedback (from data and the body), and adapting the next step accordingly.