After signing up for a TrainerRoad (“TR”) subscription, I input my “A” races for the season. Working with their training plan builder on a PC was a better experience than a mobile device. My main goal is to peak while racing the Green Mountain Stage Race in early September 2026. Training in 12-week blocks also allows time for me to attempt another “A” race at the end of May 2026. The Killington Stage Race would meet the bill if it runs again this year. My only “B” race so far is the Vermont Gran Fondo in late June 2026. That’ll be a doozy, and I’m excited to pursue the legendary “LAMB” ride (Lincoln, Appalachain, Middlebury, and Brandon gaps all in one day).
The next question TR asked was how frequently I can train per week, then I could adjust between Conservative, Moderate, Balanced, Demanding, and Aggressive approaches. The app recommended Balanced to avoid overtraining, but I toggled it to Aggressive to try out the format for a week or two. This app gives me the luxury of adjusting the plan later on if needed.
With those inputs in mind, the resulting schedule was a little at odds with what I know of endurance training as a runner. The plan calls for riding 4.5 hours a week throughout the Base, Build, and Specialty phases – despite my race plan including a 10.5-hour Gran Fondo event. The length of that ride didn’t seem congruent with the effort in the plan.
I scheduled an onboarding call with TR to ask why this was the case. The onboarding specialist, Corey, was helpful and explained that the plan is a blend of high intensity training designed to escalate in order to prepare for peak performance with less time in the saddle. I asked them how this can prepare for the mental load of being in the saddle for hours and eating while riding (i.e., fueling) strategies. Corey explained to me that the strategic portion of training is beyond TR’s AI coaching plan, so these activities would have to be planned for in addition to the TR plan. Activities like this can be manually added to the same calendar so everything is in one place.
This doesn’t come as a total surprise to me, and I do believe that the intensity of training and ramp testing offered by TR will help me achieve my goals. So, to create a holistic training plan I will need to include three componenents:
- intensive training from TR,
- strategic long ride training developed by seeking advice from my community, and
- strength training crafted by my physical therapist.
It’s going to be some work to develop this, but I’m in it.
Note: I don’t have an affiliation with TrainerRoad.