showing the power distribution by zone for the last 28 days for a
half-Ironman triathlete and a road cyclist focused on a criterium and
flat road race, both of whom are peaking for events at about the same time.
The zones from left to right
in each chart are labeled as…
E (z2) – Endurance
TE (z3) – Tempo
TH (z4) – Threshold
VM (z5) – VO2max
AC (z6) – Anaerobic Capacity
distribution is almost exactly the opposite for them. Where the triathlete’s
chart bulges in the middle zones (2, 3 and 4), the cyclist’s dips. The roadie
is focused on anaerobic capacity training in order to be prepared for the
surges that occur in a crit and road race (zone 6). Such training demands a lot
of recovery (zone 1). The triathlete is preparing for a long, steady effort
done mostly in zone 3.
point I keep harping on: Training should increasingly take on the specific
characteristics of the event you are training for the closer you get to the
event.
