Awesome! Thanks for the detailed response. Loving Athletica and looking forward to unlock my potential!
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Couple more questions 
Today I had my first strength endurance bike session. Planned session was 1 hour and 40 min.
Due to my time constrains I reduced this to 1 hour and 20 min.
When reducing sessions is it better to reduce cool down first and then warm up so we have more pure Z2 time before the main set?
When I see the session analysis, the time in zone for HR seems mapped to my power zone 1, while the time in zone for power was expecting Z2 power. Is this a bug?
During these long warm up and cool downs I assume the target is to ramp up at our own pace (not zwift guided) to our Z2. Is that correct?
It also seems that Athletica has now reduced the duration of my long ride on Saturday. I hope it was not because I did 20 min less today.
Thanks!
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Hey @nhc
I would reduce cool down if possible.
Not sure what you mean with the second question. Sometimes though HR and Power do not match, specifically when you get fitter (or your zones need a bit of adjustment) and you can see HR nice and low while you are pushing more watch (in that case, congrats, you’re getting fitter). I would then consider doing a new test and get those calibrated. It can also swing the other way. HR elevated while pushing less watts, like when in heat, coming back from illness or break. Keep working and listen to your body.
Do what works well for you. Ramping up your warmup is a great way to get ready to push more power on main set, but some days you may just need a slow steady warm at steady power.
Athletica would reduce duration of your long ride if you have exceeded planned load a few days prior to reduce risk of overdoing it. Always follow your feel- if you feel great, go for it.
Hope this helps,
MJ
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Thanks Marjaana. As for the second question here is what I am referring to:
If you see the expectation was for my HR to be in the range which maps to my Z1 power Z1, but my power zones show that I was expected to do a zone 2 effort.
Splitting a session. In my build weeks, I have one training day during the week that has me doing a swim, bike and run all on the same day. The swimming I complete in the early AM before work. I have been doing my runs at the track or at a park that has rolling hills on the trail. I was thinking I could ride my bike to the track or park. I would do my run session, then ride my bike back home. The bike sessions are planned as aerobic, L2. Could I split the bike session like this, or should it be consistent not to negatively effort the loads, etc that Athletica calculates? I thought would be to just pause or stop my Garmin Edge bike computer, while I am doing the run session, then resume the “Edge” for the ride home. Thank you for you input. I am just looking for ways to make this all balance with family, work, and training. Thanks, Joe
Hello @KinesioMS, it sounds like you have a great plan set up by doing the swim in the morning, then the bike/run/bike. It seems to work with your schedule and maximizes your time. Pay attention to your heart rate on the way home: You may have some fatigue built up so you HR may be altered. Let us know how it goes!
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I had a 200km event on Sat, rest days Sunday and Monday, recovery ride yesterday. Today was strength endurance. I normally get schedule 2 x 10 min in a recovery week, but was scheduled more intervals today. Likely as I recently upped the minimum training hours in my settings, which I’m want to do as we come into Spring. I rolled with it and it went fine. Minimum Workout Reserve of 7% today towards the end.
Temps have dipped in the UK at the moment down to single figures Celsius, though still well above possibility of frost or ice.
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I had a great Short Interval Block workout today so I thought I’d share my pretty graph.
Something this system does that I’ve never done before on interval days is a large pre-interval steady run. A total of 19 minutes steady plus some strides before starting 8x4x30/30s. I’m impressed that I got through it. Garmin says that I’ve increased my VO2max too.
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A minimum workout reserve of -5% on my tempo session yesterday. Plus a great day to be out, a sunny day, light winds, shorts and short sleeve top weather.
Massive workout and such pretty graph 
I rode the route check of my 415km brevet event over the weekend. I’m running the event in a couple of weeks for entrants. I always do a route check close to the event to check for any problem / closed roads and any errors in the GPX / route sheets. We found a massive closure at 2:30am and eventually got round it via a 4km diversion.
I add my route checks as C events , but treat recovery by feel anyway. My rule of thumb is one day of recovery for every 100km of these length events. They take a lot out of you, but also give so much in return.
A bit of fatigue!
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Looks like a beautiful road to ride!
It is and it gently climbs up and up till you get a long steep descent to the next town. It was about an hour before sunset and no one about.
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Good morning Athletica team,
I am interested into your insight. I have been using Athletica since late December 2023 and have experienced the benefits of the training plan. Last summer, I started to ride with a road cycling team for my long rides with the objective of becoming faster. The team has two training groups, a tempo and a faster race-pace group. Last season I rode with the tempo group. I learned a lot about riding in groups, pacing, drafting, cornering, etc. This season, I decided that I would work on riding with the faster race pace group, in conjunction with my Athletica training plan. I included my first Criterium (CAT 4/5), which I did over the weekend. My race ended earlier than planned, as I was too far behind the first and second groups and the referee had me pull off the course. I get it…and I am okay with that. Safety first.
There are two groups for the weekend long rides. The race-pace group is 23 miles in about 60-min. Where as the tempo group, also 23 miles in about 70 minutes. Since riding with the race-pace group, I quickly get dropped within the first few miles. To date I have not been able to finish the route with the race-pace group and end up finishing it solo. Typically 5 minutes behind.
I do not have any more planned Criteriums his season, but I plan to race it again next year. I enjoy the opportunity to train with the team. I don’t know if I am losing sight my “A” race objective which is my short course triathlon at the end of this season. Is there anything I should do differently in training?
Thanks, -Joe
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Hi Joe, congratulations on starting your first crit! I’ve been pulled from a lot of crits, including my first one. But you get faster and better at handling your bike.
If your short course tri is your A event, I’d continue to focus on that. I’d also continue with the tempo group. Finally, I’d add as much time to the aerobic endurance days as you can. So if you have time, and Athletica says get out for an hour, try and ride for two.
The more endurance you get in addition to the intensity prescribed by Athletica and your group ride, will help make you faster for next year’s crit.
Also, if there are practice crits in the area - ask around local bike shops or bike groups - those would be great practice to improve your skills as a rider.
Let me know what other questions you have!
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Thanks Paul,
Also congratulations to your young athletes whom placed well at the same Crit that I was in this weekend.
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Which crit was that? I had racers in Chicago and Tulsa.
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Chicago. Elmhurst Cycling Classic
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Awesome! That was a heck of a first race to jump into for you! Crits are tough and it takes a few to get the hang of it.
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Giving blood again today. Quite a nice time to give a couple of weeks after my main event. Anyone who gets it will get this desire to ride long brevets / ultras 
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