Peak planning using training stress scores

This is more interesting than it sounds. At least to me. This week TrainingPeaks has added a feature where you can add in your planned TSS scores to estimate when you will be on form for your race. It works pretty simply. You just enter your estimated training stress score into your planned workouts, and it gives you a dotted line showing where you should be at that point.

These charts show from the beginning of the year to race day.

Here is for swim.

It appears that today I’ve actually hit a positive training stress balance (the yellow line), after having been under since almost the beginning of the year. I’m feeling fresh in the pool, and I’m less susceptible to injury. It will increase a bit until the race, where I should be right on form.

Here’s the bike:

The chart looks fairly similar, where I actually get to hit a very high stress balance for the race. You might see that the blue line goes down fairly far. This does mean that I’ll have lost some fitness, but I’ll be rested, which will more than make up for it.

The run is a bit shady.

Yesterday’s walk/run may have almost been a bit too much. My training stress balance will not be too far above zero for the race. Mostly because I’ll still be recovering from yesterday. It may have been too much too soon. Because of that, I’ve cut down a few hours during the peak weak. You’ll see that my fitness will barely drop though, which is great.

I’ll be playing around with my training schedules a bit more, to try and figure out the perfect way to peak for the race. Looking at how much my TSB score increased in swim with the past few days of rest, I may try to do something similar closer to the race. Hopefully I can get it right on. With the bike I’m not sure if I’m completely happy with what’s going on there. I may try to ride this huge increase in TSB another couple days.

Either way, this is looking to be a great tool to help get myself ready!