Week 13
Time for some intensity! This week NTS deviates from our normal 3-week cycle (easy, medium hard) into a 4-week cycle (intensity, medium, volume, easy). Why do we do this? This type of periodization is incorporated into the schedule when we wan to emphasize certain weeks with higher intensity or volume.
Since we just finished up an easier week this is a perfect time to plan an intensity week with more speed and L4 focus before diving into our two biggest volume weeks of the summer. In general we want to first train explosive and high intensity training when we are fresh before loading up on big training hours.
All plans start the week with athletic acceleration training (if you are doing this workout solo feel free to do a run with 12-15 10 second leg speeds instead). We up the reps on our July sprint intensity, and cap off the week with a running or skiing TT. The NTS group ran a 10k trail TT which was a great way to work on pacing and mental race preparation. If you are doing a rollerski TT consider a 5k or 2x5k repetition with short rest between to work on negative splitting.