Chris CarmichaelThe Time-Crunched Cyclist: Race-Winning Fitness in 6 Hours a Week, 3rd Ed. (The Time-Crunched Athlete)

I've been training using Time Crunched Cyclist training plans for 3 years now, and the results are awesome. I've used this plan to train primarily for criterium racing, and I am stronger and faster every time I complete a training block.With that said, I believe this book leaves some room for improvement that would make it truly outstanding.First, I feel that the CTS Field Test is old-school, and not optimal for today's athlete. Getting the pacing down is difficult, especially for first time competitors. Most seem to agree that an 8 minute test is a poor estimate of FTP (certainly worse than a 20 minute test), yet the 2x8 minute test is still stressful enough that it cannot be performed with enough frequency to be valuable in my opinion.Carmichael does not leave any room for re-testing in this program. As a result, you will be performing your final workouts with an 11-week old test number. Does it make sense to be training on week 11 to a VO2Max that's now actually your threshold or perhaps even your tempo?I've given up completely on the Field Test and switched to a ramp test on my trainer. It's simple, repeatable, and can be done frequently because it is not hugely impactful on training stress (I go once every 4 weeks). Now the zones I'm training to always make sense. I've seen up to +6% FTP gained in just 4 weeks, which is big enough difference to make my SEPI workout a threshold workout if I didn't re-test!Second, as the title implies, we are time crunched athletes. So who has time to calculate % watts vs. field test watts for every workout. And do this every time you have a new field test number? Every piece of training software on the planet, including cycling head units, allows you to run an erg file workout with intensities based on % of FTP. How about use a testing protocol that gives you an estimated FTP #, and the target zones as a % of FTP? Or better yet, just give us the erg files so we don't have to create them ourselves? It's difficult enough deciphering the the workouts, like "90 min. EM with 4 x 2 min. PFPI (1 min. RBI); rest 8 min.; 4 x 3 min. OU (2U, 1O) (3 min. RBI)". I must have performed most of these workouts 4 or 5 times, and re-read the book several times, before finally realizing all the errors I had made transcribing the intended workouts.My final complaint is I feel the workouts, as-is, have way too many rest days. I understand the entire principle of this book is training with 6-8 hours / week. The problem is those 6-8 hours are heavily weekend loaded, and you still need to have time on two of either Tues, Weds, or Thurs (Mon and Fri are always rest days). My guess is if you have time to train 1.5 hours on two random days during the week, you'll probably be able to do it for three or four days as well.What worked well for me was always taking Monday as a rest day, and filling the rest of the gaps with 45min-90min Z2 (EM) time. Take for example week 3 of New or Experienced Competitor, which calls for up to THREE REST DAYS IN A ROW before hitting a hardcore SEPI workout. I tried it several times and was never able to complete that workout because I'd be so fresh that my HR was through the roof! After taking Monday off and performing two Z2 days that week instead, I'd have no problem completing that workout, even after re-testing and significantly boosting my target watts for that workout!Carmichael makes it seem in the book that the human body cannot possibly complete these workout without taking all those rest days. However, he gave us a glimpse of what a higher volume training plan might look like in this very book - the Ultraendurance plan, as well as the endurance training block, which prescribes between 9-15 hours training in a week, which are mostly loaded with EM rides. It is possible!

I have just started with this training plan, but love the methodology and most importantly - the value - this book provides. Some of these reviews are just incorrect btw - take the time to read mine and you'll see why.I primarily race MTB (enduro, DH) but also am trying out some road racing this year. I love to race bicycles of all kinds, but also have a job and a life too. I don't have 12+ hours a week to dedicate to just training, and when I do have large blocks of time to ride - I am on a mountain somewhere. The programs in this book contain the perfect amount of volume to get better by training with the road bike, without taking away time I need on the mountain bike, too. It's a necessary evil, as it's not possible to ride mountain bikes every day with my lifestyle. Plus, it opens up doors for me to perform in road races too. It's a win win.About the value - the kindle version is INSANELY cheap for the amount of different training plans you get. The book comes with multiple 11 week training plans for different disciplines (crit, cyclocross, MTB, century/gran fondo, gravel, ultra-endurance MTB, even commuting) recovery plans, endurance blocks, etc. that contain absolutely all the information you need to be successful. You can easily pay $20, $40, even $100+ for just ONE plan on TrainingPeaks. For a few bucks here, you get enough to effectively last you forever if you like the methodology.YOU DO NOT NEED A POWER METER. Whoever said that didn't even read the chapter. All you have to do before the training program is run a baseline test so you can make sense of the effort assignment for the interval work, then it's just set and forget. That can be done with power OR heart rate. It helps, but you can still do the workouts with just a heart rate monitor. If you don't have one of those, yes you're SOL - but then again, if you don't have a means of monitoring heart rate good luck following any sort of structured training plan. $20-$50 is all you need to get one of those.Oh, and for the person complaining about not seeing the plans in the kindle version - zoom in with your browser. It's that simple.

I started racing decades ago and have tried almost every different training program out there. You name it, I've read the book and followed the program at some point. But for those of us who are older, with families, kids and responsibilities, how do you stay fit? The old school programs (like Joe Friel's... bless his heart... put your marriage at risk). Not too many wives want their husbands putting out 15 hours a week to train. So I quit racing and gained 25 lbs, felt tired all the time and grouchy. But Carmichael's book (I started with the first edition several years ago, then bought this 3rd edition and just finished it) changed all that. It's possible to race with the Cat 1-2's in certain races at certain times and still be competitive. It's possible to lose weight. It's possible to feel friggin' strong again and kick some young punk's butt :-D This book cuts to the chase, is surprisingly funny in places, extremely practical, and tells it like it is. Quit your moping and buy this book - you're not dead yet! Read it, outline it, and start training again. It's never too late folks! As a side note if you bought the old one, this one has some new useful stuff that I think it well worth the couple-lattes worth of cost - even if only for the chapter on eating right. Seriously practical stuff I am going to use starting right now.

Not really sure what your getting here instead of countless free high intensity training programs other than a lots of anecdotes about how good it is. Some chapters of diets, some on race craft. Good points are that you get some training programs suitable for different types of riders.

Very informative but could have been half the volume as tediously repetitive

Well written and as a seasoned racer and all bike rider. Still shows more to learn even if you only adapt your training plans.

Very informative!

I bought this book because I have the second edition and it really changed the way I train. I started to follow the procedure written on the book and I started to get excellent results in competition. The third edition is a better book, is has more programs and adds new information. I highly recomend it if you want to start getting better results on your bike. If you have one of the past editions it would be useful because you can find new training programs.