Key sessions over volume, bike as the engine. Friel's load check and CTL math keep the numbers honest, and the Sunday Special review re-plans each week from what actually happened.

2–3 easy days every 10–14 days (marked (L)). Key sessions are protected; supporting sessions are what get scaled or skipped.

A missed or disrupted week re-anchors the ramp to the last build week: W22 is +3% on W20, not +117% on the Easter vacation week.

3× short easy runs from W3, growing to 4×; the longest run is capped at ~90 min. The bike carries the fitness build.

Decided Nov 9 after comparing your 2018 and 2024 builds. Gate 1 — recovery + protein — is where raising the peak gets decided.

Assessed after 2–3 weeks: frequency, feel, and whether swim minutes displace bike/run minutes or add to them. Swim time comes out of supporting sessions first, never the key bike sessions.

Run frequency holding: 3–4× short easy runs for 2+ straight weeks, no niggles, resting HR stable. This gate decides whether the peak rises toward 9 h.

First brick + tempo: long run ≥60 min comfortable, CTL ≥30, protein improving or stable.

Fitness retained after the vacation, no illness, protein ideally ≥120 g/day.

Long ride 2.5 h+ done, long run 90 min done, TSB positive going into the taper.