This year I’ve also joined Xert and I’m set up for the Continuous Moderate 1 level of improvement. I’m currently training for long Gravel Events in April/May. I notice that all the recommended Xert workouts each day are very polarised with VO2 30 second - 60 second efforts (like I’m training for Crits). There are never any longer 4 or minute efforts, so I’m not getting much variety on Xert if it wasn’t for my longer outdoor weekend rides (mostly z2). My projected 6 week improvement looks ok so I assume all is well and I have nothing to worry about, but how does it know what I’m training for e.g. a series of 1 hour Crits is different to a 5-10 hour gravel race. Any advice welcome.
The type of intense workout is driven by your chosen ‘focus” - for gravel I’d probably choose climber focus unless it’s super punchy in which case I’d go for Rouleur or even breakaway specialist
You may also benefit from trying an event focused plan, or ‘base build peak’ rather than ‘continuous’ - that way you will get some periodisation logic starting with endurance and gradually moving over to your focus specificity. Continuous basically gives you an intense workout aimed at your ‘focus’ when it thinks you are fresh, and endurance (or rest) otherwise. It can be useful to manage your own periodisation eg choose endurance focus now for base, shift to climber when you want to start build… otherwise I’m not sure I’d use it long term
(There are a few new terms and concepts to faimilisrise yourself with, and there are some introductory videos, podcasts, glossaries etc to help)
1 Like
Thanks Wesley I’ll have a play around with the focus. It’s already on Breakaway SpeciaIist but I’ll try Climber. I had tried the Event AI thing but it didn’t really work as it said I wouldn’t be ready on about 15 hours a week training for events I do easily every year. So I binned that and went for Continuous Moderate 1. 
1 Like
Chnaged Focus to Climber and workouts look more like what I should be doing.
I’m on an AI plan and the gravel race I fed it as a goal gave me “polar climber” as a target focus so that tracks with the advice from Wes. My first event is still over 2 weeks out but I hit the targets it gave me at the start of the plan at just over the halfway point.
1 Like
I think there’s ready and there’s ready if that makes sense… Xert tries to quantity it with a readiness score but just because that’s low doesn’t mean you can’t do it, it just means you will need more time to recover (which for amateurs is normal after a long event).
You could also try the A I forecast goal… or Race Ai if you have a power file… or use XATA to guide you through phases. You can also write to support (email) if you are stuck trying to build a plan
1 Like
As @wescaine mentions when you select Continuous the HIT days will be at or around your selected Focus type.
For example, I’m currently on Continuous (between phased plans) with Puncheur (4 min power) selected and my HIT workouts are primarily at that Focus or Pursuiter (3 minute power) and occasional Breakaway Specialist (5 min power).
I can use Filter to change up a HIT day. For example, on occasion I pick a Road Sprinter workout to do. Or if I’m not up for HIT I can slam the Freshness Feedback slider to the left and I’ll get a selection of easy (blue or blue/aqua) and moderate (blue to green) endurance workouts to select from. My choice.
If you want a more nuanced approach with a greater variety of workouts than Continuous offers, and prefer the freedom of XATA with a blank calendar, you could switch to a Build-Base-Phase progression.
Try it and watch what happens on the setup screen especially the predicted changes to Signature and TL tables.
If you do decide to switch to Base-Build-Peak you can always change back to Continuous if you prefer that. This isn’t going to mess up what you’ve been doing. 
Base phase is 45 days long. Build is 45 days. Peak is 30 days.
For example, if your first event is April 15th that is 54 days from now.
If main event is May 15th that is 84 days away.
If you switch to Base-Build-Peak with a TED of May 15, you’ll be in Base phase with all endurance level workouts suggested until the start of Build phase on March 1st.
If you switch to Base-Build-Peak with a TED of April 15, you’ll be in the middle of Build phase similar to what you’re doing now.
If your main event is in May I’d set that as the TED (target event date). The April event will simply be part of your training at the end of Build, beginning of Peak. Proceed with Peak phase in prep for the main event. You’ll see a warning to taper the last week under your control. I.e. ease up especially day or two before event to arrive in blue/fresh form.
To see how a phased progression differs from what you’ve been doing in Continuous ATP, view the chart and explanation is this article – Program Phases – Xert
1 Like
That’s really useful. I’ll have a look at Base-Build-Peak…. I just need to decide which event to focus on as my A race. Probably the Gravel Worlds qualifier end of May with my end of April and mid May events being part of the training