During November and December, I decided to train using the Active Off-Season plan in Zwift. The target was to get myself in shape rapidly to complete the Rapha Festive 500 between Christmas and New Year. Whilst successful, I found this massively draining. The 9-10 hours a week of relentless riding, with some sessions including 3 continuous hours on the indoor training was tough Not just because of the sore bum, but also the mental toughness required to be dripping in sweat for 3 hours straight. I wanted to do something different for a few weeks. I came across Sufferset Transition plan review on the GCN youtube channel and was in.

I'd tried The Sufferfest briefly before, but this was my first proper foray into the world of Sufferlandria. The Transition plan is a 6 week multisport plan that mixes cycling, yoga and strength. It aims to improve your on bike performance, full body strength and help you recover and reset in time for the new season. Off the back of the Rapha Festive 500 and leading into spring and summer riding, this sounded great.

I went with the Transition Up plan over the Transition Down. Whilst I was a bit tired out from the riding over the previous few months, I'm no pro, and the Transition Up plan looked like a big reduction in my existing weekly riding. Generally, the Transition Up is aimed at cyclists coming off a period of little to no riding, whilst the Transition Down is aimed at those coming off a period of demanding riding.

My first impressions of The Sufferfest were of amusement. At first the tongue in cheek tone of the workouts felt a bit weird. (Why do you keep showing me photos of people eating donuts?) but actually it works really well. It brings a big of enjoyment to indoor riding and takes your mind off the suffering that your doing. Over the last 6 weeks, I've enjoyed my indoor sessions more than ever.

I've gotten on really well with the scheduling in the plan compared to Zwift. Like most people, I can't always fit in a session on the presibed day, so being able to go back and tackle any workouts ahead/behind time is great. With Zwift, I found the +/- 2 or so days mean that sometimes I'd miss out on sessions and feel bad about it, especially when it can lead you to not officially "completing" the plan.

The workouts themselves range from really tough to really relaxed, but the structure and tempo feels well thought out and varied. I've really enjoy mixing in Yoga; what a difference Hip Openers make! The strength workouts are all body weight and are largely aimed at stability working on form rather than big gains. I've enjoyed some of the cycling technique lessons, and the sprint and cadence drills. I think I've really benefited from them only have cycled for the last 18 months.

Overall I've loved the plan, loved The Sufferfest, and am now embarking on a 12 week Road Cycling plan that I'll loosely follow alongside outside weekend rides now that the weather is looking up. That should set me up nicely for Summer riding. I feel refreshed and a stronger cyclist than before. Onwards and upwards.