Long-distance triathlon glossary·Key session

Key session : priority workout in the training plan

Load

The A (non-negotiable) and B (secondary) sessions that structure the week, a concept popularized by Joe Friel to prioritize when time is short.

Joe Friel distinguishes two types: the A session (the week's most important session, to be protected at all costs : typically the long weekend ride or threshold interval) and the B session (important but sacrificeable if fatigue or schedule conflicts arise). All other sessions are recovery or complementary volume. This hierarchy allows the athlete to prioritize when time is short: one quality A session with two skipped Bs beats a complete but rushed week. In peak phase, athletes typically have 2 A sessions (long ride + threshold run) and 3-4 B sessions per week.

In TriPaced:

In TriPaced, key sessions are marked with a star (★) in the Plan view. The planner places them mid-week and at the end of the week to maximize recovery between them. If you need to skip a session, start with the B sessions : A quality takes precedence over total volume.

Related terms

  • TSS : Training Stress Score
  • CTL : Chronic Training Load (fitness)
  • ATL : Acute Training Load (fatigue)
  • TSB : Training Stress Balance (freshness)
  • Sweet spot : the efficiency zone
  • Threshold : the upper sustainable limit