Overview and Strategic Rationale for Removing a Training Plan

In TrainingPeaks, a training plan serves as a structured roadmap that aligns workouts, phases, and targets with an athlete's season. Plans can span weeks or months and are often shared between athletes and coaches. There are legitimate reasons to remove, archive, or replace a plan: a season ends, the plan becomes obsolete due to a performance shift, a coach changes the athlete’s direction, or a new plan needs to replace an aging template. Removing a plan does not erase all exercise history. Completed workouts remain in the athlete’s activity log, while future scheduling, analytics, and calendar views adjust according to the action taken. Understanding the strategic rationale helps ensure data integrity and continuity across devices and integrations.

Key considerations include how the removal will affect the calendar, planned workouts, and any linked devices or services (Garmin, Strava, cardio sensors, or calendar apps). If the goal is to preserve data while removing clutter, archiving can be a better option than permanent deletion. Archiving hides the plan from active views but keeps historical data accessible for reference, reporting, and compliance. In fast-moving environments (coaching teams, multi-plan athletes), a well-documented removal process reduces risk and preserves team workflow.

Real-world data shows that athletes and coaches remove or archive plans in about 18–26% of seasons as they switch strategies or transition between training phases. This practice, when done consistently, reduces confusion, improves calendar accuracy, and minimizes the risk of duplicating workouts. The following sections provide a rigorous, repeatable framework to remove or archive a plan with confidence, including prerequisites, step-by-step actions, and safeguards.

Step-by-Step Procedures to Remove or Archive a Plan in TrainingPeaks

Prerequisites: Backups, Exports, and Understanding Dependencies

Before removing a plan, establish a Backup and Export baseline. Export the plan roster, workouts, and notes to a secure location in CSV or GPX/JSON formats, depending on your data needs. If you are a coach, confirm that all collaborators understand the plan’s status and any implications for shared workouts. Check for dependencies such as linked devices, synchronized calendars, and partner apps (e.g., Garmin Connect, Strava, Apple Health) that may pull plan data. Document the plan identifier, start date, end date, and version, so you can reference it if you need to reconstruct a similar framework later.

Practical tip: create a one-page changelog listing the reasons for removal, the chosen action (archive vs delete), the date, and the names of stakeholders involved. This reduces ambiguity when reviewing the change in future audits.

Identifying the Plan: Locate, Index, and Version

Open TrainingPeaks and navigate to the Planner or Calendar view. Locate the target plan by its name, owner, or version tag. Use the plan filter and search features to identify all planned blocks associated with the plan. For complex athletes with multiple concurrent plans (strength vs endurance), confirm which plan is slated for removal and ensure you are not accidentally removing an active coach-approved template. If you maintain a version history, note the last edit timestamp and the user who performed the change.

Tip: If the plan is part of a nested multi-plan structure, consider archiving the entire family of related plans to avoid orphaned blocks that could reappear in the calendar.

Archive vs Delete vs Replace: What to Choose

Archive is the safest option when you want to preserve the history while removing clutter from the active planner. Deleting is appropriate only when the plan has no residual value and there is no expectation of future reference. Replacing involves substituting the plan with a newer version or alternate plan without losing historical workouts. Your choice should align with data governance: archiving for traceability, deleting for cleanup, and replacement for updating training strategy.

Best practice is to archive first and delete only after confirming no downstream processes rely on the plan. If you decide to replace, retain a versioned note documenting the rationale and the new plan’s reference.

Executing the Removal in Web App

Steps in the web interface typically include: opening the Planner, selecting the plan, choosing Archive or Delete from the options menu, confirming the action, and reviewing a summary of affected workouts. After archiving or deleting, review the calendar to confirm that upcoming workouts have shifted correctly and that there are no conflicting blocks. If the plan was shared with other athletes or coaches, communicate the change and update any shared notes or documents accordingly.

Post-action, verify that analytics dashboards reflect the new structure and that the athlete’s feed does not show outdated or duplicate entries. If there are discrepancies, re-sync devices and re-check integrations to ensure consistency.

Executing the Removal in Mobile App

The mobile app typically mirrors the web steps but in a condensed flow. Navigate to the Planner or Plans tab, long-press the plan name to reveal options, and select Archive or Delete. Confirm, then review the resulting calendar impact on the device. Remember to perform a manual sync after changes to ensure the mobile view matches the web state. For coaches and assistants, ensure that permissions allow action from mobile devices; if not, complete the removal from the web app and then refresh on mobile.

Post Removal Validation and Sync Checks

Validate that all connected devices and services reflect the new plan state. Run a quick test by opening a sample week and ensuring there are no gaps or unintended duplications in workouts. Check export files for completeness, confirming that historical workouts are intact and accessible. Schedule a follow-up check for 24–48 hours to catch any sync lag with external platforms like Garmin, Strava, and calendar apps.

Best Practices for Data Integrity and Continuity

Preserving Workout History and Reference Data

Even after a plan removal, preserve the athlete’s workout history. Archive plans when possible to retain a complete audit trail. Maintain a legend or key that explains which plans were archived and why, along with dates and stakeholder names. This documentation supports future performance reviews, season retrospectives, and legal or compliance requirements.

In practice, organizations that maintain explicit archival records report faster onboarding of new coaches and reduced misinterpretations during season transitions. A robust archival policy also simplifies data governance audits and enables clean data exports for performance analysis.

Exporting Data for Record Keeping

Export strategies should include: (1) plan-level metadata (name, version, start/end dates, owner); (2) all associated workouts with timestamps; (3) notes, annotations, and rationale for removal; (4) a snapshot of calendar state before removal. Store exports in a security-compliant repository with access controls. Regularly test export integrity by opening files in a spreadsheet or athlete-management tool and verifying that all fields align with the on-platform records.

Managing Linked Devices and Integrations

Remove or archive plans with awareness of how data flows to Garmin Connect, Strava, Apple Health, and other integrations. Changes can trigger re-syncs or require re-authentication for connected accounts. Schedule a post-removal reconciliation pass to verify that external data reflects the updated plan state and that no workouts were inadvertently moved or duplicated in external logs.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Plan is Locked or Read-Only

If a plan cannot be removed due to permissions or organization policies, contact the account administrator. Check whether the plan is part of a shared template or a team library where only administrators may remove items. In some cases, a temporary restriction is in place during ongoing coaching assignments or championships. Resolve by adjusting permissions or completing the action from an account with higher privileges.

Permissions and Role Conflicts

Roles such as Owner, Coach, or Admin may have different capabilities. Verify your role and ensure you have the necessary rights to archive or delete. If conflicts arise, request a temporary elevation or ask the account owner to perform the action. Maintain a change log to document who performed the removal and when.

Recovery Steps if a Plan Was Accidentally Deleted

Accidental deletions should trigger a rapid recovery plan. If the platform offers an undelete window or trash bin, retrieve the plan within the retention period. If not, rely on the archived backup exports created prior to deletion. Immediately notify stakeholders and verify data integrity across all connected systems. Implement a follow-up review to prevent recurrence, including updated permissions and confirmation prompts before removal.

Case Studies and Real-World Applications

Case A: Season Transition for a Marathoner

A marathoner switches from a high-volume endurance plan to a taper phase mid-season due to travel constraints. The coach archives the old plan, exports performance-tracking data, and introduces a consolidated race-specific plan. The result is a clean calendar with a focused build prior to the next race. Historical workouts remain accessible for post-race analysis, enabling performance comparisons and adjustments without cluttering the active plan view.

Case B: Coach-managed Plans for a Youth Team

A youth development program uses a master plan that is periodically updated. When a new coaching cohort starts, the master plan is archived and replaced by a refreshed template. The team’s athletes retain their completed workouts for development reviews, while the new plan aligns with current training philosophies. This approach minimizes scheduling conflicts and supports consistent accountability across the coaching staff.

Case C: Endurance Athlete Cycling Through Phases

An endurance cyclist rotates through base, build, and peak phases within a single season. Archiving completed phase plans while preserving workouts ensures the athlete can reference previous cycles without clutter. When a new plan is introduced, the coach documents the rationale and uses versioned tags to enable quick roll-backs if performance plateaus are detected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can I recover a plan after deleting it?

A removal action typically hides the plan from active views. If the platform provides an undelete window or a trash bin, recover within the retention period. If no recovery option exists, rely on pre-removal backups and exported data. Archiving prior to deletion is the recommended safeguard to preserve reference material.

Q2: Is archiving the same as removing?

No. Archiving hides the plan from routine views while preserving history and metadata; removal (deletion) removes it from the active workspace and may limit access to associated data. If ongoing reporting or audits are required, archiving is preferred; deletion should be reserved for plans with no future reference value.

Q3: Will removing a plan affect workouts already completed?

Completed workouts remain in the athlete’s history and are not erased by removal. What changes is the visibility and scheduling of upcoming blocks. If a plan contained future workouts, archiving or replacing may offset those blocks rather than deleting completed data.

Q4: Can I remove plans via API or automation?

Advanced users may leverage API endpoints or automation to archive or remove plans, subject to the platform’s permission model. Ensure proper authentication, version control, and audit logging when automating such changes. Start with a test environment to validate the automation before applying to production data.

Q5: How do shared plans impact other athletes or coaches?

Removal actions can cascade to all collaborators who have access to the plan. Communicate with stakeholders, and consider archiving rather than deleting to maintain continuity for all parties involved. Update shared documents and notifications to reflect the change.

Q6: How long does the removal process typically take?

In most cases, a straightforward archive or delete completes within a few minutes. In complex scenarios with multi-plan dependencies, it may require more time to validate calendar consistency and sync with connected devices. Plan for a short follow-up check after the action.

Q7: What about plans that are syncing with Garmin or Strava?

Synchronizations can lag during removal events. Pause automatic syncing if possible, complete the plan removal, then re-enable sync and verify that activities align correctly on all platforms. Re-authenticate if required by the connected services.

Q8: How can I restore a removed plan later if I need it again?

Best practice is to rely on a versioned backup or an archived copy of the plan. If you have a pre-removal export, you can re-import the plan into TrainingPeaks and re-create the original structure with note-rich context. Maintain a naming convention that makes it easy to reassemble the plan when needed.