Right. I just meant that it sounded like a more race like, better organized group ride that doesn't have promoters, officials, etc. Sounds like something I wish was available around here.

Call it whatever. If most guys are in a group, its a group ride. If most guys are racing, attacking, blocking, bridging, contesting the sprint, it's also a race. It can easily be both. Sanctioned races are group rides as well. If a bunch of kids hop on their bikes and say "first one to wherever wins", it's a race.

I'd say if guys are just pushing the pace for fun but not seriously trying to break away or win the sprint, it's not a race.

Around here Training / Practice Crit is a common term amongst cyclists for what RacerX described. SoCal has at least 5, probably more. Apparently, they do not exist in certain parts of the country, or some weekly race series are referred to as the same. I just know if I'm out riding and tell someone I'm going to do the training crit (although technically 'criterium' does mean race), no one is going to confuse it with an actual race.

I know that it is something that folks say, but I refuse to call a time crunched base ride an interval. YMMV.

a period of time between events

so, yeah.

but really I did rides that were a couple hours long regularly at 90+%.

That industrial park whatever you want to call it sounds like a pretty good deal for 4s and 5s, if nothing else how to ride in a group at speed.

Did trainer ZCIs today. They sucked at the time, but I finished them and now, in retrospect, they didn't suck so bad after all.

I was sort of guessing from your original response that you didn't pick up the part about the 2x20's being at SST intensity.

When I do SST it is always for over and hour. Usually 90 minutes. I know that some folks do 2x20's below FTP to try and get a time crunched base, but I would rather just ride a bit longer. Psychically 2x20's below FTP would be training mediocrity for me.

FWIW, I have a 7-time TDF finisher friend who had 90% 2x20s in his quiver.

I hear you though. It feels more natural to have some pain to push through.

Spectrum race ride today, won a few sprints. After a week of rest it felt nice to get back on the bike!

Next week training commences, peak #2 of the season in July coming up.

Windy River Ride. Had to pull out every trick in the book to stay attached. No shame.

Some easy riding and a few openers.

Last night was one night I could stay up late and sleep in. Of course my dog decided to randomly poop himself through the night. At 10, he's old for a Dalmation. This is probably going to spur a lecture that at no point should a Cat 5's dog been seen by experienced veterinarians, and should only be taken to a vet school where everyone can learn.

had a couple of lighter weeks. this week, with yesterdays big race, turned into a build week.

355mi, 19 hours, 24k climbed, 975tss.

Really strong week, Fudgy!

thanks. my tan is absolutely pro right now.

balleur.

I'm capping off this rest week with some riding today, went harder than planned.

First I rode ~2hrs to a friends house for a body surfing + frisbee session at the beach, then another 1hr to my parent's for easter celebration, family, friends, beer, food and music.

The beach was intense today; I got pummeled many times, but also caught many fun rides. The waves were up to 4feet at times, at that height you pretty much get folded in half if you don't drop in on them correctly.

No race today and already got 14 hours this week, so I let myself take the day off the bike. Did some juggling with the juggling group for the first time in forever.

90% FTP is something you can do for much longer than an hour, so if you are doing 20 min efforts, it should be an effort, at or over 100% in my book. If you are working on SST/sub FTP it should be near or greater than an hour or just used for recovery/pacing in my book. Just because the guy finished the tour doesn't mean he knows how to train, just because me or someone else says it doesn't make it so either. Any amount of work will help you be a better cyclist, I use to train at SST for 20-40 hours a week. It made me very strong but was a horrible waste of time and very inefficient.

I mostly train by going over/at power under duration, rest and repeat, the other option is under power over duration, rest and repeat. To me that is interval training, the only time I would go under power and under duration would be high intensity (sub 2 minutes) with very short recovery (under one minute) to work on recovery. Anything where you go less power and less duration is not making very good use of your time if it is a day to get work done. It will do something and can eventually work, but I will tell anyone that is not an efficient way to train.

Team ride today.

Rode off the front, but everyone else took a short cut and cut about 1.5 miles off the ride.

I caught them and rode off the front again with a friend trying to get the friend the sprint victory. He had a huge gap with 1 K to go when I pulled off and a he had a downhill finish, but he was cooked and the chasers passed him with about 200 m to go.

Fun ride.

Fitness is coming around, but still WAY over race weight.

3 hours solo, Big Basin/Skyline loop.

Truth.. man all those noon rides have really paid off!

Coming from the great white north I'm not sure I'll ever catch up, tan wise.

last Wednesday 1 hour on trainer: 18x (40s+20s). Friday: VO2MAX 20X (15s+15s): Saturday: LT 8x (3+1)

I'm welsh/irish and grew up in MN. There is hope for you.