AzTallRider

Just to piss you off shovel... our recent cold spell (ice in the morning!) lifted. I did an afternoon ride today with no warmers of any kind, and no base layer: 72*, down from a record high of 81 yesterday. You can piss me off by providing your temp when it's 115 here.

revchuck 

Dang...

shovelhd

Right but you guys had quite the cold spell for that area. It surprised me.

gsteinb

cold is good. my ftp is at a historical high. my weight a low. whatever keeps the rest dicking around with zwift is good by me.

revchuck 

30 degrees and raining. Trainer time.

IBOHUNT

Bookmarked for the future "piss me off" bit

IBOHUNT

Gators don't like cold.... makes it hard to hunt eh?

revchuck 

You got that right!

IBOHUNT

90 minutes at the bottom of Z2

TSS 62
IF 0.62

Carbonfiberboy 

I've never been able to do satisfactory 3' intervals. Mostly I do 8' and longer. I understand that VO2max intervals are to be done at a steady pace, 106-120% FTP. I don't have power, but it doesn't matter because I do these intervals on my resistance rollers, so I can do a good job of pacing. I have HR. My problem is that my ability to put down power seems dependent on my HR, so I'm slow for the first minute, then in the second minute my HR goes past LTHR and I can really go in the 3rd minute. But that's not steady! I can't begin to equal my 3rd minute power in my 1st minute, even on the 3rd interval. My speed curve is flat for the first 30" while my HR is coming up sharply, then it's a straight line increase to the 3' mark.

I'm taking 2' z2 effort, 90 cadence, between intervals.

How can I improve at this?

chasm54

maybe I'm not understanding what you are saying, but if your "speed" is increasing during the interval, then that implies that you are putting down progressively more power. That isn't steady, as you say.

I'd suggest that you don't worry too much about your HR in the first minute of the interval. The lag between putting out a given amount of power and your HR responding can be significant, though you can minimise it by warming up really hard before commencing the interval. Concentrate instead on the indicated speed. Experience will tell you what speed equates to the HR you achieve in the second minute. Go for that speed from the outset and aim to hold it steady, rather than accelerating.

if that doesn't help, I've probably misunderstood.

climberguy

I usually just lurk here. But in case you all haven't seen this, a new book by Joe Friel came out December 18th (I think). It's entitled Fast After 50: How to Race Stong for the Rest of Your Life (Velopress). It's said to be for all endurance athletes, including cyclists. I just ordered a copy.

Carbonfiberboy 

Yes, power is some function of speed. Fluid resistance, so probably non-linear. I warm up with 30' z2 + 1.5 minute full gas intervals at 20' and 25'. Maybe that's not enough and I should try a longer LT interval for a benchmark and to generate more lactate?

My VT1 is about 17 mph. If say my VT2 is about 22 mph and full gas is about 25 mph, where do you think 110% FTP would be?

My problem is that my legs just don't want to do it until my HR comes up some, then it gets relatively easy to take the power on up. I know that most folks have a tendency to overcook the first minute, but I seem to be the reverse.

chasm54

I'd suggest that your warmup would benefit from more progression through the gears. A couple of full gas intervals sounds fine, but maybe a more extended period in Z3/4 as well?

Difficult to judge exactly where FTP might be, but if you are currently getting into Z5 HR late in the first interval or early in the second, why not shoot for the 20-22 mph mark and see how it goes if you try to hold that steady?

I sympathise, btw. The older I get, the more I need to pay attention to my warmup. I can't just jump on and go like hell anymore.

Carbonfiberboy 

OK, thanks. Good idea. I put new oil in my resistance unit about a month ago and haven't done a test since. I'll do a CTS test on my next intensity day and try 1 mph over that result. I got into HR z5 every interval, but was late getting into power z5. So that's probably it. Better warm up and just man up that first minute.

Cleave

@Carbonfiberboy, it's not clear to me how many intervals (work and rest) that you are trying to do. Also, I'm not clear on your warmup regimen. You should do at least 15 minutes of warmup before you start the intervals.

Also, you say you don't have power. Do you mean you don't have a power meter? If so, you should probably be doing the intervals based on heart rate rather than speed. I understand that you have a fluid resistance unit but many of them are not consistent enough to assume that there is a single and consistent power curve associated with the unit. The unit heats up as you use it which might change the viscosity of the fluid in the unit.

Focus on heart rate for now.

For reference, for years, I've been doing intervals on an indoor track without a power meter and heart rate is a better gauge of my effort for intervals than speed.

BTW, I was in Everett on Thursday for work. If my current position has me in the Puget Sound area on travel during the summer, I'll try to get to Marymoor for their Thursday evening training sessions.

sarals 

Early Bird Crit #2 training race tomorrow. It will be the first time I've ridden the Venge in anger, and my first race as a 3. My legs aren't what they were three weeks ago, but I'm better overall than I was a year ago. There I go jinxing myself. Anyway....

revchuck 

Sara - It's a training race. Enjoy it. And don't scratch that Venge!

My first ride with the new saddle, an S-Works Chicane, with the Pavé SL seatpost. Chuckie like! The position is close, but needs tweaking; going to get fit in Houston next week. It was also my longest ride on the new Allez to date. 2:39, hrTSS 182, IF .78.

IBOHUNT

Go get'em Sara! Be safe, race smart.

Total of 3+ hours inside today. 1:20 in the morning verifying the FTP numbers from last week then 2 hours in Z2 this evening watching the Cleavland Ravens get beat whilst trying some Q rings.
TSS total 177

Racer Ex 

Knee is still swollen and tender. Put a winch on the ATV.

(sigh)

valygrl

Sweet! Can't wait to hear about it. Out first races are months away still.

sarals 

Our off season here is short, unless you race cross after road, and then it's non-existent!

Racer Ex 

Training race after a vacation layoff. Have fun. No expectations.

DGlenday

Hey - a little respect here!! How'd the Redskins do in the post season?



But seriously ... hitting the trainer again today, despite this morning's session? Mega kudos.

IBOHUNT

Sixburg; that is all.

Didn't feel like hunting