Training Status??? (III)
#7427
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Failed my FTP test!
I ended last week feeling very fatigued from my last training block, so I decided to err on the side of recovery and take it easy Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday did an hour of Z2 and some fast pedal drills, Thursday off, and then Friday I was planning on doing a core workout and some Z2 to get blood moving in the legs. Except Friday's workout never happened.
So this morning I got on the trainer with my legs feeling pretty stiff, whatever, did a nice long warmup, then a 5 minute all-out effort. I might have gone a bit too "all-out" - felt strong for the first 1:30, set a new 5 min personal best (4.85 W/kg), but by the end I could taste blood in my throat and I was on the edge of exercise-induced asthma. Took a recovery, tried to do a 20 min TT, could not make it past 3 minutes. Spun easy for another 10 minutes, tried again, no dice.
I was debating trying the Friel protocol (30 min TT, counting avg watts from final 20 min) this evening or tomorrow morning to test my FTP, but looking over my ride files, I also think I would do fine using 250 watts as my FTP and setting my interval intensities that way. If the intervals feel too easy, bump up my FTP a bit, if too hard, bump down.
FTP test a failure, but at the same time, the overall story is that I am still responding well to training, and my FTP is ~35 watts up from last season and approaching 4 W/kg, my VO2 max is approaching 5 W/kg.
Next week base 3 begins - subthreshold and threshold workouts begin next week! And a month after, into build, where I add VO2 work in the mix. Fun, in the "hurting in my basement" sense of the term.
So this morning I got on the trainer with my legs feeling pretty stiff, whatever, did a nice long warmup, then a 5 minute all-out effort. I might have gone a bit too "all-out" - felt strong for the first 1:30, set a new 5 min personal best (4.85 W/kg), but by the end I could taste blood in my throat and I was on the edge of exercise-induced asthma. Took a recovery, tried to do a 20 min TT, could not make it past 3 minutes. Spun easy for another 10 minutes, tried again, no dice.
I was debating trying the Friel protocol (30 min TT, counting avg watts from final 20 min) this evening or tomorrow morning to test my FTP, but looking over my ride files, I also think I would do fine using 250 watts as my FTP and setting my interval intensities that way. If the intervals feel too easy, bump up my FTP a bit, if too hard, bump down.
FTP test a failure, but at the same time, the overall story is that I am still responding well to training, and my FTP is ~35 watts up from last season and approaching 4 W/kg, my VO2 max is approaching 5 W/kg.
Next week base 3 begins - subthreshold and threshold workouts begin next week! And a month after, into build, where I add VO2 work in the mix. Fun, in the "hurting in my basement" sense of the term.
#7428
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Glad this week is a recovery week for me, with all the adverse/cold weather the SE has been getting recently.
I tried to fit in a short spin this morning before the projected storms were supposed to hit for the day. Ended up with a light rain for most of the ride, which wasn't a big deal. However, heading back to my start with a strong cross/tailwind, I passed a clearing, and got seriously close to eating it as my bike was nearly swept from underneath me (luckily, I was in the drops). Next week is looking like good weather, thankfully.
I tried to fit in a short spin this morning before the projected storms were supposed to hit for the day. Ended up with a light rain for most of the ride, which wasn't a big deal. However, heading back to my start with a strong cross/tailwind, I passed a clearing, and got seriously close to eating it as my bike was nearly swept from underneath me (luckily, I was in the drops). Next week is looking like good weather, thankfully.
#7429
out walking the earth
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#7431
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#7432
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2hrs endurance and fast pedals.
#7433
fuggitivo solitario
suck it up, buttercup. 3.5 hours at 76% FTP last weekend
#7435
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#7436
out walking the earth
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#7437
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Spent the last two weeks in SW Utah. Hiking, canyoneering, riding my bike, and taking pictures. KOM of every flat or uphill segment I rode on the XC bike, minus one 400m stretch of fireroad. Was looking good for a DH KOM top-10 when two large black bovine beauties stopped on the trail, and I spent a minute or two getting around them without spooking them.
Also, J-hopped a rock staircase while going 20mph on a very short uphill. That was fun.
Also, J-hopped a rock staircase while going 20mph on a very short uphill. That was fun.
#7438
fuggitivo solitario
maybe one of these days i'll get crazy enough and try to build up to 40 minutes... These fuggers effing hurt.
i don't have any first person experience, but i'll take your word for it
i don't have any first person experience, but i'll take your word for it
#7439
out walking the earth
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many moons ago I was a bit less clear and I assumed things came in 5s. So I'd do 5X of what we're talking about, which is 50 minutes. So I had a precedent of going long on it, and occasionally like to do so.
#7441
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I guess it was bound to happen eventually. I've become a marked man in the Saturday morning group ride which is mostly made up of Cat 3's. I'm not the most powerful sprinter, and I don't have much jump, but I can hold a moderately high speed over distance (32-35mph). Our 50 mile ride has 6 sprint points, and I've been winning most of the sprints lately by catching the group off guard and attacking from the back of the pack 400-1000m from the line.
This morning I had every strong sprinter sucking on my wheel whenever a sprint point was coming up. I was only able to take one sprint, and lost the final sprint by about 2 inches. Looks like it's time to change things up. I'd like to try attacking repeatedly in the last mile or so, and wear down the pure sprinters. Any thoughts?
This morning I had every strong sprinter sucking on my wheel whenever a sprint point was coming up. I was only able to take one sprint, and lost the final sprint by about 2 inches. Looks like it's time to change things up. I'd like to try attacking repeatedly in the last mile or so, and wear down the pure sprinters. Any thoughts?
#7442
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P.S. I'm glad I ignored the weather man. There was intermittent rain and no lightning this morning. Overall, it was very pleasant weather and a good ride. The massive storm will probably hit us tonight.
#7444
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#7445
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I guess it was bound to happen eventually. I've become a marked man in the Saturday morning group ride which is mostly made up of Cat 3's. I'm not the most powerful sprinter, and I don't have much jump, but I can hold a moderately high speed over distance (32-35mph). Our 50 mile ride has 6 sprint points, and I've been winning most of the sprints lately by catching the group off guard and attacking from the back of the pack 400-1000m from the line.
This morning I had every strong sprinter sucking on my wheel whenever a sprint point was coming up. I was only able to take one sprint, and lost the final sprint by about 2 inches. Looks like it's time to change things up. I'd like to try attacking repeatedly in the last mile or so, and wear down the pure sprinters. Any thoughts?
This morning I had every strong sprinter sucking on my wheel whenever a sprint point was coming up. I was only able to take one sprint, and lost the final sprint by about 2 inches. Looks like it's time to change things up. I'd like to try attacking repeatedly in the last mile or so, and wear down the pure sprinters. Any thoughts?
#7447
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#7448
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Interesting ride today. Rode with a group from a Tri store on the other side of town (the nice side of town), a friend invited me along. It was one of those "Ride with a Pro" rides. The pro triathlete was a nice guy. The ride was 2x 25 mile loops. Started off with about 25 riders for the first loop then only 8 of us set out on the second loop, and a couple of those guys split off. Beautiful day for a ride (sunny pictures on my Strava):
https://www.strava.com/activities/105608107
Was weird to be around the Tri scene again. It's been less than a year but I feel pretty detached from that. One sport is more than enough!
https://www.strava.com/activities/105608107
Was weird to be around the Tri scene again. It's been less than a year but I feel pretty detached from that. One sport is more than enough!