Originally Posted by
globecanvas
This really doesn't match my experience. 20 minutes @ 105% starts being genuinely painful for me around 6-7 minutes, right at the end of what a long vo2max interval would be. The last 7-8 minutes are gasping agony. A second interval is basically out of the question unless I've had a full 10 minutes or more of recovery.
I mean, to me, 105% means there is a vo2max component to the interval, and that component is not something I can comfortably (or painlessly) maintain for 20 minutes.
Yeah this matches my perception as well. I've never even attempted 2 x 20 @ 105% in a single workout; and if I actually did it, that would be an indicator that my FTP is set a little low. Big difference between 100% and 105% if FTP is set accurately, at least for me. And that's coming from someone who considers above-threshold efforts to be a strength, not a weakness.