I vote for trainer, but it depends on what temperature it is outside. If it's warm (i.e. 60+) then go ride in the rain.

When you've had a 12 pack of keystone, nothing seems to make sense.

Don't ask me how I know...

wat?

Honestly it's not the rain that's an issue, it's the lack of a warm shower at work.

First day on my new "program." 100' on the rollers. 15' warmup then the rest of the workout at a steady 90RPM in my 50X17 (no resistance).

The easy workout on the computrainer felt easy; and I was feeling more relaxed:
44' 153ap
2' ..295ap (just giving the old dogs a little more exposure to this effort -- feeling smoother)
14' 160ap

ok, a couple more details about what I said before. One of my CSU teammates down here in Tucson with me is working on his PhD in exercise physiology (he's also a national level coach in Canada). He showed me a couple papers. I've only seen them in hard copy, I'll see if I can find them online for you guys. I still need to go back and ask some more questions, but here's the gist:

The goal is complete slow twitch fiber recruitment. I assume that results in the greatest gains. Simply put, the effort sustainable for 20 minutes straight (let alone 2x20) is below the level at which maximal slow fiber recruitment is achieved, while still adding extreme levels of fatigue. A more effective method is to use shorter intervals at slightly higher intensity, with shorter recovery between intervals. 105-110% FTP seems to be about right based on what I saw. Intervals should be in the 5 minute range. We did 8 of them, with 1 minute recovery between each. The number of intervals is what should increase, not the length of interval. The first two or three feel ok (as the first 10 minutes in a 2x20 would), the last ones get hard. You will work you over every bit as much as a 2x20 or 3x20 session, but apparently with bigger gains.

Now the numbers: I saw two studies, the first putting cyclists through 14 weeks of 2x20's. Total gains: 2.2% at threshold. The second had cyclists do only 7 weeks of the shorter intervals and saw a 7.9% increase in power at threshold. That's pretty huge. The fact that it was this particular guy showing me the studies and advocating the approach pretty much sealed the deal for me. He said there are others but he only had the two on hand.

Damn. That's sick.

Looks like you'll be working them into your intensity when time comes, huh?

Sounds good to me. I'll give up the 2x20s. I hate them anyway.

Doing 5-8 min x8 with 1 min recovery between each at 105-110% of FTP isn't going to be all that much easier mentally or physically. Although you can justify the greater pain by saying that it'll end faster and that you'll see more gains than you would with 2-3 x 20 min.

Are we talking 2x20 SST or "at" threshold intervals.

Mainly I don't like them because they take so long and it's hard to find enough road to do them. I can do them, but I have to run stop signs to do it, which I don't like doing at full speed.

If the 5 min intervals are at 105-110% FTP, I'm guessing the 20 min ones are supposed to be at atleast 95%, so threshold.

Anything longer than 8-10 minutes and I'm on the freeway. I have a 20-something mile uninterrupted run at my disposal.

Yes the comparison was to traditional 20 minute threshold intervals.

They are much more mentally bearable to me. I'll be cutting out longer LT intervals completely.

Still looking for the papers...

Oh, and the 105-110% is a guesstimation. Effort level should be the maximum you can maintain for all of the intervals without fading. That will most likely be a hair over your FTP.

word.

2 hrs today in the team kit for a change, instead of the arctic gear.

That seems to jive with Friel's pace intervals (STUCI). The recovery is 2', but as you get more tired, the intervals get shorter, and you just try to go harder. More intervals will come naturally through the protocol as you improve your pacing ability.

Yeah, those pacing intervals seemed to work well for me.

Weewee?

Oops, typo. No iPhone excuse this time either

I thought maybe you were using the Elmer Fudd app

yes, somewhat similar. I would think of it more as splitting longer LT intervals into more manageable chunks, adding 'quality' (ie effectiveness) in the process by allowing you to spend more time at the point of maximum fiber recruitment. So not exactly the same as a pacing interval...

Why?

He does that with r's not s's. Heh.

Silly wabbits.

And L's. It's siwwy wabbits.

The Fudd app is new...they're working the bugs out.