Well ever since the FTP test I'm continuing to get my butt kicked on the bike and today was no different. I am simply not able to continue the work for the duration as prescribed. First 18' at FTP were hard but was able to complete it. IF was 0.98 but HR averaged 163 (but averaging 170 over the last minute) which is definitely over my threshold.
Interval 2 lasted only 12 minutes before I just couldn't keep it up, average HR was 166 (last minute 171). After a short break tried again getting up to z4 but it only lasted a few seconds. Was able to do 2 x 12' afterwards at 0.85-0.86 IF.
So, struggling to complete the intervals at threshold pace but I slept great, felt rested and strong, and even though the workout felt too hard, i feel 'refreshed'. Point being, I don't think I'm overly fatigued but I'm just having a hard time riding at FTP. (I also did 2 x 20' on THursday at IF 0.9, no problem at all). So I think I will drop the intensity a notch in the next FTP series. Might also switch to my TT bike and see if that helps.
Well after Thursday off, apparently the VO2 run was harder than I though. I cam back today with a 2X20 .96 and then 2X5' (suppose to be 1X10') at .94 and .98. I was working very hard the last 5' of the second 20' and should have taken more rest between the 20' an 10 interval.
Got the FTP time in so another workout in the books.
First work-out in 10 days thanks to a case of butt-kicking flu Santa brought me for Christmas.
Struggled on the second work set and then totally fell apart the last 4 min. Giving myself bonus points for the ability to blow my nose every 5 min while maintaining Z4 effort!
Ouch. Saturday bike wko done. Sat up for most of the intervals rather than aero and it was a struggle but got er done. 2x18 and 1x8 at 0.99, 0.99 and 1.0. 90 minutes total including 12 minutes of 0.82 in the wu and 11 minutes of 0.83 at the end. Definitely feeling some fatigue, some of which is likely due to going skiing for a few hours twice this week (monday and Friday), and that won't happen again. Now I need to get those runs in.....
After I got up a bit later than normal, I saw some of the posts and the workout scared me a bit, but BOOM! First set felt pretty darn good, second not too bad and the final 8 was good enough. I added 15 min in Z3 before bricking the run. Now it's time for wiffleball and then settle in for some (hopefully) good football. Go get 'em all!
Good job, Ryan. I was right there with you but I was only able to tack on 10 minutes of 80-85% at the end. Today's workout was very hard to push through. Except for maybe a race sometime in the past I haven't felt so burnt by a workout. I'm still really feeling the effects of the blood donation last Friday. I did manage to get through the 20, 20 and 10 minute FTP intervals just about at my FTP but I had problems with consistency and my HR was still getting up into VO2max territory. With regard to my reduced cardio capacity I gave myself 10 minutes between the intervals instead of 4.
I also learned something amusing. I have a CyclOps magneto trainer that has 4 settings. Easy, road, interval and mountains. Each has greater resistance than the previous one. I've been doing all my workouts with it set on interval and haven't been caring about the distance, just the power output. So, today I set it on 'road' to start the workout and after the first interval I checked my average speed during the 20 minutes at 259 watts. It was 25.1 mph!!! Yeah, right! I wish! When I set it to interval for the rest of the workout I found that 259 watts registered around 21 mph. Heh heh heh... That's still probably high but definitely more believable...
Bike done - 2x18' both at .998 and 1x8' at .986 for the main set. Then put in some z3 time for a total time of 1:30. Did the run as a brick afterwards and now sitting on the couch
@ Ben Van (& others) - there is no shame in ramping up the effort level over several weeks after a jump in FTP following a test. Your comments made me go back and look at precisely what I've done since the recent test boosted my FTP by 5%:
Week 8 Sat: .92/.95/.95
Week 9 Tues: .96/.966/.96
Week 9 Sat: 099, bagged second interval
Week 10 Tues: 0.972/0.975/0.96
Tomorrow is my Saturday ride, and I'll be aiming for .975-0.985 range. I can fine tune my efforts thru several tools. First, I do them on a CompuTrainer, so the effort level is already dialed in - no slacking, I'm either making the grade, or I have to stop pedaling. Second, I have my IF for the interval displayed on my Joule, so I know precisely where I'm at on that metric at all times. Third, I use TrainerRoad, so I can increase or decrease the effort in 1% increments at any time, if I feel I need to ease off or can handle a little more.
Point is, the intervals are meant to be done @ 0.95-1.0, and I have no illusions that, despite my test going up by 5%, that I can magically increase my day-in, day-out effort in a quantum leap. I use a more incremental strategy.
FWIW, to add to Al's point about 'acceptable' percentages of FTP during workouts, up until week 9, my goal for all FTP work was 95%. After the mid-season test in which I bumped 2 points (yes I was very proud of that), I bumped my 'acceptable' percentage of FTP by 5 points, which took me to exactly 96%. This morning, given the total of 50 minutes of work, I bumped my goal back down to 95% and was totally happy to see that on the dial. I figure if RnP didn't think 95% was good enough, they would put another number in the assignment. YMMV.
Thanks Al and Roy great comments! It definitely makes sense especially since my FTP jumped with 10% after the last test. So in the first half of the OS, FTP intervals in Intermediate plan were typically 25 to 30 mins combined (usually closer to 25 than 30) whereas now they are 40-45 combined for every workout. Which means, not only do i need to push 10% harder I've also got to do this for 50% longer, and this seems to be too much right now.
The good thing is, i can indeed push 10% harder for 25-30mins... And riding 40-45 mins at my previous FTP is no problem either, i just need to get some more time to adjust to faster and longer intervals.
18' @ .97, 18' @ .96, 8' @ .97. The first one was not too bad. By the last 5 minutes of the second, it was very, very hard. I was happy to have just the 8 minute set left - how hard can 8 minutes be, I was thinking. Brutally hard!! Almost bailed at 5 minutes, but sucked it up and got it done. Time definitely slowed down during those last three minutes. Attempted some Z3 stuff, but was just too fried, and wanted to save something for tomorrow's 90' run. Did today's run as a brick, and felt pretty good, although I did not do HMP out - kept it all between EP and MP. Nice work everyone!
A good bit of procrastinating this morning, eventually got to it though. 2x20, 1x10, rode it out to 90'. Gotta say for as hard as it was to get started it felt great to have done it!
Spent much of the day teaching my 16 year old daughter how to drive. I did not wear my heart rate monitor, but I will next time as I think my HR was higher during the driving session than during tonight's bike workout. Finished the workout without issue - 2x18 & 1x8.
Finally getting around to posting for yesterday's failed ride.
I was feeling good going in, felt rested and excited about long intervals but it became ugly half way into the first 20' . I managed to hang on and finish the 20 @ .959. Took the 4' recovery and started the next 20' only to really suffer after only about 8'. By the 15' mark I was toast. My IF was down to 0.929 and I just coulnt keep it going. I had tried cadence changes to spin a bit, then mash hard but nothing helped so I pulled the plug. Took 2' and tried to finish the last 5' but only lasted a minute. Another 4' recovery then a final attempt and managed 5' with my IF @ 0.924. That's when I pulled the plug completely and got off the bike.
I had visions of trying again later to fill in the interval time so 4 hours later I tried again. It was abundantly clear after only 2' of WU that I had nothing left in ly legs so I called it a day and skipped the run after.
I may need to go easy on the bike intensity for a few days. We'll see how Tuesday's FTP goes and decide from there.
Some interesting reading with some of us bailing the Saturday wko because of fatigue issues. I was heading down the same road and on Friday night, got 7.5hrs sleep before my wko and although it was tough, I managed to pull it off:
2 X 20'(4')@ Z4 then 1 x 10'(5') @ Z4. For the first one, my AVHR was at the bottom of my Z4 and for the second one, my AVHR hit the bottom end of Z5. For the 10' Z4, I moved to the small chain ring and upped the RPM and kept it in the Z4 range. The 30' run after was tough - the first half was clearly at Z1. I managed to dial it in for the second half @Z2.
Since I am posting this on Sunday, I'll just add that I got a 2hr nap yesterday and got in another solid 6.5hrs sleep last night. It's amazing that I somehow burn the candle at both ends during the week for about 6 maybe 6.5hrs and on the weekend average over 7.5hrs a day. I need to work on that since I clearly perform incredibly better with more sleep and recovery!
Reading previous posts, I don't feel so bad anymore for how today's w/o turned out (I switched Saturday's ride to today). After having done my run yesterday (which went relatively well); I could not say the same for the bike w/o 2x18, 1x8 because it was HARD! Gawd, this thread keeps me honest ... I had planned on riding the entire 90min but bailed after only doing the MS.
Also, running almost 9km with a friend this morning probably wasn't the best decision either. My resolution for the rest of the OS? Learning to say "no" to friends and training-buddies (i.e. non EN members). I need to stick to MY plan, thank you very much. Unless, of course, they want to do yoga or go for a drink on one of my rest days
@Steve - hear you on that second FTP interval... details below
@William - very funny...wondering if that's a result of your fitness on the bike or of your daughter's driving...
I'll be there in a few years...
@Al - helpful - and I did reflect on the combined step up in intensity and volume.
So... Th was all work and no WORK - meaning no time for a workout...
Schedule adjustment: called Th the rest day and made Friday the bike FTP day, Saturday the threshold run, and Sunday the bike VO2.
The Friday FTP ride was my toughest workout yet in the OS for me.
This is how it went:
18 @ 99%: Managed the first 18 @ 99% - hadn't read Al's post yet.
9 @ 97%: Managed the first 9 of the planned 18 @ 97%, then took a minute off
4 @ 96%: Managed another 4. Took another minute off.
3 @ 99%: Another three. Another minute off.
2 @ 99%: Another two down! Another minute off.. hey, I was working for this!
4 @ 99%: Another four! Called it on the remaining time-at-power.
Total: 22min at power, plus you can throw on another 2 @ 98% during the warm-up, which means that I managed to get in the time, though not as intended.
Bike was very tough on Saturday. Had a tough time holding the Z4 pace through all three sets. The tired legs I carried into the brick run were not happy.
Comments
Interval 2 lasted only 12 minutes before I just couldn't keep it up, average HR was 166 (last minute 171). After a short break tried again getting up to z4 but it only lasted a few seconds. Was able to do 2 x 12' afterwards at 0.85-0.86 IF.
So, struggling to complete the intervals at threshold pace but I slept great, felt rested and strong, and even though the workout felt too hard, i feel 'refreshed'. Point being, I don't think I'm overly fatigued but I'm just having a hard time riding at FTP. (I also did 2 x 20' on THursday at IF 0.9, no problem at all). So I think I will drop the intensity a notch in the next FTP series. Might also switch to my TT bike and see if that helps.
Well after Thursday off, apparently the VO2 run was harder than I though. I cam back today with a 2X20 .96 and then 2X5' (suppose to be 1X10') at .94 and .98. I was working very hard the last 5' of the second 20' and should have taken more rest between the 20' an 10 interval.
Got the FTP time in so another workout in the books.
Gordon
First work-out in 10 days thanks to a case of butt-kicking flu Santa brought me for Christmas
.
Struggled on the second work set and then totally fell apart the last 4 min. Giving myself bonus points for the ability to blow my nose every 5 min while maintaining Z4 effort!
Looking forward to Monday already!
Ouch. Saturday bike wko done. Sat up for most of the intervals rather than aero and it was a struggle but got er done. 2x18 and 1x8 at 0.99, 0.99 and 1.0. 90 minutes total including 12 minutes of 0.82 in the wu and 11 minutes of 0.83 at the end. Definitely feeling some fatigue, some of which is likely due to going skiing for a few hours twice this week (monday and Friday), and that won't happen again. Now I need to get those runs in.....
50' total @ FTP, 15 minutes extra @ 80-85%. Thats what I'm talkin' about!
(check the run thread to see how the awesomeness didn't quite last
http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/146964
I also learned something amusing. I have a CyclOps magneto trainer that has 4 settings. Easy, road, interval and mountains. Each has greater resistance than the previous one. I've been doing all my workouts with it set on interval and haven't been caring about the distance, just the power output. So, today I set it on 'road' to start the workout and after the first interval I checked my average speed during the 20 minutes at 259 watts. It was 25.1 mph!!! Yeah, right! I wish! When I set it to interval for the rest of the workout I found that 259 watts registered around 21 mph. Heh heh heh... That's still probably high but definitely more believable...
@ Ben Van (& others) - there is no shame in ramping up the effort level over several weeks after a jump in FTP following a test. Your comments made me go back and look at precisely what I've done since the recent test boosted my FTP by 5%:
Tomorrow is my Saturday ride, and I'll be aiming for .975-0.985 range. I can fine tune my efforts thru several tools. First, I do them on a CompuTrainer, so the effort level is already dialed in - no slacking, I'm either making the grade, or I have to stop pedaling. Second, I have my IF for the interval displayed on my Joule, so I know precisely where I'm at on that metric at all times. Third, I use TrainerRoad, so I can increase or decrease the effort in 1% increments at any time, if I feel I need to ease off or can handle a little more.
Point is, the intervals are meant to be done @ 0.95-1.0, and I have no illusions that, despite my test going up by 5%, that I can magically increase my day-in, day-out effort in a quantum leap. I use a more incremental strategy.
2x18,1x8 in the books. Not easy but not killer either...first one using trainerroad and I have to say i'm a fan. Nice work everyone!
The good thing is, i can indeed push 10% harder for 25-30mins... And riding 40-45 mins at my previous FTP is no problem either, i just need to get some more time to adjust to faster and longer intervals.
A good bit of procrastinating this morning, eventually got to it though. 2x20, 1x10, rode it out to 90'. Gotta say for as hard as it was to get started it felt great to have done it!
Finally getting around to posting for yesterday's failed ride.
I was feeling good going in, felt rested and excited about long intervals but it became ugly half way into the first 20' . I managed to hang on and finish the 20 @ .959. Took the 4' recovery and started the next 20' only to really suffer after only about 8'. By the 15' mark I was toast. My IF was down to 0.929 and I just coulnt keep it going. I had tried cadence changes to spin a bit, then mash hard but nothing helped so I pulled the plug. Took 2' and tried to finish the last 5' but only lasted a minute. Another 4' recovery then a final attempt and managed 5' with my IF @ 0.924. That's when I pulled the plug completely and got off the bike.
http://app.strava.com/activities/36322315
I had visions of trying again later to fill in the interval time so 4 hours later I tried again. It was abundantly clear after only 2' of WU that I had nothing left in ly legs so I called it a day and skipped the run after.
I may need to go easy on the bike intensity for a few days. We'll see how Tuesday's FTP goes and decide from there.
2 X 20'(4')@ Z4 then 1 x 10'(5') @ Z4. For the first one, my AVHR was at the bottom of my Z4 and for the second one, my AVHR hit the bottom end of Z5. For the 10' Z4, I moved to the small chain ring and upped the RPM and kept it in the Z4 range. The 30' run after was tough - the first half was clearly at Z1. I managed to dial it in for the second half @Z2.
Since I am posting this on Sunday, I'll just add that I got a 2hr nap yesterday and got in another solid 6.5hrs sleep last night. It's amazing that I somehow burn the candle at both ends during the week for about 6 maybe 6.5hrs and on the weekend average over 7.5hrs a day. I need to work on that since I clearly perform incredibly better with more sleep and recovery!
Also, running almost 9km with a friend this morning probably wasn't the best decision either. My resolution for the rest of the OS? Learning to say "no" to friends and training-buddies (i.e. non EN members). I need to stick to MY plan, thank you very much. Unless, of course, they want to do yoga or go for a drink on one of my rest days
Hope you all enjoy your rest day tomorrow!
@Steve - hear you on that second FTP interval... details below
@William - very funny...wondering if that's a result of your fitness on the bike or of your daughter's driving...
I'll be there in a few years...
@Al - helpful - and I did reflect on the combined step up in intensity and volume.
So... Th was all work and no WORK - meaning no time for a workout...
Schedule adjustment: called Th the rest day and made Friday the bike FTP day, Saturday the threshold run, and Sunday the bike VO2.
The Friday FTP ride was my toughest workout yet in the OS for me.
This is how it went:
18 @ 99%: Managed the first 18 @ 99% - hadn't read Al's post yet.
9 @ 97%: Managed the first 9 of the planned 18 @ 97%, then took a minute off
4 @ 96%: Managed another 4. Took another minute off.
3 @ 99%: Another three. Another minute off.
2 @ 99%: Another two down! Another minute off.. hey, I was working for this!
4 @ 99%: Another four! Called it on the remaining time-at-power.
Total: 22min at power, plus you can throw on another 2 @ 98% during the warm-up, which means that I managed to get in the time, though not as intended.
http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/145644
---
Today I did the VO2 ride most of you did last Th:
12m @85%, 3x4x(1/1) with 2' RI, another 15m @85%, and ... done.
Somehow this was much easier for me than the FTP ride with 2x18 + 8...
http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/147891
Way to get it in, everyone!
Looking forward to the rest day!
Does this mean we're in week 11??
r
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/258519067