Target watts for a sprint

Peter Noyes

For a sprint triathlon with a 10 mile bike segment what is the rule of thumb for target watts? My gut tells me something like 105-110% of FTP.

Peter Greagg

Peter — for a sprint, what ever you can put up for the time. Use your PM as a whip (as in an FTP test).
For an Oly, 88-92% of FTP is the usual suggestion.

tim cronk

You got it! Bike like there is no run.... 100-105% makes sense for 10 miles...I'm sure 110% is even possible.... I've tried to go over 100% in a sprint a few times and came in just under but distance was 14miles and its hard with turns and people in your way!

Joe Matchette

Go all out with no target.

Al Truscott

BTTW (Last word is Wall)

kimmydct

My own personal experience... I did a sprint last year and used this philosophy and biked my butt off. Got 18th fastest bike split out of nearly 500 women. Wooohoo! BUT my run sucked beyond my wildest dreams. (I'm a weak runner to begin with) I went into the race assuming that would happen and I didn't care. Goal was to be Top 25 for bike. Sooooo, all that being said, it depends on your goals for the race and your run ability (or in my case, lackthereof)

GentlemanArcher

I like to hold no more than my test number for the first 2 miles, then spend the rest of the ride trying to raise the average of the ride. This keeps me from spiking the power like a mad man right out of the gate. Same idea for Olympic...hold 90% for the first 15 or 20 minutes, then spend the entire rest of the ride raising the average as you go. I display the current power and the average power. Once you hit the "go" part of the ride, strive to make the current power a few watts higher than the number showing as average.

Coach Rich

For a sprint, PM is a whip, not a pacing tool.

For an Olympic, it's a whip also...but I'll couch that by saying it's a whip if you're faster than ~1:10. Slower = you'll need to apply some pacing discipline. For me, I give my legs about 15' to come back, riding at a pace/effort that feels like I'm holding something back. Then it's on, go as hard as I can, basically. But for a sprint...there is no 15'. Hammer, right from the gate. 

Is this for the Pasadena Tri next month? That's a reverse tri, as 5k run, ~9-12mi bike (how many laps of the Bowl, I forget?) and a pure formality of ~150m swim. Just fookin' pin it on the bike.

Peter Noyes

Yeah. I am doing the pasadena tri. Just 3 loops around the bowl. I will push as hard as I can.

Dino Sarti

FYI to all - The Pasadena Sprint is a "REVERSE". It's 5k run, THEN 10 mile bike followed by a 150 yard swim in a 50 meter heated pool.... Grab the handle bars and kill it. No power meter needed. This ride is full tilt ride tell your eyes bleed.

BUT, be careful. The ride is 3 laps around the Rose Bowl and it is scary as all hell. You will crush the pack in the 5k run and get on the bike fast. Lap 1 on the bike is empty. Lap 3 is DANGEROUS. MORE DANGEROUS than anything else I have done if you are a fast person. When you are on lap 3, little old ladies and fat guys are on mountain bikes on lap 1. The course is a disaster area. It is the first race ever for 75% of the field. They don't understand "on your left". They move left, they don't hold their line and you are trying to pass at 27 miles per hour going up the West side and 35 mph going down the East side.

Be careful. Oceanside is right around the corner. Don't let a crash wreck that race.

I did this race two years ago and had a couple close calls. Now i go and volunteer and rep for our local club.....

Peter Noyes

I am encouraged that they are addressing safety this year.

1) They have redesigned the course, hopefully the bike chute we will bigger/better because it will actually be on arroyo.
2) They are instituting wave starts