NOS GetFaster week X6 Testweek!
This is for all the the GetFaster peeps out there that have now arrived in the final week of the GetFaster plan!
It's time to test!!! BRING IT ON and let us hear your suffering-stories - the good and the bad one 
I'm already 95% out of GF but I still have an upcoming 10k race which is part of my GF-End tests this Friday so this will be PAIN again! 
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Good morning to everyone. Today is a rest day for me. I am all kind of happy. For those of you with Training peaks WKO+, my TSB is at an all time low of -32.4. Although I feel really good today, I know that based on how the intervals went yesterday, I need the rest. I am only hoping that one day is enough to absorb all the previous work. Hope everyone's training goes well.
Congrats Steven!! That's awesome!
This is my test week. Trying to get PUMPED up for my bike test tonight!! I have been really working to get better at the bike. I will report back
I did the bike test test this morning - maybe I should've timed getting a new puppy better with test week...sleep has not been in abundance! Anyway, I got a bit of a bump and I always forget how hard this test is!
Previous 5 min Vo2 = 280 watts
Todays test = 289 watts
Previous FTP = 234
Todays test = 239.4 (wish I had squeezed out a bit more to get me to 240!)
My highest FTP last year was 236, so I'm pretty happy. However, I think that coming out of the GF plan last season, I saw my FTP come back down as I got into HIM training. I suppose this is expected as we add further onto fast, and concentrate on more z2-z3 work.
@Kim - I'm a pretty lousy 5k runner compared to my 10k/21k times but for a 10k it's pretty simple normally. Depending on your vDOT your 10k race-pace is at or below your Z4 pace from your 1mi repeats. You can use the calculator here which will help you to calculate your target 10k race pace -> http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/calcUsage/calculate
Usually folks run off the start at a MUCH TOOO FAST pace on these races so stay calm at that point and go for your target pace+5-10sec for the first 1 or 2k. After this mark you should be in the "groove" of running fast and you MAY feel that you can go faster but don't go faster than your target pace here. Stick to that pace until the 7k mark and then ask yourself "Do I have enough fuel in the tank left to step on the gas from now on until the finish line??"
If you find yourself answering YES then go for it and get ready to suffer A LOT on the last few minutes! You may or may not blew up on the final few meters but a new PR is worth it
If you're already running at 98% at the 7k mark and you're already asking yourself how you should survive this today I'd say just try to hold your pace as long as you can!
Swim test all done..
Start of GF plan 1km TT was 21:30
Today's TT was 20:32 so a whole minute better - happy days!
I think that makes my T-test time as 2:03 (was 2:07 last year)
Just been looking at the HIM plan starting next week (wk 13) - who snuck that 2 hr Thursday run in plus 5hrs on the bike over the weekend...
VO2 was the same as last test and I started off OK on the FTP portion then lost it so I abandoned the test and just tried to keep the watts as close to 1.00IF for the 20'.
I would say the epic fail was due to a combo of factors... Stress (lay-offs at work being annonced next week), triple spin class on Sat. (legs still feelin it) and a reduced focus on bike WKOs the last couple of weeks due to a half mary a little over a week ago. Perhaps those are jsut excuses but that's all I had. Perhaps I'll give it another shot, or just wait til the 10k TT in early May to test outdoors.
*Heavy sigh*
Nice work all!
So I did the bike test yesterday (which literally gives me nightmares) and I was happy with my result of an 8 watt FTP jump!! Vo2 stayed the same, which is fine lol. I was just happy to see some results!! Then I went to do my swim today, supposed to do TT on Friday, but after warm up I was just feeling really good! So I went ahead and did the TT today. Previous test 1:41/100 yard and today 1:32/100 yard!! And 2 minutes off the 1,000 yard time!! WOOHOO!!! Work works! Keep it up everyone!
5K test tomorrow....outside...YIKES!!
Mile 1: 6.28
Mile 2: 6:31
Mile 3: 6:28
Total time: 20:15...7 secs off last test. Vdot up 1 point to 49.
Hoping for 3 from 3 with a nice the bike bump on sunday
@laura - amazing bumps on the bike and the pool. Now go for it on the run!!
@ Beth and Graham- THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I checked the post right before my run and it certainly helps to see that
And nice work Graham!! SPEEDY!!!!
So I hit my 5K test tonight. As I was doing my warm up I just couldn't catch my breath and my HR was jacked! I wasn't going fast, but for some reason I couldn't hit a grove. Decided to push through anyways! I had a "goal" in mind when I started, which I'm not sure if that was a good or bad thing. Run down...I took off WAY TO FAST first mile was 8 seconds faster than my "go to" average pace...UGH I ALWAYS do that! Felt like pulling the plug at 2 miles but pushed through. New "PR" (even though its not a real race). 32 seconds off my time on same course. Vdot up 1 point! Missed my "goal" by 3 seconds...which just pissed me off lol.
So glad to be done with TESTING! Keep up the great work team!!
Graham- Doesn't look horrible to me! Nice job!
Laura- Killer test week for you! Congrats!
Got to run outside tonight! Almost 60 degrees. Woohooo! Target pace of 9:20 for my mile repeats, Hit 9:12, 9:10 and 9:10 without feeling like I was killing myself, so that's a plus! Swim test tomorrow... Then 10k on Sat. Not doing it as a test as I'm all 5k tested-out for now but will be interesting to see where it shakes out since I've never done a 10k.
YOU FOLKS GOT ABSOLUTELY WICKED FAST HERE - CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU!!
I'll head out to a 10k race today but I've hear rumors they changed the course and cut it short .... well let's wait and see and keep fingers crossed
I'll be back
To summarize it in one sentence: Solid race on a difficult course but still a PR on the 10k distance by a few seconds!
Official race distance was 10.25k and the race clock stopped 38:30 for me which put me onto place 8 in my group. I'm pretty happy with this result as I know the course is pretty difficult to run and I would have been faster on the flats but still managed to outperform my run on the same course by almost 30sec and back then the course was a few meters shorter and I was tapered for that race.
http://tpks.ws/ttyk
http://www.strava.com/activities/126903267
I will NOT use this race for new training zones as the course was just not near equivalent to where I normally run my tests
Interesting side note - TP gave me a 3:40 NGP / Strava a 3:47 GAP ... 7 seconds doesn't sound a lot here but if you have to run then they are
@ Stefan- CONGRATS! Sounds like a great race!!
@ Kim- Nice job on the OUTSIDE run! SO nice that our weather is clearing up!! Good luck at your 10K tomorrow! I'll be thinking of you!! (And by the way thank you for the nice comment
)
The local group I usually ride with is starting the Sat. am rides tomorrow so I'm tempted to bail on the 10k. I really don't need another run race. I did 3 5ks in March + a half mary so I'm behind on the biking. (See previous post on crappy bike test) I'm going to play it by ear and see what the weather looks like for the morning. Ah the suspense!
Great work on the testing everyone! I really love reading the stories of improvements...its inspiring.
Yesterday I did my first bike workout at new FTP / VO2 levels...the little bump I got made a huge difference in terms of it getting tough. 2x10' and 5x1.5'. Added and easy 50' run with strides.
Today was my swim test. Not much improvement there. Averaged 1:52/100yds over 1000yd test. 2" better, but wasn't expecting much.
Tomorrow I'll be doing a 5k test, but have opted not to do a 5k race and rather do it on my own. I feel like I'm stuck at my current vdot but lets see how that goes. I'll be happy with any time improvement.
My bike test totally sucked on Tues. but I had a killer outdoor ride today with some guys I ride with at a LBS. Dunno if they got slower, or I got faster, or both but I felt super strong. Did a lot of pulling, and even passing up hills. (WHHAAATTTT??) Only 4 of us but I def. got my bike confidence back as that crappy bike test Tues. Perhaps the fatigue from the triple spin class I did last Sat. is gone, and the training benefit is now in the bank? Dunno, but Im happy. No power on the road bike but about 30 miles in 2 hrs., avg 16.2mph.
End of Jan Test:
VOmax = 262, FTP=219W
Av HR: 176 3.21 W/kg
END OF GF
VOmax = 273, FTP=224W
Av HR: 176 3.11 W/kg
5W Increase or 1%
Simply put, I'm bloody annoyed. Happily cruising along for 1st 10 mins (av was 250W), all under control. The brain went, "this is easy" legs went ok, go easy... 12 stop start sessions to get to the end of the session. So much for smooth easy riding.
Oh well on the plus side at least it means i'll ride a bit more conservatively on the bike when i race and not have anything left for the run.
Off into the HIM plan week 13, so see you all around and thanks for the awswome support over the last 20 weeks of NOS and GF.
Oh here's an interesting stat- TR says i have spent 3.2 days on turbo since Nov !!!Here;s to warmer rides in the sunshine.
October - 21:18
March - 20:48
I am now heading into the Ironman Intermediate Plan with 12 weeks to go until Coeur d' Alene. Hopefully I will see some of you there! Thank you all for the support and camaraderie! Good luck this season!
JD- Fantastic run test! Good luck on IMCDA training!
Today I did my pre-bike run. Target Z4 pace for the first mile was abot 6 secs too slow bbut not bad. Next mile was about 30" faster than Z1, then the next was 18" sec shy of Z2.
Next up was the ABP bike, which was a much lower intensity than called for as it was my wife's first ride. We did 14 miles, and I ended the ride with an impromptu demonstration of how to fall. I had slowed down to wait for her and got too close to the edge of the trail and bam. No major damage aside from ego and a scraped knee. Whatta dumbass!
No tests for me this week. Today was just the Sunday WKO from the GF plan. The run was supposed to go for 70 minutes and include several pace changes in the beginning. After I got through the WU, 2 X 8:00 @ MP and 5:00 @ Z4 the sun was still shining. I had no choice but to get after the run. So instead of 70 minutes, I ran for 102 minutes and 13.1 miles. The run was great, not my fastest but a lot of fun. The temperature was perfect and not much wind. Only one dog was in the chasing mood. A little pepper spray cured that.
Bike Test Results
FTP
Old - 183W
New - 196W.
7% Gain. A nice little bump up, almost made 200! Get it next time.
VO2 Max
Old - 223W
New - 249W
12% gain