IMLP RR #1 - input requested

drjohnson08

I’m posting the details from my RR #1 last week looking for
some specific feedback on the IF I should target for RR#2 and on race day and
any other input people may have about the information I am providing.

 

FTP 316 (2 X 20 test on 6/4/14) = 3.98 W/Kg

RR Day Weather – low 60’s & overcast, windy

Bike setup – tri bike (with a solid position), bta bottle, 2
bottles on frame, 2 bottles behind saddle, saddle bag, non-aero wheels,
training tires, semi-aero helmet (giro air attack w/out shield)

 

During day 2 of the IMLP camp I rode 112 and treated it as
RR #1.  (Day 1 was rained out and I only
rode 56 at an extremely easy IF).  The IMLP
course is 2 loops.  My goal was to
undershoot the IF on Lap 1 and crank it up a notch on Lap 2 for a negative
split.  I had a mechanical issue at mile
87 which caused me to ride on the hoods the last 25 miles.  Otherwise, at least time-wise I believe I
would have negative split the 2^nd lap.

 

Overall Results:

Entire
workout (207 watts):

    Duration: 
              6:03:26 (6:09:31)

    Work:     
               4523 kJ

    TSS:      
                287.8 (intensity
factor 0.69)

    Norm Power:          218

    VI:       
                   1.05

    Pw:HR:     
             3.7%

    Pa:HR:     
             4.85%

    Distance: 
             111.267 mi

    Elevation Gain:      5404
ft

                                   Min      Max     Avg

    Power:      
             0          440      207
     watts

    Heart Rate: 
          83        146      134      bpm

    Cadence:    
          5          111      83        rpm

    Speed:      
             0          41.3     18.2
    mph

 

Lap 1:                                                                                                    Lap
2:

Duration:                    3:00:01
(3:04:50)                                                 Duration:                 3:03:24
(3:04:40)

Work:                         2257
Kj                                                                 Work:                       2265 kJ

TSS:                           143.6
(intensity factor 0.693)                              TSS:                       144.2 (intensity factor 0.687)

Norm
Power:              219                                                                       Norm
Power:           217

VI:                               1.05                                                                      VI:                            1.05

Pw:HR:                       -7.18%                                                                 Pw:HR:                    -5.25%

Pa:HR:                       31.27%                                                                 Pa:HR:                    31.62%

Distance:                   55.682
mi                                                             Distance:                55.581
mi

Elevation
Gain:          2714
ft                                                                  Elevation
Gain:       2690
ft

                                   Min      Max     Avg                                                                               Min          Max         Avg                         

Power:                        0          394      209
     watts                                Power:                     0              440          206          watts

Heart
Rate:                83        144      132
     bpm                                  Heart
Rate:             95            146          136
         bpm

Cadence:                   11        111      83
       rpm                                   Cadence:                5              111          82            rpm

Speed:                        0          41.3     18.3
    mph                                 Speed:                     0              40.3         18.0         mph

 

I fueled with 260 ounces of Perform and 24 Powerbar gels
amounting to 600 calories/hour and 1,400 mg sodium/hour.  I felt great the entire ride, never
bonked.  I was a little full at times and
would back off on nutrition when that happened. 
I lost track of how many times I peed out there.  I’m not exaggerating when I say at least 10
times.  I expect it to be a little warmer
on race day and I don’t imagine I’d pee nearly as much.  When I hopped off the bike for the brick my
running legs felt great and I had a lot of gas in the tank.

 

From a TSS perspective this is a solid IM ride even though I
didn’t execute my plan of negative splitting the power.  I think 2 factors are at play for not
increasing the power the 2^nd lap. 
The mechanical issue I had.  I’m
actually more comfortable and more powerful in the aero position.  2^nd, I am scared to push it on the
bike in fear of blowing up on the run.

 

My biggest question is this…should I be targeting a higher
IF?  On race day my bike setup will be
different.  I will carry less fluid on
the bike and stop at aid stations to pick up perform.  I’ll have race tires on the bike.  I’ll have a disc wheel.  I’ll be wearing my full aero helmet.  The course will be semi-closed so I can be
more aggressive at intersections.  And I
will be able to get a legal draft as I pass people (I will not ride in a draft,
can’t stand seeing it out there).  All of
this leads to faster speeds.  If I hit a
.69 IF on race day, most likely I’ll come in faster than my RR #1 time above
and with a lower TSS.

 

What IF should I target for RR #2 and/or race day?  Do you see anything else I should be aiming
to correct for my next go round?

 

Thanks for your input.

Shaughn Simmons

Looks really solid Doug, like a veteran performance.

You racked up 287 TSS on an accurate FTP.   If you want to run well, you would not want to exceed that TSS level in my opinion.  You can raise the IF only if you come in quicker, such that you keep that 285-287 TSS in check.  You might try that on your RR2 and see what shakes out.

If you can lower your VI from 1.05 to something closer 1.01, you will realize more efficiency and result in a faster split with the same TSS load.

Keep moving forward!!

Al Truscott

+1 on advice from SS

drjohnson08

Thank you for the input gentlemen. I was looking at my power file from this ride last night and the last 41 miles from each loop I had a VI of 1.01. The first part of the ride it's a little hard to stay steady. You're in the village with traffic and there are some rough roads, then there's a several mile descent where I coasted almost exclusively. I'll definitely work on smoothing it out on race day. Definitely don't want to get my TSS any higher. I'm a little slower on the course than I thought I would be but it is what it is. I may try to get up to LP again for my final RR and push a little bit more like you suggest Shaughn. Thanks!

Gordon Cherwoniak

Doug,

A little late to this thread.  I'd agree on the comments from SS don't get the TSS any higher.   Can you cut out the Keene descent from your file and look at the VI without the coasting?  Also make sure you push when it flattens out on the descent as well.   

You should see some significant gains on your time/speed with the race day aero setup.  I think RR2 is your opportunity to push up the IF a little and say target .71 maybe .72.  See how you respond to the IF in RR2 then make the call for race day.  Remember that you have to earn the right to push the IF,meaning a good run.  So if you have issues with RR2 dial it back on race day to .69-.7.

Finally remember on race day that the wind can pick up and negative splitting can be difficult depending upon conditions. 

Gordon

 

drjohnson08

Gordon, thanks for the advice. I'm heading up to LP in a couple weeks for RR#2 and I'm going to put the disk and race tires on and don the aero helmet and push it as you say and see what happens and figure out my race plan from there. I definitely agree with what everyone is saying though regarding TSS. 5 to 10 minutes on the bike course (at most probably) isn't worth blowing up the TSS and the run.