Kim's Teeny Tiny Micro Thread
I posted in the JOS bike thread but wanted your professional opinion:
Did my bike test today as I prefer testing in the am. Maybe that was my first mistake. Legs have that sore-ish, heavy feeling from the get-go but I keep thinking they'll join the party soon...
Used the Sufferfest "Rubber Glove" video for entertainment. Warmed up then did the 5' test. 9w increase vs. prior test. Good! Not great, but good. Took the 10' of rest then got into the 20' test. Plan was to start off a little higher than work my way up gradually and then give it my all in the last 5'. Except "my all" never showed up. Last test was super smooth for first 15', this time I was up and down and up and down because I couldn't "keep it up". (See Chris, girls have that prob too! 
So net net, I was one watt LOWER than last test. Now I know that a bad test doesn't mean "I suck", but it sure feels like it. I've nailed every bike WKO this OK, except 2 missed VO2 WKOs. (Ironically my VO2 was what improved) so it is VERY disheartening. My highest ever FTP was 177 (outdoors) and I'm at 168 now. Is it POSSIBLE this is as high as it gets for me? Or did the last 7 weeks of training just hit my legs like a ton of bricks for test day? (I've felt pretty good most of the OS) Did my expectations mess with my head? (First test, I didn't really have any but figured based on past OS history, I could expect a 5-7% increase) Do I train with 168, or swag? (Maybe add 4.5% as that was my VO2 increase and try training with that?) I've been hitting most of my FTP intervals in the 1.02IF range so that doesn't sound unreasonable to me. Do I re-test maybe next week sometime, maybe Tues. in place of a reg bike WKO? Or do I list my bikes on Craiglist? (Kidding, just being dramatic) Is there a Wiki post somewhere on a failed bike test?
Waaahhhh! LOL
Comments
But seriously, I see a few options for you....
1) remember your indoor FTP is usually 10% lower than your outdoor one. So a 168 indoors is more like a 184 on the open road. Seriously.
2) The delta between 168 and the 177 of last year is 9 watts...or about a 1/2 of 1% delta. Yes, I said .05%. It's a rounding error. It could be anything from tire pressure to air temp, etc.
3) I would pace it differently. If you are looking to go 180, for example, the first 4' could be done at like 165...then 4' at 175...then at the 8' mark you start riding around 180-185....feel that pace our for about 4', which puts you through to 12' down, 8' to go and over the dreaded hump...then you "only" have 8' left to suffer and get the watts up to 180 using all means possible!
I think I am more concerned with no bump vs. first OS test than with a comparison to last year. I know once I'm outside, I get at least a handful of watts.
I was expecting getting to ~175 on this test (indoors) which would have been my highest indoor tested FTP ever.
So I'm not sure if you're saying I SHOULD re-test, or just "pretend" I'm at 177 and train as such until the next "official" test at the end of the OS....
Let me know. Thanks!
Based on your initial post, I can't tell which it is...but either way I am okay with you using 177 as long as you can sustain it across the intervals...
Remember we can also use the 5' hack for your Thursday rides as well...info in the wiki, but it's basically 110% of your FTP...building sustained time at a slightly higher number until it's within reach.
Tonight I did last Saturdays WKO of 2 x 12' + 7' @ 1.01, .98 & .99IF (Based on swag FTP of 177). It def felt like work so it is prob within a reasonable range of what my FTP coulda shoulda woulda been.
Hoping for a cumulative big gain at the end of the OS. I actually have a bike race 4/10 so maybe I'll use that as my FTP test....
https://www.bikereg.com/Confirmed/26520
Thanks!
You are so awesome with all this bike racing!
Yup, already started thinking about the test. I was thinking maybe swapping out one of the Sat. 2 x 20' for the test in Week 12 or 13. I def "want" to do another indoor test. (OK, I don't WANT to but I feel like I should for comparison sake vs. prior indoor OS tests) I will likely use the race as my first outdoor test as it should be about an hour and will be pushing myself to the max. Although we'll have to see how it goes w/ the drafting...
We can talk about how to "taper" when I get closer to race week. I dunno what cyclists do.
Hey Coach! 2 questions, 1 re: swimming, 1: re: running.
SWIM: OS is done and now I'm in a HIM plan although I'm not doing a HIM. First tri is Quassy Oly. I noticed ALL of the WKOs in the HIM plan are high priority for the most part, including 3 swims. I def will NOT be swimming 3x a week, or even 2 for that matter. (I'm just trying to maintain status quo on the swim in the 1:50-1:55 ballpark as I def need to improve most on the run, and I like biking the most and that's the longest part of the tri) Something has to give so it is swimming...
So for the next ~6 weeks, what kind of swim should I do assuming I swim 1X/week?
RUN: I have a HM in 2 weeks. My last long run (10 miles) on Sunday SUCKED. Barely hit Z1 (12:10). Previous long run of 8 miles was OK at about Z2+ 30" (11:09). ~2 1/2 weeks ago long run of 7 miles- I kicked ass! A little faster than Z2. (10:23) and that was on a Fri. afternoon after doing the usual OS training Tues-Thurs. My last HM was about a 10:40 pace so I'm targeting in that ballpark. Since my last few long runs have been all over, what the heck pace do I target?? I don't want to blow up or sell myself short either. Which run was the fluke, the good or the bad?
The bad is probably the fluke; remember you are tired!! I would focus more on good nutrition (no bonking!) and smart first 3 miles as most folks go too hard there...that will set you up for a push over the final 5k that will have you right on target.
Let me know if you have any taper questions!
My run yesterday was much better... My average was 10:51 with 1 mile around Z1 (turnaround and GU break), 3 miles @ Z1 1/2, 3 miles Z2 and last mile Z3. (That was not the prescribed WKO, I just ran the best I could) Still not at target HM pace but I did a pretty hard 30mile group ride Sat. (.93IF w/ 1.16VI) That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!
So about the taper in the HM Balanced Int. plan... Looks like a lot more running than I would expect. I have a work thing Tues night so nothin' happening that night and I feel like I really should get in at least ONE bike. (Bike race in 3 weeks!) What would you reco as MUST do runs, and what kind of bike WKO? (Weather permitting, I'd like to get in a ~20mile group ride if that wouldn't screw things up too much) If it rains Wed., I was thinking maybe z 4 x 5' 110%? Or some kind of 1' VO2?
For my future reference, having a HM and a bike race weeks apart is not a great idea!
If I were to put a number on it, Tuesday would look like a total of 24' of FTP, while Wed would be closer to 12' of FTP.
So good work, just "tapering it" a bit across the week.