NOV OS 2015/16 bike thread week 1
And we're off!
Tomorrow begins our 14 week Outseason training. I'm super excited to get started and I hope you are too! We begin with our baseline test this week. Remember this test will just determine our starting point. Whether you have been training regularly or are just coming off of a break we will all improve over the next 14 weeks if we stay consistent, work hard and support each other to reach our goals.
Let's all report back here and share our experience. Go team!
Tomorrow begins our 14 week Outseason training. I'm super excited to get started and I hope you are too! We begin with our baseline test this week. Remember this test will just determine our starting point. Whether you have been training regularly or are just coming off of a break we will all improve over the next 14 weeks if we stay consistent, work hard and support each other to reach our goals.
Let's all report back here and share our experience. Go team!
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Thought I could improve on my last test that was mid summer but was a bit off: FTP down from 259 to 254. The Vo2 interval was up so maybe I just went out a bit too strong. Time will tell. Glad I have a massage scheduled for today.
I have not tested since early summer 2014 when training for IM Boulder, and that FTP was 228. Also since the November 2014 injury I probably have not put 500 miles on my bike since IM Boulder (maybe a lot less), so I feel pretty good about the 218 as a starting point. The hamstring tendonitis loosened up in August and I started running 30-36 miles/week over 6 days/week to get ready for a 200 mile 9 person relay October 9th/10th, so I am sure that training did help get me back to a good starting point before this NOS season.
Oh and after I was done, I went out and chased my wife down on her run and ran an easy 2.4 miles with her just to say good morning.
Good start to a good day, and I'm pleased with the NOS bike test.
I've been struggling with injuries (right achilles, left ankle sprain, left knee) and have been slowly improving with PT over the past month.
During Friday's PT session I happened to mention to my PT guy (a fellow triathlete) that I had an FTP test on the plan for Monday. He looked at me as though I was on crack and said, "NO." Easy spinning is fine but no going all out unless I want to make things worse instead of better. Sigh.... Ok. I am going to listen to him so no testing for me today. I am going to spin easy for all bike workouts, keep going with my PT work, and plan to test the next time it comes up on the plan, and take it from there. This is frustrating but the right thing to do right now.
Got my powertap fixed recently and they changed to a G3 core instead of Elite+. Have had it for a couple months, including IM MOO in Sept. It felt a little easier to hit the same wattage, so I am not sure if these numbers jive with my last OS. They were much better than I expected, so we shall see how it goes. I might have over-cooked my legs on this one. Have to re-vamp my goals as I thought my FTP was around 300NP.
5 min VO2 = 371 NP. 20 min FTP = (354 * 95%) = 336 NP 157 Ave HR My bike workouts this OS are clearly going to give true meaning to 'pain cave'. Oh boy. Good luck with testing today everyone!
Last year final FTP test gave me 389, looking forward to see what it is now!
Did my test two weeks ago to have some numbers for my riding. So I will use that for now.
vO2 - 230 watts
FT - 171
Good job, everyone!
Nice job everyone!!
Today's test was also completed on a Kickr for the first time. All of my previous bike tests were on a KK Road trainer with a Quarq PM. I recorded the test numbers for both the Kickr & Quarq, as the Kickr usually reads higher than the Quarq. This way I will have consistent numbers to compare with my previous results and be able to go forward using the Kickr for indoor training.
Trainer Kickr Quarq
VO2 Max 308 292
FTP 248 234
Last FTP N/A 255
FTP: 228
Stages Power Meter
Ready for the speed to enter the body!
VO2 Max = 308
FTP = 255
LTHR = 172
SRAM Power meter using TrainerRoad
VO2: 269
20': 243
FTP: 230
LTHR: 164
Feeling very good about starting from this level of fitness and ready to put in some hard work!
5' VO2 = 285
FTP = 218
LTHR = 167
Well, that blew!
VO2 = 157, FTP = 140, LTHR = 152.
I was disappointed in this test, but not surprised. A month or so ago, I tested and got an FTP = 145. Had been doing TR workouts with that FTP, and it felt pretty much dead on. But I did this test on a night of poor sleep, and the previous week had a bad cold. So was thinking/hoping that I could at least stay with 145. Nope! I crashed and burned a few minutes into the test. I'm going to drop it down to 140, and if it seems like the workouts are too easy (
!), I'll bump it back up.
All that said, I looked back where I was at the beginning of last OS, and I'm so much stronger than I was a year ago!
Vo2 289 watts NP
FTP 233 watts NP (245 - 5%)
Topped out at FTP of 250 last season. Onwards and upwards!
Well that "feeling" 20 minutes in came right back. Forgot how it felt...back to work! LTHR 151.
VO2=253, FTP=205 (5W of max last season), LTHR 167
VO2 256
FTP 230 (raced IM MOO with FTP 218) so heading up. Hope the hamstring complaints after the ride are temporary.
FTP - 247
LTHR - 148
Last year peaked at 250 FTP and I knew I had lost some of it but I was expecting 220 or so...instead ... FTP today was 203W and VOmax was 273W
I think that the altitude played a role (this test was done at my new Pain Cave in Mexico at 6000 ft vs 500 ft last time in Ohio!)
Anyway... can't wait to raise my FTP to where it should be !
First test done. No complaints other than it sucked. After a summer off it feels good to be starting something regular. Not sure how many OS with EN I have done, but it's a lot. My goal this time is to be more involved. Resting with beer, happy to have a day off tomorrow. Can't wait for the 5k. @John Stark Good to see we are jumping on the wagon together.
Just finished my bike test and am at a good starting point relative to previous years:
(OS Year, FTP Test #1, #2, #3)
2013, 215, 230, 247
2014, 202, 242, 249
2015, 226, 230, 245
Tonight's test gave me an FTP of 237 with a VO2 of 277. I'm hoping to finally break 250 for my FTP by the end of the OS.
Great work everyone. These tests just hurt, there's no way around it, especially when you haven't done them in a while.
I had lots of moving parts today that may have compromised my test, but so be it. Last night there was rain and wind storm here that was causing some pipe on the house to sound like someone was snoring intermittently so I didn't sleep well. Then I got a video from Todd at TTbikefit telling me what I should do to change my bike fit so I incorporated most of that before I did the test. Probably not a good thing to do to my muscles, but it did shake things up a bit and the new position feels OK. I'll dial in the rest of it tomorrow before the ride on Thursday. Might as well start getting used to it.
The test was just like I remember them. The only problem is that I started out too hard on the Vo2 test and paid for it later. My Vo2 ended up at 272 and my FTP at 219. The Vo2 was a touch lower than this time last year and the FTP was at the same spot. I ended up hitting a FTP high of 250 last year right before I dropped into the HIM plan and then the IM plan. That was in April and I haven't tested since then. So we'll see how the OS goes. I'm doing the advanced plan for the first time so perhaps it's better that I'm starting a little lower. It gives me room to grow!
I'll see how this feels and if it feels too easy after a couple of weeks I'll retest. 
Cheers,
VO2: 215
FTP: 160
Now just have to build on this . Bring on the OS
Last test was in August but it was outside and I came out with FTP of 186.
This morning-
VO2- 205
FTP- 170
Is it normal for my FTP to be that much lower inside on a trainer???? I have been riding pretty consistently the past couple of months- not a ton of speed work- but I would not have expected such a significant drop. I am new to using power- just got my power meter in July- so I apologize in advance for the many questions that may be coming this OS regarding power.... ;-)