TJ Ruane's Micro
Hey Coaches!
Just starting my third week and though it would be a good time to start a micro. I have a few questions based on my experience thus far:
1. I am using HR for my bike zones... I feel as though I have a lot of energy left at the end of my rides, should I re-test? Perhaps my test day was an off-day.
2. How much more useful is power data on the bike?
3. I have my vDOT but I have no clue what it means, what it tells me, or how I can use it.
4. I have 4 running days (Tuesday brick, Wednesday Steady, Saturday long, Sunday brick) I should be close to 24 miles on these days but my goal is only 18. Is this normal?
5. Sometimes the WU is listed, sometimes its not. For the times in not I use the standard run/bike WU. If the workout for the day is 50 minutes of TRP running (with some strides or something mixed in) does the 10 minute warm up mean I will be working out for a total of 60 minutes or does the 50 minutes include the standard warm up and the prescribed MS?
Besides all this, everything seems to be going good!
Comments
#1 - yes, HR is imperfect indoors…I’d rather you test and we gain an avg speed (mph) as specific gear + cadence on your trainer…then you replicate / beat that (also looking at HR) in your intervals. Best case is you get trainer road at $10/mo and then you can use their virtual power.
#2 - A million times more useful…but only if you use it. Many don’t….hence just staring with Trainer Road (see ^above^) is a nice low-cost exploration.
#3 - vDOT is a score….it’s more used internally to get you the right paces…it’s not something you’d compare necessarily to others. Inside EN it’s the “smarter” version of “ I run a sub-22-minute 5k.”
#4 - 18 miles on 4 runs is good…any chance you can add another run to Thursday…that would put you closer to 22 or 23….
#5 - Great question on the WU….for the runs I am listing total run time, so your warm up is part of that 50 minutes. When we list a main set only (not so much about time, aka more likely the bike than the run), then use the standard warm up. We are on the same page here…so I think we are okay.
Keep up the good work!!!