OS test weeks
I bet this changed a zillion years ago, and it's addressed in a zillion places, but hoped I could get the info here ... Do we still test FTP and LT in the OS every four weeks or so? Iirc, the plans used to include this as a dual test/supercompensation and rest week, but on closer review of my plan, it appears that we are supposed to just keep on Rollin'.
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Weeks 1, 8 and 14 are the test weeks. It's been 3-4 years (?) since the 20' (2') 20' bike test. Weeks one and 8 have the bike test Monday and as you mention a dual test. Warm up bike 5' Vo2 ~120% and a 20' FTP test, with 10' in between. The 5' is your with the VO2 on Wednesday the run VDOT. Week 14 is a bit different with the bike test later in the week and a 10K half marathon on the weekend to test the run. The HR from the 20' test is used for your LTHR.
Even when we were doing 20 week OS' there were test weeks 1, 8, 14, and 20. People did do testing more often on occasion to bump up their FTP or in my case I was coming off the couch so saw a huge bumps over 3-4 weeks and a test more often was useful.
Still not fully down with setting the ftp and v02 proxies via different tests, but I'll come around in my thinking around 2021 or so.
I recall this constricted blood flow issue. Do you have problems with a numbness on FTP tests? You might just want to use the 20(2)20 protocol then to get a better estimate of your FTP. Right now we take 95% of the 20' test for FTP if you can't get the 5' test done you might have an overestimated FTP at 95%. If you think it's overestimated you could take 93% or just bump in down a few watts.
At 250 watts over at 20' test 95% is 237.5 while 93% is 232.5 so a 5 watt difference. Given we have the 95-100% target on FTP workouts you will be in the range. Having said that given your years at the pointy end you most likely need to push yourself to get results. If you can manage it I'd look at the 20(2)20 or go with a warm up and a 20' over estimate knowing that you might have to utilize the 95-97% range on FTP days more often to not affect downstream workouts.
I've long accepted it's just one of those quirks and adapted my work and rest intervals in sessions to accommodate it, but I'm interested to explore if there's a relationship between onset and the metric du jour, heart rate variability. I have a feeling this might be a good predictor (although I'm not sure what it will be telling me: if there is a prolonged variance in HRV, does it mean am I fatigued, and with fatigue comes the problem? Or, is a variance in HRV indicating something like a change in blood pressure, which contributes to onset? One of those puzzles.
Some further thoughts and ramblings.
As you mention given the fatigue in the OS and in season neither test is really good for you unless you can rest. Just thinking out loud as a variant to the 2X20(2). Would a 4X10(1') given an accurate measure similar to a 2X20(2)? You would have shorter rest intervals but also an extra minute of rest to average in on the test. I guess the key is to find something that is repeatable for you so 8-15' is your window and even the 4X10' could be too long on any given day.
Running some numbers from a previous test which I indicated as good test but I might have left a couple watts on the table. I did a 5' & 20' tests @ 293 and 247 (5 minute segments of 20' test 233, 237, 248 and 269). 95% of 247 is 234.65 So what would it take to do that over 4X10'(1'). I've calculated in 1' rest at 60% of the 10' intervals. If I could maintain 236,240,241, and 245 over the four 10' intervals this would garner a 233.73. I think these numbers would be repeatable but in a test would I push myself more on the 10' intervals. The week prior to this 20' test I did a 2X20 @ 231 and 229 .99 IF. My notes indicate that I was feeling pretty good and just maintaining the 95-100 FTP zone to not over cook myself for next weeks test.
Unfortunately my head unit died otherwise I do a little experiment on myself with a 5&20 test them do the 4X10(1') and see what I could do in a n=1 scenario.
As for the physiology surrounding the earlier onset of the numbness I'm not sure I have anything good on this. Do you track you waking HR? I know in the OS when I am tired my waking HR creeps up 3-4 beat I can live with but I know I'm getting tired and need more rest. I typically try to get an extra hour in the following couple nights and if the weekend look to get in an hour nap over one of the days. Finally could you link this data to WKO metrics like TSB, say when you get to -25 to -30 TBS 6-7 hours rest you have earlier onset of numbness due to fatigue. I have no idea on how this would be tied in to blood pressure etc but perhaps tracking your waking HR and rest will help paint a better picture of when to expect 8-10' versus 15-20' FTP intervals.