In-Season Bike Testing
I maybe in over my head with the question but here it goes.
I have had a couple conversations with ENers and learned they were taking a different approach to increasing their FTP, that is without testing. I would think this is more relavent to in-season testing. I personal like OS and preseason testing, I just don't enjoy the interruption while building for IM.
For anyone who has done this please share some of your thoughts and what you have learned. How much and often where FTP bumps implemented?
I have had a couple conversations with ENers and learned they were taking a different approach to increasing their FTP, that is without testing. I would think this is more relavent to in-season testing. I personal like OS and preseason testing, I just don't enjoy the interruption while building for IM.
For anyone who has done this please share some of your thoughts and what you have learned. How much and often where FTP bumps implemented?
Here is my situation: I have been sitting at a 251w FTP. My ride last weekend was 75 miles and on the same route I train on for long rides. And my NP came to 191w which would equal an increase in FTP to 255.
How much of an FTP increase did you do and how often in-season? 5-7 watts and just ride at that resulting number/percentages to see if it's doable?
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Not exactly sure what your question is asking?
Is it that when you are in an IM build, you can't do a test that you think is representative of your current FTP?
WKO4 calculates your FTP (it's called mFTP) without testing as you go along.
Also, there is an App that you can use with a Garmin device that estimates your FTP on a single ride that does not require a 20 min all out test (Ray at DCrainmaker tested it here https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/07/xert-rolls-out-free-real-time-ftp-app-on-garmin-devices.html).
BTW, how does your 75 mile ride @ NP 191 translate into an FTP of 255?
FWIW, I don't think many peeps can push up their FTP in an IM build. Most of us see a drop off in FTP during the build. That said, your 5 hour power is much much more important that a raw FTP estimate for an IM.
Cheers
Peter
thanks for the reply, maybe I can clarify.
It's actually that I expect my FTP will be higher. I'm nine weeks out from IMChoo which is a test week. And basically I want to keep the training week progressing instead of having a test week and workouts are moved around to allow for the testing.
As for my FTP calculation, I was doing the ride as a zone 2 ride and so I did the math as if 191 was my zone 2 that's how I got the 255 FTP.
I did the Dec out season then went into the EN Half Advanced for Raleigh. Started the OS at 215 and after 12 weeks my final test came in at 253. I cut the OS short by 2 weeks and did the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon as my final test run. That was the last time I had tested my FTP until yesterday. After the OS, 2 week swim camp then into half training. After Raleigh 70.3 on June 4th till July 3rd I did the Bike Focus Block instead of the Get Faster plan originally proscribed. And have been on the EN Full Advanced plan since July 3rd. I didn't find the Bike focus and certainly not the Full plan nearly as intense or 'power' driven as the OS. But yesterday my FTP test came in at 258! I really expected a drop in power. Especially doing it in the evening after a full day of work where the OS test was done on fresh morning legs.
Fortunately or unfortunately there is not another FTP test in the plan. So hopefully my power at a minimum holds steady and doesn't drop or I may be riding at too high a number come race day with a negative impact on the run. Will probably knock 10 watts off FTP for race day power calculations just to be safe. And like you, I plan on skipping the 5K run test on Thursday. There is no good reason to run a 5K all out when its going to be 90+ degrees with a dew point approaching 80.
Not sure if any of this comes close to answering your question.
I'm on the side of trying to improve both 5-hour power and FTP ... or at least keep the FTP from falling off too much. Not sure which plan you're on, but there should be a Z4 workout during the week. You might consider swapping that with a Zone 5 set that totals 15' of high power ... something like 5x3' with plenty of time to recover between intervals
As for testing, I'd say don't worry about the FTP test. Track the 3-hour power and keep doing work that is proven to increase FTP.
They show that this is trainable. To improve your TTE, they suggest sitting on an IF of 0.85 for 150% of TTE — and over time, progressively push that time up to 200% of TTE.
For example, my TTE is 34 minutes and change. So on my APB Sunday ride I sit on an IF of 0.85 for 1.5 x 34 mins. Then I give myself a 10 min rest, then repeat. Thus over the weeks, I am pushing out that time towards 200% of TTE.
Now you probably don't have WKO4, but I would just guess a number, say, 30 mins, and go from there.
This style of training will allow you to push up your 5 hour power (by reducing your fatigue), even without increasing your FTP.
Just sayin....
@Josh Church - During last year's IM build, I recall a the following advice regarding your question. First, a FTP test at this point might not be representative of your true FTP due to having weeks of cumulative fatigue in your legs...IOWs, it's not the best use of your training time. However, if you must test do it on a Tuesday in place of the FTP/Z4 workout.
Second, track (NP/IF/VI/HR/nutrition/etc.) for all your 5 hour rides to include how you felt in the last hour and how you ran off the bike (if a there's a brick). Do a few 5 hour rides at a NP that gets you a .77 or .78 IF to see how it feels compared to .75 IF. Use this data to decide what NP you'll target for your race rehearsal #1 and from RR #1 results (and how you felt/ran) increase/decrease your NP target for RR #2. Makes sense?
Congrats on the FTP boost and thanks for sharing your approach to test week.
@Paul Curtin
Will track that data, thanks for sharing
@Peter Greagg
getting alittle deep with the TTE stuff.lol I will definitely read up on this for the future. Thanks
@Derrek Sanks
will give those .77 and .78 rides a shot. And will continue to track the data.
@Tim Sullivan
im not a zwifter but I get where your coming from. I'll have to check it out.