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NovOS Week 6 - Bike thread

Sheila LeardSheila Leard
in General Training Discussions
Okay Team we are starting week 6!! 

Looking at the workouts  ... Coach does not back off! The intervals have a little more rest. The run distance has slightly increased. We're also coming into a busy time of year and schedules will be thrown off. I use the approach that a half a workout is better than no workout. 

..... don't forget to do your core and conditioning :) 


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  • Joseph LombardiJoseph Lombardi
    Well I didn't post to last weeks thread...so as an update I didn't do a "formal" test per protocol opting for an outside "test" of ~20min on a repeatable stretch of road I have identified....I ended up with my first benchmark of the OS as I hadn't tested previously..240NP for a 228 FTP about were I ended the season and well above my starting mark for last years OS...I guess thats good.  In addition; my run test was "aborted" as I had some achilles flare up...I did end up doing 2x1.25m @ my target pace of 6:50 but no consolation...and ended up taking the weekend off of running ...while it is feeling significantly better I won't plan to run until Wednesday....I did two ~2hr rides on Sat/Sun to make up for it...felt great.
  • Shaughn SimmonsShaughn Simmons
    Thanks for opening up the thread @Sheila Leard

    I am using Zwift with all my OS rides so far.  This morning I selected one of the races for my FTP work.

    Felt like eating glass for 60' at 5 a.m.: https://www.strava.com/activities/1302916624

    5 weeks of OS and so far so good.  Balancing run durability with bike intensity has its challenges.

    SS
  • Al TruscottAl Truscott
    Waving farewell as I drift towards the Dec OS. At the moment, I'm not biking, as I am at my house near Aspen CO. But there's minimal snow, and none in prospect, so I am swimming and running daily. Usually, I can mimic some VO2 intervals in the moguls, but not this time around.
  • Sheila LeardSheila Leard
    @Shaughn Simmons redlining at 5 am always seems to knock me out at 3 pm! I tried doing my FTP on Zwift this am but having some calibrations issues on the Kicker. I'll figure it out.  My FTP a year ago was 164 ... today it was 144 ... no way. I might do another test on my dumb trainer.

    @Al Truscott  Curious how much altitude affects you in beginning. Once you acclimate and then go back to WA how long do you feel the affects?


  • Al TruscottAl Truscott
    @Sheila Leard - Decades ago, I used to notice the lower O2 coming to CO. But I;ve been coming here frequently for 50 years now, and I have no real acclimation symptoms, although my run pace will be about 20-40 sec/mile slower than @ sea level (depending on the elevation I'm running at, between 6000 and 9600'. Swimming, as long as I dont start off hard, again, no issues, except I'm about 2-4 sec/100 slower. And Biking, I think the reduced air resistance (the air IS thinner) almost makes up for the reduced )2, at least up to about 11,000' or so. Above that, its just keep pedaling, but sonnet try anything fancy.

    Coming back to sea level, the main effect is not speed, but the ability to hold a given pace longer. My HR is not slower or anything, I can just hold, say 200 watts, for about 10-20%+ longer.
  • Mark ThomaMark Thoma
    I have been doing the level 2 workouts and they have been going well. My testing back in September and then again last week had my VO2max at nearly 1.3x of my FTP. As I read in the wiki, that indicates my FTP is underdeveloped. This is probably true as I am still pretty “undertrained” from a long layoff from the bike (and run and swim for that matter). So this week I moved up to the level 3 workout yesterday to work the FTP more. It was definitely hard but really satisfying to complete.  Knocked out the run after. 
  • Shaughn SimmonsShaughn Simmons
    @Mark Thoma - Fantastic work getting done!

    @Al Truscott glad we had you while we did.  You gave some great wisdom to the team.

    @Sheila Leard - ha ha, I basically spent the rest of my day yesterday hiding under my desk.... :o

    Recovery ride this morning to push a little healing blood through my legs on Zwift's mountain loop: https://www.strava.com/activities/1304376188

    Keep moving forward all!

    SS
  • Scott ImlayScott Imlay
    Unfortunately, I've come down with a head cold. Perhaps it was from overdoing it last week (@Sheila Leard, you were right!). In any case, I was able to do the 2 x 15' threshold workout yesterday at 96% FTP on the first interval and 100% FTP on the second.

    I feel a little better today, but will take it a bit easy by shortening the run and keeping it at TRP.  
  • Mark ThomaMark Thoma
    Bummer Scott.  Hope you kick it quickly
  • Gary LewisGary Lewis
    Late checking in this week.  Tried staying with JB's run streak challange of 100 days straight.  Was on pace and then Saturday our water heater broke.  Missed my run that day.  I wasn't going to run 2 miles at 11:00PM after jacking with the water heater all afternoon.  A little break I think was good for recovery anyway.

    Sunday I was going to run the local 15K Hot Chocolate race.  Since I was keeping the streak going I wasn't going to race, just use it as my Sunday long run.  My wife didn't feel like driving an hour to race, so I ran 15K in my neighborhood at HM pace, just to push it a little harder.

    Tuesday and today's bike rides were very difficult but I pushed through.  Didn't run on Tuesday as I had to get to work, but did run 30 minutes after this morning's ride.

    How's everyone doing on core and conditioning?  I haven't done any, but considering going to the gym on Mon & Friday to work core and upper body.  Can't get motivated to get in the pool at 4:30AM yet.
  • Sheila LeardSheila Leard
    @Gary Lewis  Thank you for validating not wanting to swim at 5:30 am in the cold dark. The pool is outside and its 35 degrees. I feel so wimpy compared to the  real 'swimmers'. 

    @scottimlay The best thing for a cold is sleep. Don't fight it.

  • Shaughn SimmonsShaughn Simmons
    Hi peeps.

    @Gary Lewis I am getting in 1-2 core session a week.  I do about 20 min total of a wko which includes planks, pushups, curls, light squats, benchpress, etc....much needed given my age.

    @Sheila Leard I would not worry too much about swimming in Dec.  I try to go to the indoor pool twice a week if I can.  Lately one of those sessions has become Sunday afternoon after the Sunday morning longish run....

    @Scott Imlay - lay low and get well soon.

    I gave myself 8X2'(2') and 4X1'(1') V02 sets this morning on Zwift: https://www.strava.com/activities/1305610324
    What can I say.....It sucked.  :s

    Coffee does taste better now....

    SS
  • Sheila LeardSheila Leard
    @Shaughn Simmons  Thanks for your feedback. I respect what you have to say. This is such a great Team  <3
    It's 38 out... I'm going for a run and looking forward to it!!

  • Shaughn SimmonsShaughn Simmons
    @Sheila Leard - a great team starts with a great captain!  Keep leading!

  • Tim SullivanTim Sullivan
    Hey Everyone!  Training is going well and having fun! I have been racing and riding a lot on Zwift. I will stack a couple races back to back on some days when I feel good. For my longer rides, I try to put a race at the end of the time to really push. Last Saturday I did a 31 mile race after riding 90 miles fairly hard. I have seen big improvement in my long term power over the last year.

    I am on Day 81 of my run streak and I'm finding that my new TRP is too fast for me to consistently run at that pace. My HR isn't high, but I think its too much of a beating on me to run that as my normal pace.  I do about 4-5 runs a week easy at Z1 or slower, and then I have a couple quality runs thrown in. I know I can run fast when needed, so I figure its better to get the durability. 

    No swimming for me, but I have been doing single stroke arm pulls on a concept2 rower at the gym (sort of a cheap persons VASA :))  They are tiring.

    Great training everyone!
  • Shaughn SimmonsShaughn Simmons
    @Tim Sullivan - Its all about balance..........

    I can easily label you as the Hardest Working guy on Zwift and a great leader within EN.

    When you race multiple times a day/week you are not going to be able to hit that TRP pace on the run.

    However, I can argue that filling the OS with bike intensity while maintaining some daily run distance is effective, drives good fitness, keeps you injury free and provides durability as well.

    Once you get within ~10 weeks of your A race, then race training specificity becomes important.  Getting there with a great fitness base and run durability should translate into a productive 10 weeks.

    The OS plan is a guide only.  Don't beat yourself up trying to hit all the marks.  Keep the balance, make it fun as you are doing, stay healthy and keep leading!

    SS
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