JOS Bike Week 6 - and the work begins again
Well, lots of great test results posted last week.
This week is going to be back to the grind in many ways BUT we will be pushing that brand new FTP number on all or our workouts so be sure and update your FTP and training zones. Note that these are shorter VO2 intervals at ABOVE your FTP so don't be surprised.
This week's Level 2 workouts are :
Tuesday : 4 x 2' (8') @ Zone 5
Thursday : 4 x 30" (120") @ Max Sustainable Effort, then 4 x 1' (4') @ Max Sustainable Effort with 10' @ Zone 2 between sets
Sat : 80' @ Zone 3 + 15' @ Zone 4
Go get 'em Team
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I'm back in the Jan OS after the 9-day Tour of Sufferlandria. I got the 80' ride completed this morning with 5x2' intervals. I tested right before the ToS and am debating testing again this Thursday, but am also contemplating rolling with this FTP with the Level 3 workouts for a while to see how things go.
After a short, quick run yesterday, I wanted to get back on my bike (new FTP) after 30min of Zn5 last week... and still recover. I went with 30’ of SUF Angels: 10min of over/unders and 2x8’ at FTP. I’m comfortable with my new Bike and Run numbers for the next phase of JOS. Will be back to the plan schedule tomorrow.
Did the VO2 max workout, and steed continued to work properly, so crossing my fingers that the issue has been resolved. Workout felt good (1.21, 1.21, 1.20, 1.21), #3 as expected was a one of the harder ones for me, almost wish I could have added another in Zwift while mid workout, but kept to the plan since hard run tomorrow and was bricking off off of it.
I got the second VO2 bike workout done this morning. 5 x 30" and then 5 x 1'. No problems with the intervals in terms of legs and lungs, but this was the first time I'd done really big efforts for short duration in Erg mode, so it took a few seconds for me and the trainer to sync.
I'm front loading the workouts this week (I'm going to do the long ride tomorrow 2 hr 30 min) due to a weekend trip.
Just hit the main set last night between work and giving a lecture in the evening. I almost pulled the rookie mistake of going out too hard on the first interval because I felt so good but was glad at the end that I had not done so.
Question for all of my Zwift expert peeps : the intervals in Zwift are 2 min on and 8 min off and repeat 4 times, is it possible to shorten the recovery between intervals? when I try, it skips to the next section of the workout past the interval part instead of skipping to the next interval.
Also interesting is the fact that I have always considered my self a "Diesel" who could go for long intervals rather than a "sprinter" but recently, I have been noticing much better performance in short, hard intervals like these. My HR is not the limiting factor above, that seems certain.
@Jeff Phillips Nice Job on the ToS. I wanted to do it but realized that I was scheduled to go out of town for a family wedding. Fail!
@Patrick Hayden I call humble brag. "those intervals were so easy I almost did more". Maybe just having your bike working right makes it feel easier.... ;)
@Jeff Phillips smart to think that far in advance. I find that my schedule often creeps up on me foring me to workout at 10 PM of other such foolishness.
Keep up the good work!
Saturday's 2.5 hr ABP ride done this morning, with a ridiculously early start of 4:40 am. Gotta get the work done when I can and still get kids off to school and make it to work on time!
I did the session in TR and had Zwift running alongside (as others have said, I will get the Tron bike!) I found this session surprisingly difficult. The watts were manageable and my HR stayed in check, but my RPE was off the charts. After 60 min I was ready to get off the bike, but I wasn't experiencing any physical pain or discomfort and I had plenty of liquids and nutrition so there was no good reason to stop. I stayed in the saddle and fought through the remaining 90 min.
I think it's more an issue of "life" getting in the way of training (house is in disarray due to re-carpeting and painting basement and bedroom, work a little stressful, etc) and feeling the effects of that non-training stress. Stress is stress for the body no matter where it originates.
A few days snowshoeing northern MN is on deck and I'll get a quick treadmill run in on Sat to keep that consistency.
Hi Folks! Back in JoS after 12 days in a row of riding where 9 was in Tour of Sufferlandria trying to keep up with @Jeff Phillips and the other EN fast kids. Jeff is a machine! 🏋️. Been recovering since Sunday. My 1 minute and 5 minute numbers have risen considerably. FT, not so much so far.
Legs have been tired and did a short spin yesterday. Since I had a lot of "spikey shit" in ToS, I decided to do a Zwift group ride to loosen up my legs. I pushed harder than I thought I could. Legs are back.
Gotta love that VI. :-)
Ride on!
Did Thursday's workout this AM due to valentines etc. That last 1 min interval tho...
I gotta say it pissed me off that I only got 1/2 of a star on the first interval session because I went OVER. Somehow that seems wrong to me.
Thursday workout done, I will say this one took a bit more out of me than the last. In general it went pretty well, but for some reason I was getting a lot of drops on my ant+ numbers (power & HR) so don't think I got many stars in Zwift on this one and those pretty lines that @Ralph Moore has looks more like swiss cheese on mine. I even restarted Zwift at the 10 minute recovery section, then went in and changed it from ant+ to bluetooth to try to help resolve some of the issue (no clue, the issue nothing changed in positioning on ant+ dongle) the bluetooth change at least helped some.
Did a TRP run after with the dog since the weather was still decent, and snow is coming in on Friday.
@Patrick Hayden I have an extension USB cable so the ANT+ dongle is literally under my crank on the ground. It works pretty well but I have issues with the Sufferfest App dropping signal. Go figure.
Got in the Tuesday intervals and felt good. Had to miss Thursday and think I will let it go. Got in the Saturday ride today and actually did the week 7 workout because I was looking at the wrong week when I modified the workout in Zwift. Will ride tomorrow to finish the week.
@Ralph Moore I modify those workouts and put in separate intervals for each one. I think that is the only way you can advance forward and without advancing out of the intervals. Takes a few minutes to do but I like it better. I do shorten the recovery time between the intervals. I generally only need about 4 to 5 minutes between them. In looking at your HR in your Tuesday intervals it looks like your HR settled down within about 3 minutes or so. I would put in individual intervals and individual rest periods for 2' on and 4' recovery. You could go ahead and make them the 6' to 8'and just move on when ready. Just my thoughts.
I also modify the Saturday workout to split the long interval, 70' or so, into 5 or 6 intervals. This lets me see progress and really helps me mentally. For example, I split today's 70' into 5x12 and 1x10. I have split them into 5' to 6' intervals but that is just too many. I really liked the 12' intervals today.
Loving life and staying healthy right now! Made it through week 6 so far and usually I am out by now with injuries. Looking forward to next week!
Some solid work being done. I pulled the sick card this week but honestly just looking for 1 or 2 session per week at this point. With travel next week it will be an exercise best but most likely just keep chugging with the run focus
I haven't been around much the last two weeks. Had a very solid week all around, though I seem to have tugged something in my back. Over 700TSS for the week, and Sat's 90' has at very low Z4 ~ I prob need to retest as I wasn't able to last week...taking most of the day off tomorrow...may slow jog a mile for frequency. Appreciate following all of the mojo here. Mark
@Mark Hickman That is a lot of TSS and if your back is yelling at you, get on those yoga stretches. When my hamstrings get tight, it makes my back hurt every time. Hope you feel better.
@Bill Eckert Thanks for the tips. I can see how modifying the workouts would make it easier to shorten the recovery but am going to look hard to find the time to make the changes.
I tossed in some sufferfest tonight for VO2 intervals 11 x 1 min at 306 then 20 x 15 sec at 333 watts. The end couldn't come soon enough.
Strong week everyone!
@Mark Hickman : I am having some sciatica and back pain when I first get out of bed. It responds well to activity, and I think that the hard biking is tightening my quads. Tight hip flexors are pretty universal, and I really need to stretch before I end-up with another month-long back problem/injury. Often, “tight” hamstrings are really “overextended” hamstrings from tight hip flexors. The anterior pelvic tilt is another consequence and causes glute weakness and pain. For some reason, it remains a challenge for me to stretch regularly... even though there are plenty of time efficient, specific videos (on Sufferfest and elsewhere). PS: Falling asleep in a recliner makes it worse!
I needed a long run today, so I switched-out the scheduled long rides this weekend, with 2 x one-hour rides, including 80min at FTP. After failing to make my “transfer” to London for the West Coast CnC, I returned to Sufferlandria and repeated Angels through the final 21% grade climb of The Angliru. It is my favorite eight minutes of bicycle racing video! Today, I solidified my new FTP with 2x20min at FTP (IF=1.0) and 3 min (IF=1.15) on Hell Hath No Fury. I will be returning to Zwift this week, but now that @Ralph Moore did Revolver, I know what I’ll be doing Tuesday! We’ve still got a good group posting as we approach the half-way point in JOS. Stay focused... work works.
This weekends 2 rides are done. Kudos to team leaders on the West Coast C&C ride, good as always, did that and a short ride after to get in the time (.86 IF). Followed that up on Sunday with an hour with 5x30 second sprints legs felt that one a bit and were a little tired, but headed outside for the long run after it.
@Ralph Moore - I have the silly extension cable for the dongle and it was sitting literally right under my trainer, and was still dropping that day, I ended up rebooting the machine and didn't notice any drops over the weekend, so when all else fails, reboot I guess.
@John Culberson I did the Revolver mashup with 11 x 1 min and 20 x 15 sec intervals. Thank God I dropped my chain about 15 intervals into the 15 sec intervals and had a chance to get my HR down before the end. It totally ruined my run today but it was worth it.