JOS Bike Week 10 - Show me the Watts - test week
Hard to believe that we are 2 1/2 months into the Out Season. Test week is the time to find out how much benefit we have derived from all of our hard workin the past 4 weeks. Make sure you are getting enough sleep and get a good recovery before you test. Also, it never hurts to re-read the testing guidelines in the Wiki.
On the race last Thursday, I got an FTP bump in Zwift and I am gonna take that straight to the bank. This is within 5 watts of my all time high and I feel like I can beat that by the end of the OS. I am going to use my Tuesday bike workout to climb Alpe du Zwift and then Race the KISS race again Thursday AM.
I will be looking for some big bumps from all of my JOS folks. Let's see the numbers!
Tagged:
0
Comments
So, Since I raced last Thursday and got an FTP bump, I decided not to test and did last week's Thursday workout. Man, That is going to leave a bruise!
BTW, if testing really sucks for you, there is a new "step" FTP test option of Zwift that avoids the 20 min slogfest of a typical FTP test and appears to have similar accuracy. It may not actually be an apples to apples comparison until you have done it a few times but It is getting some pretty good reviews.
It is Tuesday and either no one wants to post their test results or I have too much time on my hands at work....🤷♂️
@Ralph Moore I'll post but I have not test results. Been consistent this week with the run but no biking as of yet.
Sent from my iPhone
@Mark Hickman did you do Parris Island the past weekend? Damn, I was in town and would totally come and cheered for you. How did it go?
Boom goes the shakalakawhat!!! 18w bump to 282; nuts, but totally stoked about the bump...I don't think I could've held that for 2 minutes a few years ago.
@Ralph Moore Man I sure wish I had, but I was following a bunch of my racing buddies. That course is smoking fast and a good indicator of who's been on the couch all winter or on the trainer! Moved middle of last summer to the West coast, so missing out on the SCTS this year. I took the statewide AG title last year after doing everything I could before I moved...which was my season goal. That is a great series...classy competitors, classy race director, classy organization.
Bump to 240w and proven in “A Very Dark Place.” I’m approaching another two weeks on hospital service... but I am so attached to my trainer that I KNOW that my CTL will survive. I was disappointed to see that about 30,000m of climbing was done BEFORE I signed up for the Everest Challenge, so the Tron Bike looks about as far as the finish line in T2. Alpe Sweet Spot tonight.
@Ralph Moore : Thanks for leading by example... those are some pointy intervals
@Mark Hickman : 282w is looking like a VERY successful JOS, work works
@Gordon Cherwoniak : I’ve been putting a priority on run frequency - my primary 2019 goal is to avoid running related injuries. I’ve had weeks with 5 days of biking, and weeks with 2 days of biking. JOS is well-placed for those who don’t have an early race planned. It’s just a great way to spend the cold dark winter. I really struggle to maintain a “season of training” for 9-10 months. I’m not going longer than 70.3 this year, so I will focus on 2x8 week builds and otherwise, train to be ready for those 2 “important” periods.
5% FTP bump yesterday to 244, 11.5% increase since start of JOS. I've been doing all of my riding and testing on my tri bike, so it's good to continue to drive that number up. It's not near where my road bike FTP is, but I'll try to get as close as I can.
I didn't have time for the full FTP test, so did a Ramp test, which I have done in the past. Based on that it looks like I have ~ 5% gain since the last test. That looks about right based of WKO, etc.
No bike test. I have been hitting the workouts without too much trouble so will bump my FTP up a little and see what happens. Not to worried about the FTP as my focus is on staying healthy and being consistent this year. I do plan on testing at the end of the OS. Looking forward to the FTP sessions mixed with the intervals next week.
I wanted to get the JOS group's perspective on this (I'll post as well in Run Forum in case some only hit one of these).
May family is headed to Costa Rica on Sunday I will miss Week 11 of the OS. (The resort is very conducive to running and swimming and our days are such that I can do so with zero resistance from the boss lady).
My idea is to do the run workouts as prescribed that week as best I can (the terrain is very hilly) and on the days when bike workouts are prescribed to do those as either shorter, more intense runs (i.e., hill repeats) I'd cap at 45-60 min. I'd like to keep the run consistency up, but was not thinking I would run for the length of the bike workouts. Alternatively, they do have spin bikes there so I could attempt the bike workouts, but I feel I'd get more out of running.
As well, on the "bike" days, I planned on getting in the ocean to swim. I was thinking longer, steady state efforts, 1000-1500 meters, which given that I haven't swam in months will feel like a lot.
I'm cognizant of enjoying the vacation, but like I said, I've got the time and space to get some work done and relax, nap, play in the pool with kids, etc.
Is there anything you would change for my planned workouts that week? Anything I've not considered?
Thanks all!
@Jeff Phillips : Easy answer. Great opportunity to Swim 1000-1500m in the ocean every day and Run in the heat every day. I suspect that the consistent swims and heat will wear you down by the fourth straight day if you run too hard or long early. It’s a great opportunity to limit training time while taking advantage of a challenging environment. Everything will be exactly as you left it when you get back home :-)
@Mark Hickman that Parris Island Pool swim tho...
@John Culberson Still looking for tron myself. Keep plugging
@Bill Eckert I find that sometimes just bumping your power up to make the workouts harder naturally leads to an FTP bump during a zwift ride so the issue solves itself.
@Jeff Phillips Some recovery is never a bad idea, just go easy on the fruity liquor drinks.😁
So Thursday's KISS race made my hamstrings hurt for the first time that I can remember on the bike so of course I did the Hang on ride (or an hour of it) today. I bagged early to try and ride tomorrow but I see some serious yoga stretching in my future.
the whole concept of over 100 TSS in an hour is a rather new thing for me.
Sunday East Coast Hang on ride was a tech failure. Zwift logged me out, then it couldn't find my HR strap in spite of the new battery that I put in a week ago. Then the ride started and I tried to join but @Brian Hagan was the beacon and he was having tech issues so Zwift kept putting me on the mountain climb in the snow (I guess because it couldn't find the ride leader?). After the second or third try at joining, I just selected ride with someone in the group and it put me on the correct course, I rode like that for a couple of minutes and then hit the join ride button and I slipped in right in the middle of the first climb. Just my luck. But I got to do the ride even though I ended up solo or with a bunch of folks that I did not know for most of the time.
Zwift Rule: it is more fun to get dropped by folks you know than by folks that you do not know.
It was an interval kind of day and you can see that I was fading hard near the end with all that green. Total Bike TSS for the week of 437 and my hamstrings still feel that climb from Thursday's KISS race. On to next week.
Rough week with work rolling hard into Saturday; tried to ride today ~ got 105' in, but the legs just weren't there.
I finally signed up for a race; IM Victoria 70.3 on June 2, and coach has me rolling into the 70.3 plan...prob a bit late anyway. I'll continue to check in to throw out some mojo, but will be on a different workout routine. Guess that means it's time to swim:o)
Been a pleasure traveling the OS together.
Mark
@Ralph Moore I like that pool; not as tight as the one they do up north; though last year I did have someone "join" his friend in front of me, then proceeded to not swim as quickly as expected. His friend just beat me out for 2d, which made me saying hmmm....though it wouldn't have been close I had I not rode the loop around the block an extra time. Fun race either way.