NOS Bike Wk 5 - Get your test on!
OK, we have been working hard for the last 4 weeks, this is where we begin to see results.
Since Thanksgiving is this week, feel free to adjust the actual schedule of your test to ensure that you are well-rested and do not have too much turkey in your belly. If that means Tuesday, Test Tuesday. If the Weekend works better for your situation, test this weekend. Get your head around it and just go as hard as you can. Be sure to time it so you can do your run test well rested also...
There are several threads that discuss actual test protocols, pick what works for you and do it.
Post your results here.
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I’m planning a Thursday morning test, then I can enjoy the feast.
@David Ambrose That sounds like a good plan.
It looks like I will do a regular Tuesday ride tonight and plan on Doing the Bump Race Sunday night when I pull back into the station after the hectic holiday travel. I will just concentrate on keeping the run going while travelling out of town.
I am so looking forward to those long intervals this afternoon .... NOT!
I would just like to take this moment to say how AMAZING all of the EN folks did at IM Cozumel and IMAZ! Coach P truly leads by example. If this is your first OS, their results are a very real demonstration of just how well the EN training prepares one for race day! See the Mojo and become a part of the group to share that. Whether your workout was good or felt crappy, log it, recover from it, and go on to the next workout. Just stick to the plan as written, you will get there (even if it doesn't seem like it during test week).
@Coach Patrick @Al Truscott @Stephanie Stevens @Gary Lewis @Shaughn Simmons @Dana Burns @Brian Hagan @Kori Martini @Sid Wavrin @tim cronk @Rich Stanbaugh @Satish Punna @robin sarner @Jason Brandt @Lynsey Fugate @Toni Buck @Simon Shurey @DAVID RICHMOND @Jeff Phillips @Ken Mclaughlin @Kyle Kolquist
I tried the bump ride last night but had technical difficulties after about five miles (not with Zwift, AppleTV + TV + receiver all powered down!). I did the ramp test just to get something done. May try the Bump Race again next week.
@David Ambrose I'm doing my run test on Thursday morning 😁
@Ralph Moore Yup! We've got a very inspirational team that knows now to get 'er done!
@Jennifer Eckert How did the test go?
@Ralph Moore it went okay! My numbers were the same from March 2019, 3 months prior to IM Victoria...so I feel like I have a good platform to continue to build on. I always wonder how much more I can improve (at 66) or if I'm destined to plateau!! thanks for asking..hope your testing went well also!
Let me preface this by saying that I decided (for some unknown reason) that I should do the advanced OS bike workouts this year. I confess that I was feeling pretty strong from a pretty solid year of Zwift and steady riding and after hitting an all time high FTP in September at age 56, I was aiming a bit high.
This is the point where Coach Ralph tells Athlete Ralph to stand down.
I have noticed that the Tuesday and Thursday workouts have been seeming to get harder over the past week. Nothing big but just heart rate a little high and power a little low. Then this happened on Sun AM
That little HR spike is an absolute indication that I am going too hard. It usually only happens when my Chronic Training Load gets too high. I tried to do a race tonight and 6 min in my HR was way up so I bailed. FYI, I have been checked by a Cardiologist and that is not dangerous but it is abnormal.
SO, here is my plan going forward: 1. download the level 2 bike focused Zwift Workouts, 2. Recover this week with some light running and Zone 5 eating. 3. try to race the bump Race Sunday or Monday if I am rested. 4. pick up my OS workouts next week with the Level 2 workouts.
As for the test, I think I can still get a good test with a solid few days of recovery. Happy Holidays Team.
Bike test went well, not great as I felt some residual leg fatigue during the warm up. I ended up with a modest 3.3% boost in FTP which I’m actually happy with. I followed up with a nice run afterwards simply cause it was showering and I love running in rain showers.
Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone!
You are too kind! But you are also correct. Every year we build speed in
the winter, and you folks are doing a really hard work right now that’s
going to set up next year. Can’t wait to see how much fitness you build
together!
~ Coach P
So, Test week was a bit of a fail for me. I was out of town and off of the bike most of the week and I had planned to recover bit and hit the Bump race tonight. I got "bumped" off the back pretty early and my HR was still higher than usual. Then my HR monitor died, probably battery, not sure, so I had to back off a bit to make sure I did not get too high.
Then I started my sprint too far from the finish and got nipped at the line. Not the race I had hoped for but that is how it goes some days.
My 20 min power was way low so I am going to keep my FTP right where it is for now. We will see how the next test goes. Onward to Week 6.
@Ralph Moore I tried the bump race last Monday and had some technical difficulties. I punted and did the ramp test. I'm planning a bump race do over tonight.
@Janyne Kizer Go hard for the first 4 min to hang with the group and then the pace typically backs off. Good Luck!