Testus interruptus
That's actually kind of a disturbing subject now that I look at it.
Last night I rode down to a local park that has a nice ~2k loop around it. Decided to do an impromptu FTP test - wanted to finally break 250 in aero.
First 20' - NP 249. Not bad.
2' rest - AP 195
Second 20' - was cruising along and feeling surprisingly spry 10' in. I figured I would pick it up a bit from 10-15', then bury myself for the last 5'. Nice plan. At about 12' in I notice a police cruiser loitering suspiciously close to a stop sign that cyclists usually (and, in our defense, quite safely) blow through. So I dutifully stop and then hammer back up to speed. Fortunately he's gone when I get back from the next loop, but all of a sudden, every damn car in the whole damn parking lot is leaving at once. Turns out there had been a concert in the amphitheatre that let out with 4 minutes to go in my damn test. Was that enough damns? So the last 4 minutes was an exercise in complete frustration, turning around, trying to safely dodge traffic, etc.
2nd 20' - NP 242
42'? 244. 2 lower than my last test.
FML!
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Comments
I've usually ridden the 2' closer to 160 watts, which has very little impact on my average power when i look at the ride afterwards. Maybe I'm not thinking about it the right way...
Congrats!
Hey Mike - thanks. Very good point/question. I think you've got it right and I'm a little off.
I remember when I did FTP tests on the trainer this winter, I was so beat after the first 20' that I collapsed for the 2' rest and was probably closer to 120 or something for the 2'. Outside it's a bit different and I find I don't need as much of a recovery. Last week wasn't a conscious effort to try keep it high (and in fact there is a slight elevation gain/loss around the loop, so perhaps I was recovering on the up so therefore slightly higher watts) but perhaps subconsciously I really wanted that 250 so wanted to keep it rolling. Of course you're absolutely right, and the fact that it's normalized and not average means that 2' means even less.
But to keep on the psychoanalysis theme, if I overanalyze further, I'm starting to think that while I can bury myself for shorter periods of time, I can't necessarily extend that commensurately to longer efforts. i.e. I look at my 20'-2'-20' pNorm and think "wait, I'm meant to be able to hold that for 60 minutes straight?!" So perhaps this was an attempt at swinging a little closer, mentally, towards a true 60 minute test. I know the 42' test is an approximation of FTP (just like 95% of 20' after some hard warmup is) - but I've also read that those estimates overpredict for some people and I'm starting to think I'm one of those. It's only a few percent here or there and I can adjust by being less aggressive with targets, but it's bouncing around in my head I suppose.
Great thought provoking comment - thanks.
CoachP - thanks - I'll take an honorary membership in the 250 club but won't update my sig until I actually see it in WKO.