Help me avoid re-testing my FTP
subtitle: I'm an idiot
OK, so I did the week 1 OS test about a week and a half ago. Finished up at 210, a little surprised at how low the number seemed relative to my effort, but I really hadn't been riding much for the previous 5 months, so I could believe it. Did the Thursday and Saturday workouts at the expected efforts, and they felt about right. OK, so I've got a lot of work ahead of me.
Fast forward to Saturday, and I read the 'blinking transmission icon on the LYC' thread, and think to myself "self, your LYC has had a blinking transmission icon for quite some time, at least a month, probably more like 2-3 months. I should probably get some 357-type batteries and do something about that"
Around the same time as that conversation, I also start wondering if letting the battery get too low could start to cause transmission dropouts (like those long pauses in the blinking LYC icon I've been seeing...), and think, maybe, that could be related to the gap between my RPE and the watts I was seeing.
Long story short (too late!), I replace the batteries last night, get on the bike to give her a spin, and instantly see +30 watts at an easy Z1-type effort (based on RPE). OK, hold on, that is a tough RPE to really feel, maybe there's some placebo effect going on here. So I close my eyes, try to imagine FTP effort for about a minute, then back off, and open them, and I'm easily 15+ watts over what I tested at.
So, I'm left with an FTP test (and training zones) that are not really indicative of the situation right now. My first reaction was "OK, I'll just sneak a test in tomorrow instead of the Tuesday intervals", but being that I get a bit OCD about testing, the little voice in the back of my head is saying "maybe just take a SWAG at it, and train for a week or two, and see how it goes."
So, in the absence of test data -or- a meaningful 28 day chart in WKO, and since the OS plan starts with a bunch of shorter stuff that's easy to slightly overcook, how would you proceed to get a reasonable SWAG for the next couple of weeks' workouts?
Thanks for your thoughts!
Comments
Mike,
I think you should do an hour of power - straight 60' FTT. That'll surely give you your true FT.
Seriously, I know you, so I won't even offer advice. You're gonna retest.
However, you might want to do the intervals at what you think your FT is this week, see how you feel, then maybe test on Sat?
After all, it's just 2x20' right?
Dave
I would just starting doing the OS as written but make sure I'm in the RPE head space for the intervals and watch the outcome. If you start seeing 1.08 - 1.12 for the intervals and it doesn't impact your workouts down stream, just bumped it up in the wko.
When the OS started, after a few weeks, I just bumped it up as I was seeing bigger and bigger numbers. I aonly have the head space for a few tests in the winter and didn't want to blow oen 2-3 weeks into the OS.
If it is easier follow this protocol:
w/u
1x5 all out
5 min recover
1x20 for FTP
subtract 5% and there is your FTP.
Its a bit easier than a full blown 42 minute set.
Mike, a month or so ago I didn't feel like testing for the pre os work and I hadn't ridden since Sept. but I had been running. A few peopled suggested an 8-10% drop or your last FTP was about right to guess at, and after doing my real test last week, it was right on. I want to say coach Rich was one of them who suggested it, and I think he may have suggested 8% drop, but I can't be sure. Anyway, good luck... could you do the shorter Coggan test protocol now to suffice for the remaining weeks until the next time? Just a thought and its half the time, it should give you a close enough number.
Dan
Mike:
i'm no Halligan, but i say just keep on truckin' with the OS and go to that evil place every single MS session, until it's time to test again.
whenever i have had to test outside of the schedule, all the other sessions get short changed (because i don't want to tire myself out for the bike test) and the schedule gets thrown off, etc.
if you like to track the numbers, however, then test after 4 weeks of the OS. This will allow you some time to get back into shape. your result for a test now, after 5 months of relative inactivity, will not be a true representation of the Halligan inside of you. after 4 weeks, however, all the cobwebs get shaken out and your result will be much more useful.
GH
But I'm also with Halligan. Doesn't matter what we say- you are probably gonna retest anyway
Retest
What Hayes said. No need to stress about another FT test.
You have been around long enough to know when things feel right or not. Bump the FT to 230/240 and see how it feels. Then adjust as/if needed. You will have a chance again in 4 weeks to dial it in. Until then, sand bag and throw out some massive IF numbers.
Did I not ride with a guy who told me he is going through this OS twice???? Wait a minute, was that YOU?????
Plenty of time!
My first impulse is there's plenty of time to retest, and you can swag your FT with the best of them. That said, if there was EVER a time to retest, it's NOW. The intervals are short, the crushing part has not kicked in. Go rogue, retest if you want, BUT, BUT, BUT go rogue for the rest of the week too, and recover from that damn thing. Do not start uilding the 2x20 test deficit now. You know what to do to manage it if you want to retest--just make yourself do the recovery. Take the extra day off, skip the run intervals, whatever. You know what I'm talking about!
No, seriously, I have 3 days of skiing planned for this weekend, along with hot tub time and time spent not chasing the kids, so I'm feeling pretty good about my recovery plan for the week. If nothing else, 2x20 is always a good workout, so what the heck! I'll report back in the morning.
I can usually determine my FTP within a few watts based on my ventilatory threshold during FTP work. I'm betting you probably know your body well enough to do the same.
That being said, looks like the peanut gallery wants blood so retest! 2 x 20' or even 1 x 20' all out is great work!
Have fun, Jeff
Well, I felt good this morning, so I went for it. Amazing what $4.65 will buy you:
42min
13.46 mi
NP 239
HR 163
By 5 min increments, the first interval was 235, 236, 238, 246. The second was 238, 239, 244, 255.
So, I'll train on an FTP of 240, which is higher than I would have guessed, so it was worthwhile. Kinda interesting that it's about 2 watts off my outdoor high during the IM build. Amazing how much better I'm resting these days after surgery.
@Linda, I've got my compression tights on today, and I promise no hard intervals tomorrow!
Thanks all for the insight and recommendations! I'll feel better about myself today knowing that Patrick thinks I did the studly thing ;-)
Mike
240 is certainly a lot higher than 210. Now you get to pay the price for that higher FTP during your intervals.
Mike, that's pretty impressive, for only ridden for the past 2 weeks. That's what, 10+ watts short of last season? Great work man.
Dan
I saw this too late. But just for future reference, it seems to me that a "re-test" when something like that happens that's a little less traumatic is to do the 1 x 3' (then full recovery) then 1 x 20'. That gives you two data points that are going to be pretty darn close:
The 1 x 20 seems to be (by general consensus) about 5% too high, i.e., mulitply that number by 0.95.
Having the 3' and the 20' lets you do a two point "critical power" fit (e.g., using the little utility in the free Golden Cheetah, or you can look up the formula and calculate by hand)
Cheers,
William
Nice work. And you are correct about the Joule, did not realize that you were wired. They do have a trade in deal on those also...
@Dan, thanks, man. Last season I think I only got to 247 before the blow-up, and out on the road only ever got back to 242. I think that starting the OS well rested now that i can breathe again is going to pay some big dividends!
@William, I'd thought about doing just that, but in retrospect I'm glad I didn't. I've now got two tests in the books where I feel like I absolutely nailed the pacing (after reading the suggestions in the how to pace an FTP test thread), which is giving me quite a bit of confidence for future tests. I may swap a workout later in the OS to do one of those prior to the VO2 phase. Also, now, 8 minute intervals really will feel short!