The "Member Tips for the OS" Thread
Lots of new members on board, lots of members doing their first OS for us. Great to see and this is our 5th (?) OutSeason so this is not our first rodeo. I also have many members on board for whom this will be their 2-5th trip into the Pain Cave with us!
Every year we see the same issues so the intent of this post is to capture all of those community lessons learned. Here’s mine:
The OS is Hard Work
The while the vets are saying "no shit" right now, many of the new folks are/will be looking at the plans and saying "blah...5-7hrs...no sweat!" Notes:
- It's likely that your definition of "hard" or "work" was largely a function of time in the saddle or on the road. For example, you did a 1hr run on Thursday in week 1, 1:15 in Week 2, etc. Or your Saturday bike was 3hrs, then 3.5hrs, then 4hrs, etc. You turned up the training dial by turning up the volume dial. That's now how we do things here, especially in the OS.
- We keep the volume dial the same, pinned at ~5-7hrs per week, and then REALLY move the intensity dial around, a lot. So our "hard" is not your "hard." You will likely experience a bit of a disconnect between the two, especially in the first 4-6wks. We see this every year:
- You're used to doing this workout on Tuesday, your friends do that session on Wednesday, surely it can't hurt if I do this 3hr group ride on Sunday, and my marathon training group runs 1.5-2hrs on Sunday...I want to hang out with my buds! Understand that the OS plan, as you see it, is in about it's 9th generation of improvement.
Every workout, every session, and it's relationship to the other workouts around it ,has been honed, improved, and vetted. The more of your stuff that you try to hold onto, the more extra credit stuff you sneak in here and there, the more unaccounted variables you begin to introduce into the plan and the less predictable it becomes. Inevitably, because it happens every year, some of you will blow off this guidance and you'll crash and burn in about week 5 or 6. In other words, the plan will sneak up on you.
Vets: please share your tips with everyone!
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Comments
Also, FTP testing and run testing takes some practice. Don't worry if you don't get it perfect the first time. You will test again. And yes there will be differences in outdoor vs. outdoor testing. Just try to be consistent throughout the OS in your testing method.
Don't get hung up comparing #s with others. They only mean something for YOU. Running and riding is just as much a function of your weight, body comp, age, etc.
IMO - the best thing you can do in the OS - is be consistent in your training and your effort over the entire OS.
^^THIS^^ Save that 102% for your next FTP test.
Having to postpone the run portion of my Nov OS due to hip tendonitis. Doing the rehab work now but going to wait at least 4-6 weeks before trying again. 3 weeks rest wasn't enough in october.
To the point: Biking is fine with the hip. Should I just follow the plan as far as biking? Would it hurt to replace one or two of the runs with an additional bike or two in order to maintain frequency and capitalize on this time to boost my bike? How about throwing in some of that forbidden swimming?
After reading the above, thought you might have some ideas as to plan "enhancements".
There's no medal handed out for feeling like trash, getting exhausted and grumpy, snapping at your children, and generally being a lousy person. Not that I know anything about that personally...
Does anyone know where the thread for "How to pace your FTP test" lies? Can't find it and it has certainly helped me. The points that I recall (hoping they were as written)...
1. Take the first 20 min at your old or "realistic" FTP
2. Take the next 20 at your desired/reach FTP
Said differently, if you are redlining at 10 min in the odds of hanging in another 30 minutes are almost nil...
When i was at 200' ish after my first test with power, 3rd FTP test overall I started the first effort at 215. A 7% bump was more than the fitness I had. Made it through the first set and started the 2nd set and HR hit 170+ about 4 minutes in and pulled the pin at 10 minutes (most tests I average 155-157 and max at 168 at end of 2nd 20'). I simply took it out too hard...
@Jeff and Lauren:
o Course Selection:
o Outdoors, flat, uninterrupted is best. Helps to have training partners to encourage/whip you.
o Outdoors, on a hill is "ok," but try to do it your aerobars.
o Pacing: build into it during the first 6'. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) should level off from 6-~13'. At 12-14' you'll start looking at your timer. At 16', you are looking more frequently. 18-19' the clock goes backwards. Rest 2', repeat. If at 40' you feel as if you could have ridden for another minute, you didn't go hard enough. If you are in a nightmare at about 8' into the first interval, you went out too hard. Stop, rest, reset your head and either continue with the test or bag it for another day. Don't worry if you don't get it right the first time. It's common to see a large jump in FTP in the second test, as you're just able to pace it better and have a frame of reference for the numbers. As you train with power more you'll just "know" what you can and can't do and will have a number to shoot for.
My 2 cents on FTP gains in the OS. It depends on the fitness level you have coming in. For a first timer training with wattage there is more oppty. 5 - 10% I would say, could be more. Focus on w/kg improvement for that is really what makes you faster at the end of the day.....
SS
On the other hand I remember some ( I believe Linda patch) would hardly gain any watts in OS maybe 10 or so, then later in year she would see a big FTP gain of 20 or more.
In other words don't get all hung up wondering how much you gain. Just keep doing the work and at some point (depends on you) you'll see gains from all the hard work
By the way, I am not sure Trent is actually human after watching what he has done/achieved over 3 years.........amazing!
I would add: If you don't have a foam roller (I like Trigger Point) get one and use it regularly. Also stretch regularly. I did not have a foam roller last year and got through most of the OS without an issue but then when the volume ramped up I almost immediatly had IT band issues. Foam Roller made a huge difference and got me through IMLP. I am now very good at stretching and using the roller as part of my body maint. plan. Get into the habit now during the OS to avoid issues later on. Your body will thank you.
To add to the whole Overachieving discussion. Seems like a lot of folks hit a mental and physical wall at week 16 or so...just keep that in mind while your overachieving during week 5. just sayin.
Good luck.
Also, to forestall the inevitable questions: no, you do not ever do 2 bike workouts or 2 run workouts in the same day. Even if you think that the plan calls for 2 bike workouts on a Monday, you should only do 1. There are bike/run days, but no bike/bike days or run/run days.
My $0.02: The world is not flat. Shocking, I know!
RECOVERY! Sleep and nutrition. Even though the sessions aren' t all that long, it is quite possible to burn through all of your body's glycogen stores in one good FTP or TP interval session. It is imperative to follow the rule of replacing that glycogen right away (within 2 hours) by eating sufficient carbs with a protein boost during that time. CHocolate milk, Jamba Juice smoothie, whatever works for you. just don't forget to eat after you work! Otherwise, you'll be bonking 15-20 minutes into the next day's effort and wonder what went wrong. Ditto on replacing the water you sweat off (remember the fan - it's just sucking that water right out of you), along with what you expire (all that heavy breathing.)
This advice applies EVEN IF YOU ARE TRYING TO WORK ON BODY COMP. Once you replace that sugar you used up, then you can have a salad for dinner, with a lean piece of fish, to help manage your body comp,. But don't use the workout itself as a weight reduction tool.
And sleep - your brain is driving the muscles, and if you don't give it time to recuperate at night, it won't to its job the next day. 6 hours a night won't cut it, day after day.
Thanks for that tip Jenn! To be honest, I'm new to power (2 1/2 weeks and counting) and the WKO+ software and I haven't looked at my runs in the WKO+!
Andi
Last year was my first OS and first experience with power. I agree that constantly overachieving on the intervals will get to you eventually. In particular in the third section of the OS where there are a lot of really long FTP sets -- mentally I got cooked with all the 2x20's at the end...it is tough.
All that said, for a beginner and/or someone new to power I do think that overachieving the intervals is acceptable, in particular at the beginning of the OS. I say this because
(a) it is possible (heck, likely) that your first FTP test was not paced properly and your FTP is measured low
(b) the rate of FTP gains is so rapid, and the magnitude so striking, that it is very likely that an IF of 1.03 is actually <1 only a few weeks after your first test <br />
Obviously you need to be cautious about this. I'm the first to admit that overachieving on intervals probably was the biggest factor in my week 15-18 "crash and re-set". But I also went from FTP of 211 to 248 really quickly, and after week 3-5 there is no way that doing intervals at 215 was even close to 100% of FTP,
When you get to the VO2 max block on the bike, realize that 2.5/2.5 is really hard. But it is worth it. I know this year it is "your choice" as to how you want to accumulate the"on" time. The in-season plans used 30/30 this year and I can say without a doubt that the 2.5/2.5 was way harder -- but I truly believe way more effective -- than the 30/30. I'm sure there is a middle-ground (maybe 1.5/1.5??), but I urge you not to take the easy way out on those workouts.
Regarding running, I think the EN approach of frequent short runs is just great. I think those brick runs were really effective. For personal scheduling efficiency I'll probably do more bricks than "run_second" this year. I think a lot of people tend to bag the brick runs after a hard bike, but I think they're critically important.
On the flip side, don't overdo it on running. Last year when I got really busy with travel and had to miss some bike workouts I tried to "replace" the biking with running. It was a poorly-executed idea that led to injury. My weekly mileage / running time went way up too quickly. You'll notice that the OS gradually builds the run volume at the end to prepare you for transition into the in-season IM and HIM plans...that is one of the really well-designed aspects of the OS. I wouldn't recommend dialing up run volume faster or more than the OS plans have specified.
Don't be afraid to take a day off. The plan may call for 2x20's on Xmas and Thanksgiving. Blow them off and spend time with the family. Even if you take a week off, don't give up. Just get back on the plan and get through the season. It will pay off.
Gains come when you don't expect it so don't get discouraged.
If your legs are not feeling a little buzzed 24/7 after week two of the out season you're probably not pushing hard enough
The most important thing is to try and make the intervals. Total time, average HR or power over the ride mean nothing. Making the 3x8 intervals on the bike trumps a 2 hr Z2 ride everyday.
If I don't make the intervals a couple of times in a row, I drop watts by 10-20% to get my mojo back. Makes a big difference.
You can almost kill yourself on the bike but be careful running. Much higher risk of injury.
Have fun.
Hold yourself accountable by posting to EN.
Have fun
this may only be a rec for those of us that are "older", but I find that I do much better on both bike and run intervals when I do a thorough job of warming up. Last year, I didn't really do that through the OS, but changed it this year and have found it easier to hit and then stay on pace.
Stand down when you get fatigued – before it is too late.
Others have spoken of over-achieving, fueling, nutrition and sleep. The OS will get you if you don’t pay attention and address the specifics identified by others.
This is my second year in the Haus and second OS. I came in from a running background and mostly old-school training – ie Volume, volume, volume, oh yeah add some speed/hills in after you get enough volume going. The classic case of managing fatigue on the verge of over training.
Chronic fatigue, like the kind you get from lots of volume, especially running combined with anything else is easy to identify. It’s like a freight train. You see it coming for a long time and you can keep on doing stuff. Eventually you take the hint and get off the tracks as the train gets closer. That’s why rest weeks are so important in periodized training that everyone else is doing.
Fatigue resulting from low volume, high intensity work (every workout in the OS) is sneaky. You don’t see it coming till it is on top of you. Sticking with the train analogy – it is a ‘bullet’ train coming at you at 200 mph. By the time you see the train, you need to move or else you get run over.
The result? Energy? … In the toilet. Mojo? … In the toilet. FTP and vDot? … Begin to drift down. If, or when you get here, skipping 1 or 2 workouts isn’t going to be enough. A week off might not be enough either.
I was one of those who just had to add more running in. Turkey Challenge, Holiday Challenge, Boston Hack, etc Then following the VO2 Max sessions, I suddenly realized I was so fatigued that a week of back country ski camping (which I love) did little to recharge my batteries. It took me several weeks after that of missing or doing half-ass efforts before I got back to normal. But truth be told, with Boston looming I did keep the running miles going……
If I had only listened and backed off sooner (like Christmas) I wouldn’t have missed out on 4+ weeks quality training. Crappy, fatigue ridden sessions are no where near as productive or useful as a well nourished and rested session.
Stand down, eat, hydrate and rest if you get fatigued to save you from yourself. You’ll be glad you did.