FTP Pace Help Please

Mini transit

 Yesterday, I tried to complete my first OS FTP test. Completed a 15min warm up including the 3 x 30" sprints. I picked a target wattage which I thought was going to be very easy and after 3 minutes of hammering was completely wasted. I ended up having a 2 minute rest and doing 1' Hard/1' Easy until I was fed up. Admittedly I probably dont know what cycling pain is and I probably need to recalibrate my pain levels. For some background this is my first go back into cycling after 18 years and an extra 30Kg of excess bagage. My respect goes out to the EN community that hammer these out each week.

So how should I go about pacing myself so I last 2 x 20mins?

jhbinsc

If you lasted 3 minutes, I'd say you were overly optimisitic. Do you have any previous data from your PM on other rides you've done recently that you perceive as "tough" or "hard"? Might want to look at your best Norm Power over one hour in last month or so and aim for that for the first attempt then work on improving that number and learning to pace better and what your body is capable of as you progress! Good luck and hang in there,it gets better!

Daniela

There is some good information in this forum post....
http://members.endurancenation.us/Training/TrainingForums/tabid/101/aft/7547/Default.aspx

Tom Glynn

If I've cracked a few times on intervals I'll scale my estimates way back to make sure I make the next set. Then I will begin to ratchet up the power again. I'd try the test again, but at 50% of the power you were trying to hold. If it works, retest again a week or two later with a slightly higher goal. These tests are mostly mental and the more tricks up your sleeve, the better!

Gordon Cherwoniak

It will be difficult if you have no benchmarks.  Are you in Jan OS or just starting late in the Dec OS?  Do you have any heart rate data, idea of a max HR?  I use these metrics as well in a test in part to see if the pain is mental and I can keep pushing or I am really working too hard early on. 

If you have time until january I'd say just get some harder workouts in to get a feel for the PM.  Other than that the guidance in the other thread is great.

Also if you have not been doing any exercise you might want to consider a couple weeks of pre-OS workouts http://members.endurancenation.us/R...g+Guidance then start up in January with a test.

Gordon

 

Al Truscott

Tom suggested 50% of your test effort level, either watts or HR. 3 minutes to failure is maybe closer to 125-130% of FTP, so aiming for 70-75% of the effort level you were at on the failed test might be a good starting point. Also, doing the first 5-10 minutes @ 5-10% below that would be a good pacing strategy.

Mini transit

Thanks everyone for your help. Im looking forward to having another go next week using the advice youve provided. Ill start at 66% of the level I was doing for the first go and try and ramp it up from there. Ill let you know how it goes

GMAN 19030

Posted By Philip Lowe on 15 Dec 2011 02:50 AM 

 I picked a target wattage which I thought was going to be very easy and after 3 minutes of hammering was completely wasted.

 

The sadist in me loves reading stuff like that!  The first FTP test is usually an eye opening experience to many.

I agree with backing off 25% or 30%.  You probably picked a number that was more VO2 than it was FTP.

Mini transit

@Bob It was a shock thats for sure. I was thinking 200Watts seems so far away

Mini transit

When Im doing my intervals my watts varies a great deal. What Wattage numbers have you setup on your Head unit? Im using a Garmin 705 and 310Xt and am assuming that you watch the 30sec average watts?

How often should I calibrate my Garmin/Powertap?

GMAN 19030

I use 3 sec average. 30s averaging can be an issue going up a hill or riding into the wind because you could be killing yourself for 30 seconds before you realize you are killing yourself. Make sense?

GMAN 19030

Posted By Philip Lowe on 16 Dec 2011 01:39 PM

@Bob It was a shock thats for sure. I was thinking 200Watts seems so far away

 

I think a lot of first time FTP'ers get caught up in seeing some of the FTP numbers posted around here and think it's a good baseline for them as well.

Matt Samojeden

Posted By Philip Lowe on 16 Dec 2011 01:47 PM



How often should I calibrate my Garmin/Powertap?

Philip.  I calibrate ,  manual zero the power tap before every ride.  You definitely want to do it before a FTP test.  

 

david ware

If you are doing it inside, also check the tire pressure...

Chris M.

Everyone is different but I would also warm up longer.  I would explode after 3 minutes too if I had only warmed up for 15:00.  

Carl

I agree everyone is way diff. I only warm up for 10 min and then do 3x1 min VO max and I play around some, I also do a few minutes of 100-110 rpm in a lower gear.

I look at WKO and see where it has my power at over the last 30 days. I then start about 10% below that and hold it for 10 minutes. Then put it into a bigger gear for the next ten minutes and slowly build. The last 5 minutes I just unlease the inner beast.

The two minute break I try not to allow myself to drop below 70% of my last FTP.

The second 20 minute I start out the same but try to start at 5 watts above where I was at for the first 20 min interval and do the exact same thing.

Again, I am a way different animal and this is what works the best for me.

jayadams

Posted By Carl Noftsger on 21 Dec 2011 11:22 AM

I agree everyone is way diff. I only warm up for 10 min and then do 3x1 min VO max and I play around some, I also do a few minutes of 100-110 rpm in a lower gear.



I look at WKO and see where it has my power at over the last 30 days. I then start about 10% below that and hold it for 10 minutes. Then put it into a bigger gear for the next ten minutes and slowly build. The last 5 minutes I just unlease the inner beast.



The two minute break I try not to allow myself to drop below 70% of my last FTP.



The second 20 minute I start out the same but try to start at 5 watts above where I was at for the first 20 min interval and do the exact same thing.



Again, I am a way different animal and this is what works the best for me.

I've got your number now, Carl...I'm coming for you!

 

(Please disregard that I outweigh you by 35 lbs...nothing to see here, nothing to see, move along...)

Carl

 Just a huge 

jhbinsc

@Philip SO how'd the retest go???

jhbinsc

@Carl Better stop giving away your secrets...LOL

William Jenks

If you don't mind using yet another piece of software,the CP chart in Golden Cheetah will give you a very good idea of what your FTP is going into the test...just looking at the last 30 days or something of that sort. It does a linearization of a time range of something like 1 - 100 min and gives a best fit to the classic "critical power" equation, which is highly correlated to FTP. I usually find I test 3-5 W higher than what GC calls my CP.

William Jenks

Tire pressure doesn't matter if you're using a PM on a trainer... the only thing it would affect is how "far" you go.

If you are trying to "race" then you get faster per W by lowering your rolling resistance, which generally means higher tire pressure. But if you're worried about tire pressure, you also have to worry about the tension on the clamp!

Mini transit

Wow, lots of great advice here. Thanks all.

@Jeff Rich has done a new season plan that start with OS in January -so its a good excuse to delay the pain. Im traveling back to NZ for Xmas so will not start until back in Oz early Jan (I don't have a PM/bike in NZ). Im looking forward to getting going in January.

Mini transit

Finally got started with my January OS and did my FTP test last night. Managed to get orugh it well; although I could hardly stand at the end and was a light headed. It was tough. Stuck on a Spinerval DVD on the theatre big screen and started interval 1 at low watts and kept increasing it by 5-10 watts every couple of minutes. Struggled to hang in there for the second interval but got there in the end. FTP ended up being 7 watts higher on the second interval (started interval 2 at what I felt was my limit). FTP was higher than I expected. Now I feel like Im doing it the EN way!

Now Ive just got to keep increasing it.

Phil

Coach Patrick

@Phil way to get it done and thanks to everyone for your support! Test #2 is easier if only b/c you know what you are doing....the pain comes from making it hurt!