Screwed up another test...

trigirl1203 · December 27, 2011 5:34PM

Dont know what I should do- Was doing my 8 week bike test today, did my first 20 min, 2 min easy, then began my next 20'. Right away I realized I wasn't hitting anywhere near my interval, not even close to my "comfort" riding watts...about 30 watts under what I do normal intervals at. I just could not get anywhere near where I usually do rides at, so about 7' into the 2nd interval, I bagged the workout. I am crazy frustrated-I dont know what went wrong. I did not go out too hard on the first 20 either. I still have to run test this week, too...but I realized I need to retest. I still dont know what happened. Any advice/feedback on what happened and/or when to retest? Thanks

GMAN 19030 · December 27, 2011 6:20PM

Rest, relax and fight another day. Remember it's just a workout. It's not like someone kicked your puppy.

When you say you screwed up another test... when was that and was it similar in nature? My first thoughts are that you went out too hard the first 20' despite thinking you didn't. That's usually the culprit.

What power meter do you use? Was it zeroed, calibrated and measuring properly?

Were you properly fueled and hydrated going into the workout?

AS far as retesting... maybe this weekend.

Daniela · December 27, 2011 8:35PM

30 watts under normal interval watts is really low considering I think you're power is under 200. Have you zeroed lately? Do you have a LYC or Joule, or something else? Did you do the 2x20' intervals last week? What was your power for those? What was your power for the first 20' of the test?

Trent Prough · December 27, 2011 9:02PM

I agree with others on checking on the zeroing etc... If that all turns out OK and you have been hitting watts on intervals in training then maybe you are just one of those that just can't test or seem to blow it on test day. I went through a faze like it one year and just got to the point were you have to swag the FTP based on workouts etc... You can usually feel a bump in fitness and can maybe do an impromptu test during a workout that is going good one day, then you can get in a sneaky test without all the anxiety going into it. Make sense?

Like others have said... remember its all just a game, have fun, and at worst you got in a killer workout that reduced you to stoppping. that don't happen often.

cgres123 · December 27, 2011 9:19PM

I think it is just because its Monday after a Holiday weekend. Lots of good food , family and friends sleeping a little different etc. etc.. AND its Monday, did I say say that ? Bike test on a Wed or Thur or Sat... not Mondays.

trigirl1203 · December 27, 2011 11:02PM

Thanks all....anyone have advice on when to attempt a retest? especially considering i have
a run test this week too...

trigirl1203 · December 27, 2011 11:16PM

And my power for the first 20 was 165 not that much higher than my first ftp test...which is a lot lower than ive been achieving on my workouts. and i have not zeroed since i got power 2 months ago....dont even know how...

cgres123 · December 28, 2011 5:00AM

Depends on your PT CPU / little yellow thing / Garmin/ that you are using the procedure is in the book that comes with it. It is easy though takes about a minute. I suggest you complete your week with your run test as scheduled then next Wed/Thur test again for FTP and hop back onto your OS plan.

GMAN 19030 · December 28, 2011 7:43AM

Posted By Lauren Parello on 27 Dec 2011 11:16 PM

And my power for the first 20 was 165 not that much higher than my first ftp test...which is a lot lower than ive been achieving on my workouts. and i have not zeroed since i got power 2 months ago....dont even know how...

I still think you went out too hard. The first 20' was at a higher number than your previous FTP. How much higher? Something seemingly trivial like 5% can be a killer (and 5% in the 150-160W range is only 7 or 8W). When testing, I ride the first 20' around my old FTP and the second 20' is where all the work happens. It sounds like you were expecting a number 30W higher? That's like 20% above what you had previously done. It would be extremely rare to see a 20% increase in FTP in that short of time.

What kind of power meter and head unit are you using? We can walk you through how to zero/calibrate your power meter.

jhbinsc · December 28, 2011 8:45AM

Good advice here. We need to help you learn how to zero your PM for sure. What was your RPE/exertion level during test? How about heart rate? Were these about what you expected or higher/lower? Just wondering if it was a PM issue or a fatigue/illness issue.

Daniela · December 28, 2011 9:02AM

If you were able to hit above your FTP for the intervals the previous weeks and was below that for your FTP, I think it's calibration vs taking it out too hard. Or fatigue/illness. If you took the day off before the teat and are feeling great, then I'd go with needing to zero. Most people that are new to power and keep up with the works will see large gains between the first and second tests, especially if you're seeing the gains in your normal workouts.

Did you do the bike test on Monday as scheduled? If so, I would do the run test today (as scheduled), rest tomorrow, and do the bike test on Friday, then back on schedule.

trigirl1203 · December 28, 2011 9:30AM

Thanks everyone-I have the CycleOps Joule I bought through the EN deal. Ya, I took a day off before (Monday) then did the test yesturday. I did my first FTP test in Nov and my norm watts were 160, but for all the Z4 intervals the past 4-6 weeks I've been well over 160 (at or above 170, for that matter, some days closer to 175-180). So I figured I was getting those quick improvements...thus started my test where Ive been training the last 4-6 weeks.

Daniela · December 28, 2011 9:37AM

Here's a video on how to zero the torque on a Joule, although mine was slightly different....
http://www.cycleops.com/instructional-videos.html

It looks like you should be able to tell if it's off or not.

This is for Joules that are set up for manual zeroing. I have mine set up for automatic zeroing, which seems to me that I should never have to deal with zeroing, but I could be wrong.

trigirl1203 · December 28, 2011 9:50AM

Thanks Daniela-I also set up auto zeroing so I wont have to do that again. Since I half-tested yesturday, do you think today would be too soon to try and retest? Or should I take today off, run test Thurs, and re test the bike Friday?

Daniela · December 28, 2011 9:57AM

I would put at least one day of rest before the bike test. Personally, I would run test today, rest tomorrow, bike test friday. Or, rest today, bike test tomorrow, run test friday. And, maybe swap saturday and sunday's workouts.

GMAN 19030 · December 28, 2011 10:36AM

Posted By Lauren Parello on 28 Dec 2011 09:30 AM

Thanks everyone-I have the CycleOps Joule I bought through the EN deal. Ya, I took a day off before (Monday) then did the test yesturday. I did my first FTP test in Nov and my norm watts were 160, but for all the Z4 intervals the past 4-6 weeks I've been well over 160 (at or above 170, for that matter, some days closer to 175-180). So I figured I was getting those quick improvements...thus started my test where Ive been training the last 4-6 weeks.

There in lies your answer. You went out too hard. It's that simple.

For the next test, try what I mentioned earlier: ride the first 20' at or just slightly above your previous FTP, really rest and spin easy for 2' and incrementally kill it the last 20' (by incrementally I mean build during that 20' and not fade during that 20')..

Keith Wick · December 28, 2011 10:56AM

This is how I like to think of testing in terms of breaking up the time:
1st interval:
5' about 5 watts below last FTP
5' at last FTP
last 10' start to push the # up each 3', while assessing your body and that it has to repeat another 20'; if you don't feel you can increase after the first or second increase, then just sit on this number

2nd interval:
5' at FTP
5'- either maintain FTP or push to your previous 3' level from interval 1
5'- maintain watts from 3' level or increase
5'- push, push, push- this is a mental game at this point to just not quit!!!

samritter · December 28, 2011 12:52PM

x2 on the possibility of holiday food. I experienced that BIG TIME on cyber-monday. My company brought in lunch for us: Fried Chicken, mash potatoes and gravy, mac'n'cheese, biscuits. I was hungry, I ate, I felt it for 4 days.

Also, want to echo what others have said on the pacing. It takes a while to get the pacing on these tests! This is my second OS, and I just had my first test where the two 20' intervals were essentially even split. 1-2 watts difference, and I fought for it!

Keep at it. Take a rest day and retest. Like Coach P just told me, the speed is there, just stay focused.

trigirl1203 · December 28, 2011 4:03PM

Thanks for all the help everyone-Im run testing tomorrow am, then re testing on the bike Friday. Ill keep you all posted

Dino Sarti · January 1, 2012 6:09PM

This thread was a really great read! I am doing my very first 2x20' test with Power tomorrow.....

GMAN 19030 · January 1, 2012 6:18PM

Follow Keith's advice and you'll be good to go.

Sue Chapman · January 1, 2012 8:38PM

@Lauren - I found this when searching for ways to get through the FTP test - wrote down the breakdown of intervals that Matt A. describes and the expectations of increased watts - it helps me with pacing through the tests - although they still really suck!

http://members.endurancenation.us/Training/TrainingForums/tabid/101/aft/4456/Default.aspx

Screwed up another test...

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