SWAG power before FTP test

gamb

Preface:  I've read the wiki and have seen the alternate testing methods. I have purchsed the Power webinar and read through that once and will read again.  I have not purchased WKO yet as I need to setup a windows machine at the house, both of mine are macs and I'm looking at Golden Cheetah right now

Question: Anyone ever SWAG their power before the FTP test comes up in the training plan?  I got my power meter on the bike the weekend after my FTP test was on the schedule (I'm in week 14 of the HIM plan).  I've ridden the long rides and done a couple of sessions with Zone 4 work.  Could I use those intervals to kinda SWAG a FTP until the test comes around?  I'm still monitoring HR and making sure that's making sense and the effort goes along with what I'm used to.  My Z4 intervals have been between 245 and 260 watts rolling terrain.

I set my FTP at 260 watts and using the spreadsheet looks like 200W is my number according to this (260 * .77)

My saturday ride this weekend is the race pace brick so I thought I'd use the spreadsheet and do some fancy ciphering and see how that works (of course I'll monitor HR and effort also)

Am I way off here?  Ok Idea for the weekend Race Pace Brick coming up? considering I'll be monitoring the HR and RPE

Peter Greagg

Jamie — when you are new to power, IMO you should ride for a few weeks continuing to use RPE and heart rate to give you a feel for the relationship between RPE, heart rate and power — which is what you are doing, so keep doing that.
In terms of SWAGing your FTP, if you can push out your Z4 intervals around about your SWAG, then it's probably close enough.
When you test for the first time, it is very helpful if you have a SWAG of your FTP so you know what to aim for.
BTW, most people take a few tests to get the hang of how to test close to your actual FTP.
So I would see how you go with your RR targeting 200 watts, but dial it down if you feel RPE and heart rate are too high.

JoeGatorTri

 Jamie,

 

Good luck transition to power. What setup did you get. Would really appreciate if you posted some of your thoughts on the transition.  Am considering making the power purchase and would appreciate your thoughts. 

 

Thanks

 

Jose

gamb

@ Peter - That was my plan, not going to abandon HR or RPE right now but wanted to get a good idea of my power numbers before doing my FTP and blowing up spectacularly

@Jose - I purchased a compact quarq S975 GXP and am planning to swap it between my TT and road bike. I swapped the bottom brackets on both bikes and now all I need is a wrench to swap the crankset. I also had a few sets of wheels already and wanted to be able to use them all. So far it seems to be working well. I calibrate it before each ride and then just look at the data afterwards. This weekend will be my first time incorporating some power into the working and not going solely on HR or RPE

Keith Wick

I would say to go ahead and SWAG it at this point given that you are taking the other measurements into account (HR, RPE). I think you'll have a better idea of how good your SWAG is depending on the length of your FTP intervals. You can definitely fake it enough during shorter intervals like 3 x 6', but if you have multiple intervals longer than 10' then you are better off as those are harder to fake over multiple sets (you might fake the first one, maybe the second-although you'll know it at the end, but not the third, fourth, etc.).

scott dinhofer

Why not just test? What computer are you running? Why not just use Golden Cheetah, you don't need WKO.

gamb

@Keith - I'm using 8, 10 and 14 minute intervals. I kinda scrapped the first 8 minute in my averages b/c I always go out too hard, it was actually higher than the FTP that I'm going use

@Scott - I'm going to test but I think right now I'm better off from a fitness standpoint getting the long bike rides on the weekends as I didn't start the plan until week 8 or 9. I'm ok with racing by RPE and HR but since I have the PM and have started getting data I can still use it and see that the numbers stay similar for similar efforts. I have to say I'm finally adjusting to the EN training protocol, first few weeks were killer but the legs and lungs are coming around now

I run a Macbook Air and have a hackintosh. I've got Golden Cheetah on the Air I've got another machine that I just need to install winders on, not like it will cost me anything except WKO should I decide to purchase

William Jenks

GC will give you a very accurate guess for your FTP from a few of your current rides, along with a 1 minute very hard effort, a 3 minute very hard effort and a 5-10 minute very hard effort. Those don't have to be exact times.... the Critical Power fit will correspond quite closely to to a FTP, with the FTP usually a handful of watts higher.