FTP Test before IMFL
So my plan had an FTP test on it for this morning and IMFL is in roughly 3 weeks. The plan is the plan so I did the test.
My FTP that I have been training with and planned on using for the race was 223. I did the test this morning and my FTP came back as 231. File is here: http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/86673
My question for the more experienced and smarter folks out there is at this late stage in the game do I change my FTP or just leave well enough alone and stick to 223? An important note is that this will be my first IM, my first marathon and I'm a slooo runner. I'm inclined to use the 223 and maybe have the hope of a decent run.
Thanks for your input.
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Comments
A couple questions:??
1. During your RR's for Florida what % did you ride at? How did it feel?
2. What was your TSS after each RR?
3. How did the run feel afterwards?
4. Where you able to get to and hold the run pace?
*** Congrats on the bump btw***
Few questions:
1) how does your indoor FTP usually correlate to your outdoor FTP? Some people tend to vary widely (as much as 10% difference) and most seem to be higher outside (mine is not, though)
2) are you doing your RR#2 this weekend?
3) What NP did you hit for RR#1? Do you have the file from RR#1 we could look at? Was it steady and strong or did you fade at the end? How was run for RR#1?
Not knowing the answers to the above questions yet, I'd say, use the 231W number to calculate your effort for RR#2. This probably means trying to hit ~160W NP and see how you feel for the run. If you can JRA at the beginning, then nail that 160W number for the rest of the day and run well, then you are all set. If you fade at the end of the ride or run poorly, then you'll need to dial it back down a bit for the race. That's why we do more than one RR.
Congrats on the great effort though!
@ Carl
1. Ride file is here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/225752913
It was a pretty windy day and like a fool I rode harder into the wind so I screwed up the ride in my opinion by spiking watts too much. The whole riding steady no matter what is an art form I've yet to master.
3. The run like the bike I pushed for no good reason but lack of experience and ran 5.73 in 59.30 which was way too fast for my LRP+30 pacing (vdot 39). It didn't feel awful but not something I could hold for the duration of a marathon. Everyone is right that you don't even realize you are running way too fast off the bike. I have been practicing that more on the Thursday long runs.
@John
1. My outdoor is usually higher but I spike a lot more because of lights, hills etc. Controlling that steady pace outside is a lot harder then the vacuum of a trainer indoors.
2. I am doing RR#2 on Sunday because of Saturday scheduling issues.
3. My garmin file for RR#1 is above.
Given these considerations, I vote for following your instinct and using 223 (or 225, if you are a "round number" kind of guy". Much better in your first IM/first marathon to leave a little time on the table than try to push to the absolute limit of your envelope.
Your VI was very high in RR#1 (1.08). IMFL will be much flatter, so you will have less zero's to bring your average down, and you will have no lights to contend with. Not putting it in WKO+, but just looking at the power graph, it does look like your power faded a bit in the last 1-2 hrs. Is there a flatter course you could ride? At least the weather should be nice for you on Sunday! I still think it's worth trying to hit just at or above 160W on RR#2 and trying to ride as steady as possible given the conditions, and see how you feel with the proper run pacing afterwards.
Of course what Al says rings true as well. If you do hold back a bit on the bike you'll have 26.2 miles to prove it on the run (especially the last 8 of those miles).
1.Congrats on your new FTP. Its legit. That is a beautiful looking test. I knew looking at your TR files your FTP was higher LOL!
2. RR #1 could be smoother something to focus on RR#2 regardless of what your goal watts ends up being.
3. FTP is known. % of FTP you can ride 112 miles is known and confirmed by RR's. How well you can run 26.2 miles afterwards is completely unknown.
4. Based on the unknown favor the low side, however , dont underestimate yourself either ,your 4hour TR ride last weekend of NP174 and .78 was impressive.
5. Wishing you good skill on RR #2....... .70 of 230 see how you feel at the end of the bike and your run.. you can then take it up or down a couple on race day.
6. Al's comments have been correct on all accounts pre/post IM discussions. If you do nothing else . Just read his comment again. I'm gonna!
I will probably try the higher number this weekend just to see how it goes and really try my hardest to get that VI down, which I know is horrific. The upshot being that I know I can back down race day if the last couple of hours turns to crap and the run or in my case job falls apart for RR#2. I also setup my garmin a little different with new fields so I'm not chasing an IF avg but a more real time metric like 3s and 10s power.
Now I just hope quarq gets me my PM back to me before the weekend because I really don't fancy a 6 hr trainer ride.
Thx all for the nice compliments.