Week 18 bike
How much power are we cranking this week?
I had another difficult workout. I believe more body than mental but a bit of both. With a 2X20 on tap this morning I woke up feeling a little tired. Hit the first at 221 (1.00) then things blew up on the second.1X10 @208 (.94) then I took a quick break hoping to recover but ended up doing 2X5 @202 (0.91).
After all this I even tried to do some 85% stuff but did not have it so I shut it down after about 1-2 minutes and did my 10' brick run of .9 miles. Kind of ulgy but I got some work in.
So the plan is for an extra hour of sleep tonight and an early morning run.
Gordon
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Still struggling (8 weeks and counting)...
Set out to do 2 x 20 at 240 watts (FTP measured by test at the end of Dec). I refuse to believe that I'm less fit than that test.
Got the first one done, holding high 23x for the first 10', low 23x for the second 10x.
Second one was just absurd. Just when I was starting to feel good about what was going on, 5 minutes in, I lost ability to push watts. Z3 felt like Z4, and if I did put in the surge to try to get up to Z4 levels, it felt like Z5.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that conditions weren't ideal this morning, and I know that all is not lost. However, it's becoming more and more taxing to keep the faith. I'm going to fire up a separate thread to try to solicit thoughts on WTF to do here, because I'd be lying if I said it was no big deal.
Mike
1x20 - 96%
1x20 - 90%
1x12 - 80%
Followed by 15 min Brick that felt good.
To be honest This workout might have been a breakthrough though. I did have to add a couple 10 second rests in and still only hit 90% BUT this was a VAST improvement over the last few weeks that I couldnt even get the first 20' at 95% and totaly blew up and had to disect the next 20 and that didnt even work... So I am hoping I am digging out of wahtever hole i have been in on the bike. It has been frustrating.
@Gordon and Philip - way to push through and get it done. Everyone has a ton a fatigue right now... the light is at the end of the tunnel.
I struggled to get motivated this morning. After being up countless times with Abigail and my legs were still sore when when walking down the stairs I almost skipped the workout but told myself to at least do the warmup.
Like usual the warmup turned into the full workout. I struggled but got it done. 2 x 20 at 100% and then called it good with no 85% work. IF of 0.935 for just under an hour. Skipped the brick run, but I will try to get out later today if my legs feel ok.
still plugging away on this end and definitely starting to feel the bike legs coming around. 2x12 for me @ 100% for both. Sat on .9 for another 15 min after that for a solid hour at .9 IF.
Matt, thanks for the thoughts, and I'll be sure to post each. I've come up with so many possible explanations at this point that I'm just going in circles. I'll fire up the thread later this morning with full details.
Mike
@Mike....I'm in a similiar boat. But this also happened last year. I believe we only have "X" number of sufferfests on a trainer. Those 2 x 20 take a toll mentally and physically. Some folks are just able to do more of those sessions. I mix it up to keep the workouts fresh.
As an example: 1 X 10' (1'), 1 X 9' (1') , 1 x 8' (1') 1 x 7 (1') 1 x 6 (1') ---- That is 40' of work. Maybe not as hard as 2 x 20 but the same work was done and when you finish a workout it feels good. I would rather feel that sense of accomplishment than another WTF moment after a bad workout.
I think Gordon has a sound strategy, get the work done, even if in smaller doses. Work is work.
Now that you mentioned that I remember having a similar issue when I attempted to repeat the last 4 weeks of the OS. Per coach P I replaced the 2 x 20s with a few different workouts:
- 4 x 10 (2)
- 3 x 13 (3)
- 1 x 20 (4), 2 x 10 (2)
- 1 x 7, 8, 10, 8, 7 (1)
Basically just get in 40 minutes of FTP work with as little rest as you can handle.
I never tried your 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 ... but I definitely will this year!
Hayes, I hear you, man. I got 1 x 20', and 2 x 5' done today. the 2 x 5 sucked, but at least it was getting work done.
Firing up another thread now, so as not to bog down this one. Thanks!
Mike
I'm joining the group it looks like. I also struggled with the 2X20's and had to go 1X20, 1X15, 1X5 to make it through. Had a rough night with the little one up sick so did this one over lunch break (not used to this at all). No time for the brick run and didn't feel like it at all anyway. Maybe after work tonight i'll go for the run.
Team, we're all on the same wavelength this week. Its tough, but everyone is "getting it done" regardless. So proud to be on the team. I had to go to a 1X20' (4') then a 2 X10(2') to avoid failure today
. Did get it done hitting .98 for all 3 of those intervals 
and survived
the run targets as well: I highly respect all of you suffering through this one like champions today!
Duration: 1:15:37 (1:15:42)
TSS: 99.3 (intensity factor 0.888)
Norm Power: 262
Distance: 27.031 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 349 245 watts
Heart Rate: 92 161 147 bpm
Cadence: 34 105 87 rpm
Speed: 0 25.6 21.5 mph
Duration: 28:49
rTSS: 42.6 (0.903)
NGP: 7:09 (225.3 m/min)
Distance: 4.006 mi
Elevation Gain: 495 ft
Elevation Loss: 549 ft
Min Max Avg
Heart Rate: 95 169 157 bpm
Speed: 5:53 15:50 7:12 min/mi
Happy I got all the work done, plus snuck in a 15 min brick then some good core work, all before my daughter woke from her nap.
I love todays workout description - FTP Intervals (Short). Yeah right!!! I'll report on this one later tonight.
Man, it sounds like everyone is just hurting right now. I'm thinking 18 weeks straight of high-intensity work has got to take its toll at some point and right now it appears our legs are the toll. Went into this mornings 2x20 with the attitude that it's OK to hit 95% instead of 100% for the reps. Sure enough the first 20 it was hard to even hold 95% but stayed with it anyway. Decided to start the 2nd 20 with the option of breaking it up depending on how I felt. Was able to nudge the numbers a teeny bit higher and decided to just put my head down and finish out the 20 no mattter what. Glad I did if nothing else for the mental fu. Even got up over 100% for the last few minutes. Attempted an extra 10' at 85% but that was a joke. Ironically, I was once again able to have a decent 30' Z2/Z3 run on the t-mill right after. I think a transition week or two with some fun OUTDOOR stuff (trail runs, mt. biking, etc) is what everyone needs very, very soon. Right now I am NOT looking forward to that final FTP test.
Uphill was great, fun, hard work. Downhill was flippin cold. Happy to have gotten in the work. Happy to be out otb.
Did not get on the bike today but just thought I would check in and see what everyone is up to. Yikes. Looks like I am not alone. Today is 2 weeks since I have been on the bike. Between out of the town travel the last couple of weeks and being away skiing on the weekends it has been really easy to skip it. I had -- hopefully -- the last of the gum surgery yesterday making it really easy to skip this morning. At this point when I see the bike sitting on the trainer I cringe a tiny bit. Have managed to run about every day and have been swimming a ton which is rare for me so I do not feel that bad about it. I really doubt a little vacation from the bike will hurt my FTP much. Considering that I could hardly walk yesterday from being out in the woods playing in 40 inches of new snow on the fat skiis I think I got plenty of exercise.
Gonna try to get a good bike session or 2 in over the next few days. There will be no 2x20's unless something weird happens. If anyone needs me next week I will be in Jackson Hole skiing/hiking/beer drinking. Might even take the week off of running...
After that...I should be ready to hit the bike hard and get ready for the May races.
As has been written many times before by people who know far more about this than I do, it is really hard to maintain focus and train hard for long periods of time. When it becomes no longer fun than it is just not fun any more [very profound huh?]. It wont matter that you killed in the basement in March if you are so Burnt when it gets even harder in June and you do not care enough to get it done anymore. Remember, the intensity never goes away, the sessions just get longer. Now that is a cheery thought
I am headed to Canaan Valley, West By God Va. on Thursday. 230" and still coming. Crazy.
OS lasts just a little too long. Good luck, all!
I was mentally prepared to struggle tonight, break it up into 15', 10' or whatever it took. I cried myself to sleep last night after my left foot hurt during an easy run as I've been rehabbing a nagging right hip. My power of positive thinking resevoir was running quite low.
Sore and cranky, I trudged down to the basement for what turned out to be my best hour of power yet. No rhyme or reason, it just was.
FTP is 322. I did the 2x20's at 320 and 319.
One of my mini goals for the OS was to do 60' above 300 watts. Knowing I had two good 20' sets in the books, I added a 5' set and tried to hold 110% to get 300 for the hour.
I was able to hold 354 for the final 5' and my peak 60' was 309.
Funny thing is, I get off the bike and both my running pains are non existent. I guess they're healing.
Dave
Got 'er done. That's pretty much all I have to say about it!!! This is actually the first time in awhile that i've been able to even hold .95 for this long so i'm happy with the results.
2x20' @ .96 and .95
On a bright note, I was able to secure a slot in the TT series I plan on doing starting in April. The online registration was crazy, but in the end, I got the time slot I wanted.
I'm on the Wed/Friday schedule for bikes this week. Yesterday was pretty ugly again. I'm starting to think it might be mechinical. I switched saddles a few weeks back and I might be too far past the BB.
I did 1 x 10, 1 x 9 and the rest at 85%.
Hang in there everyone, you guys are really close to the end and a transition week.
Duration: 12:13
TSS: 20.1 (intensity factor 0.992)
Norm Power: 293
Distance: 3.603 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 150 415 293 watts
Cadence: 62 106 90 rpm
Speed: 12.8 21.7 17.7 mph
Duration: 12:01
TSS: 20.3 (intensity factor 1.006)
Norm Power: 297
Distance: 3.721 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 409 297 watts
Cadence: 30 102 87 rpm
Speed: 12.7 22.6 18.6 mph
TSS: 21.3 (intensity factor 1.031)
Norm Power: 304
Distance: 5.835 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 138 401 303 watts
Cadence: 81 102 91 rpm
Speed: 23.9 35.5 29.2 mph
Duration: 7:49
TSS: 10.6 (intensity factor 0.906)
Norm Power: 267
Distance: 3.016 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 523 257 watts
Cadence: 29 105 87 rpm
Speed: 0 33.9 23.2 mph
Duration: 1:25:40
Norm Power: 264
Distance: 27.631 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 523 247 watts
Cadence: 29 114 86 rpm
Speed: 0 35.5 19.4 mph
Please don't tease us still looking at snow out our doors.
I actually think I might get out this weekend. Forecast says 42 and sunny.
Got the 3X12 done today without any pressure going in to the workout to hold 100% (like I usually do). Decided to just commit to only holding 95% to 98%. Mission accomplished, felt easier mentally, and was not overcooked like I have felt lately. Had a good little run after too. It was good for the mentality to know going in I wasn't going to try and go all out at 100% or more. I may incorperate this on the Thursday rides now to get through the OS and survive mental breakdown.