7/11 - TEST week
hey, hope everyone who has ridden had a successful test and the rest of you (including me) are getting ourselves mentally and physically ready for the sufferfest that's to come.
I'll be watching stage 10, listening to music, and dealing with my personal angst. Hopefully that will be a good combination to nail the FTP test. I surpassed expectations on my last test but have had trouble hitting my zones during training rides since... so we'll see. I do my tests on the drainer bc I don't know a good spot to test outdoors... but that's how I've always tested so it is what it is. I plan to stick to my formula, break it up into 5' segments, trying to inch the numbers up during each segment and sit up for the last 5' to hammer it home. Fingers crossed. I haven't felt strong lately, but that could be the cold, the personal issues, and all that jazz. Exercise is my therapy so I'll let it work its magic on me tonight!
Comments
Saturday consisted of the scheduled workout to include one swim, 4 hour bike, and one hour run that was shortened to a 16 min run d/t severe light headedness. Lost 7.2 pounds. Maybe that had something to do with it. It was in the 90's and windy so was not sure of the sweat factor.
Sunday-swam one hour, biked 40 miles, and ran 5 miles.
Monday-I did my bike test (FTP) with the best gain of the year. I have been adding in shortened FTP test for the past 2 months and always biking extra and it paid off. FTP went from 231 to 247. That is legit. Details including numbers are posted in my blog. Note it was 102 with heat index during my test with a nice breeze. This test included some dry heaving and burning in the eye's from the sweat dripping. Rode a total of 1:49 and hit 37 miles.
Tuesday I ran a very LRP paced 5 miles.
Wed-will consist of a one hour swim and a three hour bike. My family and I are headed to Okiboji for the weekend and competing in a sprint tri.....(.6 mile swim, 18 mile bike, and 5.5 mile run) therefore taking Friday off to have a decent set of fresh legs.
Have a great week
My breakdown: 1st 20' NP 186 (5 minute segments: 175/183/190/194)
2nd 20: NP 185 (5 minute segments: 175/181/186/194)
So paced it tolerably well and didn't blow up as the test went on. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I definitely pushed a bit too hard in the first segment as I couldn't stay aero for the second 20. Typically I stay aero for 15; then sit up for the last 5. I couldn't do that for the second 20 and was up in the first 5 minutes. Tried to drop back down after a few and just couldn't do it, which is new for me...so lesson learned on nutrition, hydration, etc coming into the test. I'm just really surprised the 2 minute recovery could really mess the number up... granted I was only looking at a 2 point bump, but a bump is a bump. Oh well... hopefully next test.
Now I have to focus on the run test and hope the weather breaks by Thursday. My first run test since Jan ... nervous!
hope everyone else is seeing good results!
Doing Racine 70.3 this weekend (B Race). That will take care of a long bike. I think I may try to get another long bike in during the week if there's time.
This week, it's still just run, run, run. Did hit 3 x 1 mi today all around 6:20 in 92 degree actual temp and high humidity, so the run speed is still there. Might have been acrtually fast in better weather! :-)
Back home to my bike for this weekend.
nice work, William - based on my experience, cooler, less humid temps always translates to faster times and better runs
Is any fix at the Ford dealership cheap? $600+ - yuck
- good thing it wasn't more - my new bike was my car down payment (and way better/mo' fun than a new car)!!
My New Bike
I should have posted this before for those that didn't see it in the micro. I have full access to both the Intermediate and Beginner plans since I'm on one and my SO is on the other. I also loaded in all 3 plans before deciding on which one to do and printed a copy of the 'full plan view' of each. The advanced plan has a 150min bike the Thursday before the race. Goodness!
@Becky-nice test!! At least you know you went to hard. For me I'm aero 99.9% of the time. I actually loose power sitting up and just feel at home aero. I've been trying to learn riding without hands sitting upright and it's just not going to happen on the tri bike. Ordering a road bike this winter.
@William-nice long week of running. Those are some serious miles!!
Doing my FTP during the run portion of the race here.
Hope everyone's run test went well! My vDot stayed the same...hmm... what a strange test week it's been! My avg pace was 8:16, my avg pace in Jan was 8:14. Kinda bummed bc this time last year I was running sub 8's on the TT. But as a friend reminded me, I've only been back at it a little while in earnest and I'm where I was in Jan, which is pretty good after a long time off! So, I guess I'll take it and hope that I can improve next time around.
I am super thankful that the weather broke in time for the run. It was in the low 70's with low humidity... alghough I ran on a trail adjacent to the potomac so I had a bit of a breeze and it was a tad humid, but still, for mid July the weather was a gift.
Getting myself into a better mental place after the breakup... which is good. Sleeping better, too. Which is good.