felt pretty decent on the bike today. 2x18' @ 95%, did 4x2'@110% then ran out of time. The 110% efforts felt really hard, but this was the best I have felt on the bike in a month
Dave,
I've been thinking about you and your struggles. Glad to see you had a good workout.
Dave
Awesome to see both Dave's getting your Mojo back. This was the toughest workout of the OS so far and you both crushed it.
I need a diaper change and my binky after that workout! Let my tale of woe serve as an example of overcooking oneself with extracurricular activities...I see this workout coming since Monday and make an executive decision to NOT ride my mtb this morning (even though the trail conditions were heavenly!). Wise choice so far. However, my mtb pals invite me for a "hike"--just a walk in the woods with the dogs. How many measly TSS could that be? Well, it was 90' of hauling a$$ up and down snowy trails. Fun? yes. Smart? Nooooo!
So 2 x 14 = 98%, 99% feeling okay, mentally strong
2 x 4 @ >110%...Well, I popped 2 minutes into the first interval. Watts taking a dive like the economy. So I figured I'd break it up into more palatable pieces. So I did 1 minute intervals for 8 total, holding 113-117%. Felt like warmed over a$$ so I bagged the 85% intervals.
Hi Teammates!! It was great to read all your posts all day. Made me very proud of all of you, how hard you worked, doing the best you could do!!!.
I just finished my workout. I had to wait all day to do it because I clobbered myself on a run this am and needed to recover first...
You see, I like to do things out of order. I am a social being and need help sometimes to push myself. So...I did the Sunday run this am with a friend. We did 8 miles with 3 at TP( his TP which is about 20 seconds faster than mine )so I was hanging on by a thread and popped on the last mile. But all in all it was a great run and so much more doable with a friend. My motivation when I run alone is nill these days and I seem to gravitate to my Z1 and that is it ,so I took him up on the offer to run together.
So THE RIDE:
WELLLL... that was one heck of a workout....
Kind of wish the legs were more fresh
I decided to cover the little freaking yellow thingy and just do what I could do. Ended up with 93% for 2 x 18. I broke the 110% into 8 x 1 as my legs were burning so bad. Then did 10 min at 85% and got off putting in an hour and fifteen. Feel actually really good right now.
The run challenge was great for me. I love to run and enjoyed running all the extra miles. My biking feels sluggish but I am confident it will come back. I am not following the plan to a T and am adding in more runs because it suits me. I am actually doing a trail run tomorrow too. Don't do as I do I am just telling you so that if I implode in the future you can all tell me it was my own fault
Wow, that was too much fun! Got the bike done today, but OMG, thought I'd fall off the bike before I finished! The legs started turning to jello by the 3rd interval set! The final 2x15's saw watts, rpm's, and distance, drop like rocks! But I managed to maintain the work. Did my brick on the indoor track at the Y, doing 2 miles total, running faster than HMP... I had missed a bike and a run earlier this week, so tried to do a little speedwork. Probably won't try that again anytime soon...
I tend to innocently just plug along and try not to look ahead at the workouts coming my way. However, after seeing the many postings concerning today's event, I did face it with more than a little trepidation.
I managed to knock it out, although the shorter intervals and the final 15 minute interval were tough and I felt my legs loosing a bit of their natural (what little I have) rhythm.
Here are my numbers:
2 x 15: 105% and 104% 2 x 4: 114% and 114% 2 x 15: 91.5% and 90%
I then headed out for the 25 minute brick run. My challenge on these runs is that I am running on a road in the dark, and end going by feel rather than watching my Garmin.
I managed to hit 89% on the run and will call it a success as I now shuffle off to my recliner and watch the most recent episode of Men of a Certain Age.
Holy Cr--! That was one tough workout on Saturday. When I first saw it my immediate reaction was to add up the minutes and realize it was more than the 1:15 stated and that is without wu or cd!!
I realized well into the 2nd 18' that alone in the pain cave and hammering that the physical work it going to reap rewards BUT the mental focus to push on and get it done will end up being the weapon we sharpen the most. Was shocked at how much I had to concentrate!
Was even more shocked when I looked at data and saw 114 TSS for 1:36 ride. I rode 287 TSS for entire IMCDA 09!!
"you are just gross" My wife's quote upon my return to the inside of the home after the workout. Not sure it is possible for a human being to sweat so much!!
I did Saturday's bike this morning. WOW. Friday (New Year's Day) my sons and I felled 6 trees. A triathlete's body is not really set up for effective logging. I did Saturday's run Friday night in the dark after the tree work was completed to score a few more points on the run challenge. Woke up Sat morning and new I was going to have to wait a day if this was going to be an effective bike session.
After having read your posts and reviewed the workout notes, I went into the session this morning prepared for a battle. Below is the summary followed by some of the intervals. Was as tough as many of you described. My hat is off to all whom completed it!
Life got in the way yesterday and I sure didn't feel like doing this one. Felt like I got hit by a "2x4". Only got one z3 interval in and skipped the run as it was getting kind of late. I really had a struggle today keeping the cadence up; the old legs felt like trees.
I was thinking about your respective power troughs because I feel as though I'm sliding into one of my own. Instead of worrying it to death I'm analyzing changes in nutrition, recovery, environment that may be cuplrits.
It's stinkin cold and windy here (even by tundra standards) and its forced a move of the trainer from the hurt barn into a heated room in the hurt barn. The last couple of sessions I've cracked a window and turned the heater off but it is still much warmer than the barn and a fan. For a short heavy interval, the warmer room is actually better as there's less warm up time. But during yesterday's longer work I suffered and I'm wondering how much the warmer temp and less cooling breeze saps me. I was sweating like Tiger in there. The brick run in 30 mph winds and cold felt pretty darn good. By the end of the run I was looking to run some more. Seems like a warmed up muscle in cooler air can really crank. Hard to pinpoint anything but like the treadmill, indoor trainer work can get too warm pretty fast.
I'm going to go back to a chillier trainer environment and see what transpires.
Well, the graph really tells the story of yesterday’s workout.
Top line = zone 5/VO2 (120% of FTP = 305w)
Middle line = zone 4/FTP (254w)
Bottom line = zone 3 (216 watts)
After the warmup, hit the first FTP interval at 100% (254w) right on. But then half way through the second FTP interval I started to struggle a bit. Had 2 pretty significant drops – was able to get it back, but clearly not quite on my game.
When the VO2 intervals hit I knew I was in trouble. I could hold about half of the interval before I started having a serious power outage. Just could not hold the watts for the full 4 mins after the FTP tests. Might have been better to chunk the VO2 section into 8 x 1 minute @ VO2 like some others did, but since I was in ERG mode on the CT I could not switch in mid-workout.
Did hit the zone 3 work right on the 85% mark. That was a pretty big mental challenge. Wanted to bail after the first one, but kept thinking that just like in weight lifting, its the “last rep” that counts and gives you the gains. Just had to suck it up and complete it.
Lessons learned:
1. Next time I won’t use ERG mode for a workout this tough. That was part of the problem with the VO2 intervals. You cannot take “micro breaks” to recover. With ERG as you get tired, your cadence will drop and it becomes very very difficult to get back to the target. I just couldn’t push hard enough at that cadence to bring the power back up to VO2 level. Oh well, lesson learned.
2. I will use the bottom end of the ranges for the zones (95%, 110%, and still probably 85%) instead of trying to use the top end as I did and not executing quite where I want to (100%, 120%, 85%). Once I can nail that I might move up closer to the top end of the zones.
Friday developed a spasm / knot in my calf so took yesterday off. Followed all the accomplishments of everyone getting this one done yesterday and motivated me to hill the trainer early. After reading yesterday's posts I decided today I would not use the ERG mode on my CT and would fly manually. Best decision I could've made and likely one that allowed me to salvage today's workout versus crashing, burning and having the device force a downward spiral. 10' warmup slowly building the watts to see how the calf would feel (did fine during ride). Hit the first interval and didn't take long to realize there was no way I was going to get through planned 2x18's. Defaulted to what I recalled the intermediate plan folks doing and got through 2x14's @ 101% and 98%. Moved to the 2x4's and again no way getting through these as written. 2' into the first one I was cooked. Decided, as I had seen others do, to chunk this differently and switched to 4x2's. Made it manageable and was able to hold 110% for these. Finished up with 1x15' @ 85% and called it a day. Upside is I managed to get some work done today although it was more of a struggle than I anticipated particularly given I'm still basing targets off of FTP from 9+ weeks ago (had a lousy test recently). While I didn't go crazy with mileage or TP work in the run challenge I did end up running for 10 days straight which I'm sure zapped me. At least I'm hoping that's the reason.
Great to see the Dave's getting good rides in on a very tough workout.
Yikes that was tough. I juggled my schedule to accomodate a 5k on New Year's Day. On the second, I ran four easy miles. Today I had my erg file all programmed and ready to go. I made it through the first 14' OK, but for the second, I had to take a couple 20 second breaks in there. On the 2x4' at 110%, I had to put in a 15" break or too as well. And each 15' at 85% had three 20" breaks. That was tough. I tried to hop on the treadmill afterwards, but my foot was sore and I hate running above Z1 on the treadmill. I'll try to do the 20' HM/MP run tomorrow morning in the 10 degree/30 mph winds that are forecast.
After doing Saturday's run on Friday to finish out the challenge I took Saturday as a recovery day and got the bike done today. My legs weren't super thrilled to be working and the 2 x 4s were pretty tough but I managed to hit everything: the 2 x 14s were @ 98-100% and the 2 x 4s were @ 110%.
I knew going into the ride that there was no way I was running, both because I figure I need to give my legs a rest and also because it was in the 20s with 50 degree winds and below zero wind chills. I felt pretty good at the end of the last 15 minute interval and seeing as how I was already at 1:38 I decided to extend it to 2 hours even with a few more shorter 80-85% intervals.
I played with my aero position by removing a few spacers and narrowing the bars a bit, which generally felt fine except that I realized at the one hour mark that I had neglected to tilt down the nose of my saddle. Amazing what a few millimeters can do! The mid-ride adjustment was well worth it.
@Chris W - Yes I have looked at next Saturday's workout. I have to get my first vdot test worked in to week 10. I was debating on starting week 10 today but really need the day off. I'll ride conservative this week as I know I will be shelled from the vdot test.
Gordon -- Yeah, I'd definitely give my legs a day of rest after a VDOT test before tackling a big bike workout like Saturday's. Good luck on your test! The Holy Crap Team Mojo will be with you!
I've been doing lots of skiing because _Noodle_ and I are theoretically "racing" in a 50K cross country race. Since neither of us had skis at the beginning of December, I figured I better: A) learn how to ski and ski a whole bunch. SO...I've skied essentially every day from Christmas through New Years. Saturday's ride (w/new FTP) actually felt pretty great. My numbers looked like this:
Comments
Awesome to see both Dave's getting your Mojo back. This was the toughest workout of the OS so far and you both crushed it.
@Al: Your Thai is excellent!
@ DCorso: Good to hear you had a solid ride.
I need a diaper change and my binky after that workout!
Let my tale of woe serve as an example of overcooking oneself with extracurricular activities...I see this workout coming since Monday and make an executive decision to NOT ride my mtb this morning (even though the trail conditions were heavenly!). Wise choice so far. However, my mtb pals invite me for a "hike"--just a walk in the woods with the dogs. How many measly TSS could that be? Well, it was 90' of hauling a$$ up and down snowy trails. Fun? yes. Smart? Nooooo!
So 2 x 14 = 98%, 99% feeling okay, mentally strong
2 x 4 @ >110%...Well, I popped 2 minutes into the first interval. Watts taking a dive like the economy. So I figured I'd break it up into more palatable pieces. So I did 1 minute intervals for 8 total, holding 113-117%. Felt like warmed over a$$ so I bagged the 85% intervals.
Hi Teammates!! It was great to read all your posts all day. Made me very proud of all of you, how hard you worked, doing the best you could do!!!.
I just finished my workout. I had to wait all day to do it because I clobbered myself on a run this am and needed to recover first...
You see, I like to do things out of order. I am a social being and need help sometimes to push myself. So...I did the Sunday run this am with a friend. We did 8 miles with 3 at TP( his TP which is about 20 seconds faster than mine )so I was hanging on by a thread and popped on the last mile
. But all in all it was a great run and so much more doable with a friend. My motivation when I run alone is nill these days and I seem to gravitate to my Z1 and that is it ,so I took him up on the offer to run together.
So THE RIDE:
WELLLL... that was one heck of a workout....
Kind of wish the legs were more fresh
I decided to cover the little freaking yellow thingy and just do what I could do. Ended up with 93% for 2 x 18. I broke the 110% into 8 x 1 as my legs were burning so bad. Then did 10 min at 85% and got off putting in an hour and fifteen. Feel actually really good right now.
The run challenge was great for me. I love to run and enjoyed running all the extra miles. My biking feels sluggish but I am confident it will come back. I am not following the plan to a T and am adding in more runs because it suits me. I am actually doing a trail run tomorrow too. Don't do as I do I am just telling you so that if I implode in the future you can all tell me it was my own fault
Thanks for sharing the journey!!
CC
Wow, that was too much fun!
Got the bike done today, but OMG, thought I'd fall off the bike before I finished! The legs started turning to jello by the 3rd interval set! The final 2x15's saw watts, rpm's, and distance, drop like rocks! But I managed to maintain the work. Did my brick on the indoor track at the Y, doing 2 miles total, running faster than HMP...
I had missed a bike and a run earlier this week, so tried to do a little speedwork. 
Probably won't try that again anytime soon...
Good job getting it done today team!!!
I managed to knock it out, although the shorter intervals and the final 15 minute interval were tough and I felt my legs loosing a bit of their natural (what little I have) rhythm.
Here are my numbers:
2 x 15: 105% and 104%
2 x 4: 114% and 114%
2 x 15: 91.5% and 90%
I then headed out for the 25 minute brick run. My challenge on these runs is that I am running on a road in the dark, and end going by feel rather than watching my Garmin.
I managed to hit 89% on the run and will call it a success as I now shuffle off to my recliner and watch the most recent episode of Men of a Certain Age.
Good job to everyone who pounded this effort out.
Holy Cr--! That was one tough workout on Saturday. When I first saw it my immediate reaction was to add up the minutes and realize it was more than the 1:15 stated and that is without wu or cd!!
I realized well into the 2nd 18' that alone in the pain cave and hammering that the physical work it going to reap rewards BUT the mental focus to push on and get it done will end up being the weapon we sharpen the most. Was shocked at how much I had to concentrate!
Was even more shocked when I looked at data and saw 114 TSS for 1:36 ride. I rode 287 TSS for entire IMCDA 09!!
"you are just gross" My wife's quote upon my return to the inside of the home after the workout. Not sure it is possible for a human being to sweat so much!!
Team Holy Crap,
I did Saturday's bike this morning. WOW.
Friday (New Year's Day) my sons and I felled 6 trees. A triathlete's body is not really set up for effective logging
. I did Saturday's run Friday night in the dark after the tree work was completed to score a few more points on the run challenge. Woke up Sat morning and new I was going to have to wait a day if this was going to be an effective bike session.
After having read your posts and reviewed the workout notes, I went into the session this morning prepared for a battle
. Below is the summary followed by some of the intervals. Was as tough as many of you described. My hat is off to all whom completed it!
Duration: 1:40:15 (1:42:08)
TSS: 137.3 (intensity factor 0.907)
Norm Power: 254
VI: 1.1
Distance: 35.175 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 393 232 watts
1:
Duration: 18:00
TSS: 30 (intensity factor 1.001)
Norm Power: 280
2:
Duration: 18:00
TSS: 29.3 (intensity factor 0.989)
Norm Power: 277
3:
Duration: 4:01
TSS: 10 (intensity factor 1.226)
4:
Duration: 4:01
TSS: 9.4 (intensity factor 1.185)
Life got in the way yesterday and I sure didn't feel like doing this one. Felt like I got hit by a "2x4". Only got one z3 interval in and skipped the run as it was getting kind of late. I really had a struggle today keeping the cadence up; the old legs felt like trees.
2x14' = .97, .98
2x4' = 1.15, 1.12
1x15' = .86
Entire workout (186 watts):
Duration: 1:14:47 (1:14:53)
Work: 834 kJ
TSS: 102.2 (intensity factor 0.905)
Norm Power: 199
VI: 1.07
Pw:HR: 5.92%
Pa:HR: 5.95%
Distance: 19.172 mi
Elevation Gain: 68 ft
Elevation Loss: 7 ft
Grade: 0.1 % (62 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 46 360 186 watts
Heart Rate: 100 176 149 bpm
Cadence: 58 131 82 rpm
Speed: 3.5 29.6 15.4 mph
Pace 2:02 17:15 3:54 min/mi
Altitude: 3892 3954 3929 ft
Crank Torque: 39 354 191 lb-in
I was thinking about your respective power troughs because I feel as though I'm sliding into one of my own. Instead of worrying it to death I'm analyzing changes in nutrition, recovery, environment that may be cuplrits.
It's stinkin cold and windy here (even by tundra standards) and its forced a move of the trainer from the hurt barn into a heated room in the hurt barn. The last couple of sessions I've cracked a window and turned the heater off but it is still much warmer than the barn and a fan. For a short heavy interval, the warmer room is actually better as there's less warm up time. But during yesterday's longer work I suffered and I'm wondering how much the warmer temp and less cooling breeze saps me. I was sweating like Tiger in there. The brick run in 30 mph winds and cold felt pretty darn good. By the end of the run I was looking to run some more. Seems like a warmed up muscle in cooler air can really crank. Hard to pinpoint anything but like the treadmill, indoor trainer work can get too warm pretty fast.
I'm going to go back to a chillier trainer environment and see what transpires.
Definitely struggled on this one.
Well, the graph really tells the story of yesterday’s workout.
Top line = zone 5/VO2 (120% of FTP = 305w)
Middle line = zone 4/FTP (254w)
Bottom line = zone 3 (216 watts)
After the warmup, hit the first FTP interval at 100% (254w) right on. But then half way through the second FTP interval I started to struggle a bit. Had 2 pretty significant drops – was able to get it back, but clearly not quite on my game.
When the VO2 intervals hit I knew I was in trouble. I could hold about half of the interval before I started having a serious power outage. Just could not hold the watts for the full 4 mins after the FTP tests. Might have been better to chunk the VO2 section into 8 x 1 minute @ VO2 like some others did, but since I was in ERG mode on the CT I could not switch in mid-workout.
Did hit the zone 3 work right on the 85% mark. That was a pretty big mental challenge. Wanted to bail after the first one, but kept thinking that just like in weight lifting, its the “last rep” that counts and gives you the gains. Just had to suck it up and complete it.
Lessons learned:
1. Next time I won’t use ERG mode for a workout this tough. That was part of the problem with the VO2 intervals. You cannot take “micro breaks” to recover. With ERG as you get tired, your cadence will drop and it becomes very very difficult to get back to the target. I just couldn’t push hard enough at that cadence to bring the power back up to VO2 level. Oh well, lesson learned.
2. I will use the bottom end of the ranges for the zones (95%, 110%, and still probably 85%) instead of trying to use the top end as I did and not executing quite where I want to (100%, 120%, 85%). Once I can nail that I might move up closer to the top end of the zones.
Great to see the Dave's getting good rides in on a very tough workout.
I knew going into the ride that there was no way I was running, both because I figure I need to give my legs a rest and also because it was in the 20s with 50 degree winds and below zero wind chills. I felt pretty good at the end of the last 15 minute interval and seeing as how I was already at 1:38 I decided to extend it to 2 hours even with a few more shorter 80-85% intervals.
I played with my aero position by removing a few spacers and narrowing the bars a bit, which generally felt fine except that I realized at the one hour mark that I had neglected to tilt down the nose of my saddle. Amazing what a few millimeters can do! The mid-ride adjustment was well worth it.
Anyone take a peek at this coming Saturday's workout? Yikes! And with a brick run after!
They just keep getting better and better! If it doesn't kill us it will make us stronger.
I don't know, after the workout last Saturday, I'm more worried about the "if it doesn't kill us" part than the "it will make us stronger" part.
Mike
@Chris W - Yes I have looked at next Saturday's workout. I have to get my first vdot test worked in to week 10. I was debating on starting week 10 today but really need the day off. I'll ride conservative this week as I know I will be shelled from the vdot test.
Gordon
Gordon -- Yeah, I'd definitely give my legs a day of rest after a VDOT test before tackling a big bike workout like Saturday's. Good luck on your test! The Holy Crap Team Mojo will be with you!
14' @ 101%
14' @ 102%
4' @ 113%
4' @ 112%
15' @ 87%
15' @ 86%
Did not do the brick run as seems like ski volume will have to suffice for now.