Increasing power threshold over the winter (Page 12)

  So in my rough calculations..... I SUCK!!!

Yay I know I have a lot of work to do and a lot of weight to lose which will translate to better numbers., but something doesn't seem to add up for me.

Weight 208

FTP 256

Rough math 2.68 = B.O.P.

Tried something else here. Last August I did Steelhead Half and guessing I weighed 192 and lets just say FTP (didn't have power back then) 275 to be nice. That puts me at 3.16 which is still M.O.P. I think my bike avg was 21.9 mph which was conservative for me as I had a lot left for a 1:36 run.

I am very curious if my FTP is higher than I think because something doesn't add up.

Okay rode "outside" today  (been a long winter here)

Numbers from the ride

40.11 mi in 2:10:22  18.5mph avg

HR avg 143   Power avg 243 Watts,  Normal Power 253   IF  .994   215 TSS 

This for me was between an easy to steady ride for me. Could have held a conversation all day long. RPE for me would have been 5 on a 1-10 scale.

Numbers are a little misleading because of the 20 mph winds so I was going 26 for a good portion and turning 125 Watts and then pushing 350 watts going 13.5 mph into the wind.

So my questions.... (I am taking this week to research and learn everything I can about power and really try to understand it)

Do these numbers look off? I felt I could have rode all day but my TSS was already to 215. Translate this ride out to 112 miles and I would be around 650 TSS

Please help, Thanks!

WAY OFF!!!

Assuming your PM was calibrated, there's no way those numbers are accurate.  Your FT is MUCH higher.

First off, this was a fairly steady ride with a VI of 1.04 (NP/AP).  So not TOO much surging and coasting (but you'll be better off with something more like 1.02 in AZ).

Second, there's simply no way to ride at an IF of nearly 1 for 2+ hours since, by definition, it's max sustainable power for 1hr.  Assuming this was more like a .75 IF ride, your FTP would be in ballpark of 335-340w.  So something is off (either the PM or your FTP estimate).

Thanks Johnny, I followed the  online video of how to "offset" the ergomo right before I headed out to ride. It told me everything was good and calibrated so I am guessing these numbers are correct.

My FTP was determined on my computrainer so obviously inside which is why I asked the question the other day about retesting outside.

Sorry I am an idiot, can you explain further?

I know on my ride there are stop signs, RR tracks every 2-3 miles and that da#$ phone rang 3 times so there was my fair share of stopping and starting and coasting going into stop signs.

That's not just an inside/outside difference.  Clearly the computrainer and Ergomo are not calibrated the same.

VI = variabilty index

It's a measure of how steady you rode and is calculated by taking normalized power divided by average power.  So if you sat at 250 watts the entire ride you would have an AP of 250, NP of 250 and a VI of 1.0.

A VI of 1.04 represents "some" variablity, but not terribly much--easily explained by some of those things you mentioned.

Okay, did a new powertest today on the ergomo to get a more accurate test. Was a little conservative the first 10 min but overall a good test.

Avg Watts for 20 min- 322

Weight- 209

322 x .95= 305.9     so FTP = 306

Body Weight in Kilograms/FTP= 3.29   mid cat 4

Still a ton of work to do but much better

inside on the CT but used the ergomo for #'s

I wouldn't say that's 'way' below.  Looks like a nice improvement to me!  Nice work!

Very nice improvement Patricia and its only April. Keep it up!

Just to close the loop on my own progress, a week ago I did another 2 x 20' test.  The result was an FTP of ~310w.  My FT increased 7% from the beginning of the year and is right about at the level I peaked at last season.  If not for a bout of the flu, I think I could probably have done a bit better.  I did get my weight down, so power/weight is at a new high (3.7 w/kg).

I managed this on no more than 3 rides per week.  Almost all riding is 'focused' though--no easy spinning rides.  Today I did a race rehearsal for my HIM in 2 weeks--it was my easiest ride (measured by IF) of the year.

I'm beginning to think that at some point, I should do a more bike-focused block for several months and get some more volume to go along with that intensity.  Longer-term I'd like to be at 4+ w/kg.

I have a questions...

I did two races last two weekend where my power was up but my time was either exactly the same or slower...

First was last weekend at Bassman

HIM 10/07: Loop 1: 1:37:04, NP 141, avg HR 136
This race 4/08: 1:37:04, NP 159, avg HR 147

This past weekend

Watts were 16 higher this year compared but my time was 90 seconds slower on 9 mile course

I look at factors that effect speed...weight-I weigh less this year, aero position on bike-no change and same bike, wheels- Zipps for HIM and this years races not for this past weekend's race a year ago, clothing- wore a tight fitting bike jacket for both races this year, HIM I just wore tri top. This year have aero helmet last year didn't.

I'm thinking that weather & wind effected me this year as my speed was lower this past race and equal with higher power last weekend. Is there anything else I should consider? I ride in aero all the time other than up some hills and I don't think I move my head around much.

Improving say 10 or 20 watts with no other changes with same weather, I would love to know how much faster I could be. I know it isn't that much .25 or something maybe? Impossible to figure it out though, right?

Kathy, I've same frustrations.  My tests showed 7% power improvement, translating to only 4% faster.   But here's a table that may be helpful, all other things being equal

http://www.computrainer.com/html/manuals/workout/Table2.html

Thanks..shows I should be maybe .5-.7 mph faster not even or slower in the case of the race yesterday. I do wonder if anything else could be slowing me down..which is why I thought of the externals maybe beyond weather.

Weather including wind does effect pace on the bike in a huge way. I did  a series of TT last summer, same course. The week I go the higher power I was second from slowest. First week with my lowest power numbers I was the fastest.

For my race Sunday my coach gave me power numbers and said something time will be what it is for the given day..how true. 

I look forward to hearing what my coach has to say.

Just searched over the forum and found this topic.

I am looking to accomplish this target of getting a power meter and dedicate myself on it over the incoming off-season.

Few questions:

1) which power taps should I consider on the market? Ergomo?

2) which is a good training book to understand numbers and training plans with PT? I found this one

http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1931382794/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219484762&sr=1-1