SBR Utopia Season II - OPEN (Page 111)

Marc, what I want to know is if you are in Miami as planned and how hot is it???

I am quite displeased with weather forecasts such as "the temp will be 82 but it will really feel like 95."   WTF.  I don't care what it is, only what it feels like.....   Also, 70%+ humidity.  I live in 30-ish.   This will be fun ..... ?

Feels like we might be getting snow over here.

not helping

Somewhere in between these two extremes would be nice.  

Originally posted by marcag

Originally posted by ligersandtions Alright, so I'm probably annoying with my power questions, but I figure a handful of people in here are willing to talk power any chance they're given Is there a "best" (better? worse?) way to set up VO2max workouts? Would it be better to have a bunch of short (1 min?) intervals at 120% versus a few longer (5 min?) intervals at 106%? Is there an optimal amount of time to spend in the VO2max zone during a single workout? What about threshold? 2x20 @ FTP seems to be the bread and butter....but I tend to prefer something like 2-3x12 over/unders because it's more manageable physically and mentally for me. I imagine the optimal time to spend in a given zone is based on what it does for your recovery? More is better until it affects what you have planned for the next day? Is this a trial-and-error kind of thing, or is there a rule of thumb? Feel free to send me over to TP and search through articles if there's something there that I just haven't found yet....

Here's a suggestion. You seem to be very technically competent and willing to try things Download Golden Cheetah version 3 and learn to use the training tab. You can load "Erg files" and ride them. You basically "program" a series of intervals, load them up and press go. We can give you a hand with these if you are interested The GC tells you what power level you are, and what your target is. You can also download erg files for sufferfest videos and it will tell you what power level to try to hit and the power you are at. If your FTP is properly set, you should make it through a video feeling you did a good workout. But what is cool is that you load an erg and it tells you what the TSS will be if you hit the targets, BEFORE you even ride it. If it's a 1hr workout and the TSS is 80, you know it will be a solid workout. There are various sufferfest with various durations. But like I said, you can also program an erg file. So if you want to do this, step 1, download GC, install the Ant+ stick and get GC to read your power levels, learn to use the training tab. We can guide you through this is there is interest on your part or anyone else from this group.

Marc - do you create the erg files directly in GC or do you import them from another program?

Thanks for the tips.

At 190#, I don't have much of a choice in "pushing through" heat.  It simply can't be done.  I have the arm coolers and also the cool wing, will have to debate wearing them.  wings probably not as I am sans wetsuit, and they cover the shoulders, requiring a T1 change.  My aero helmet has venting options, so hopefully that will help.  8:07 wave would get me to the end of the bike latest I would think at 11:15-ish? with a  (hopefully):30 swim and a few minutes in T1. 

Dunno, have never done a flat HIM, so no idea what my time will be.  Best HIM bike time is 2:47 at Oceanside this year with 2500 feet + of climbing.  Here I have power/disc wheel/new frame/flat course, so it will be interesting to see how it unfolds.  Likely head/cross wind out, tail/cross wind back

Much as I'd love to go for a sub 5 at this course, it's simply not the right one for me to try that as even with a stellar (for me) bike, the run would be a huge ask. 

If it makes you feel any better, you've got 35lbs on me and I struggle miserably in the heat.  Come time for winter riding I only need to worry about toes and fingers because the rest of me is always toasty with minimal layers - which is not a lot of help come race time in the middle of summer.

No snow here, but on my 6am ride this morning the weather was 55 degrees and the humidity was 92%. That is fairly normal this time of year. Around here we get pretty excited about 70% humidity. During the thick of the summer the highs are usually in the mid 90s and the humidity will be in the 85~95% range. Arm coolers do not work in these ranges, but at 70% humidity I actually have found them to make a difference.

I'd have to check which cassette I have on there, but I know the one I have on my race wheels have one tooth jumps in the middle range.  That said, I am riding in the big chain ring on the lower end of the cassette.  I'll try to see if I can find better gearing while staying in the small chain ring.  I feel like my current power output lands me in a place where I'm more crossed up than I'd like on either the big or small chainring.  

For my trainer rides, you can see my rides here: http://www.trainerroad.com/career/ligersandtions  -- 10/20, 10/13, 10/12 all show longer rides that I struggled on...

I have them all loaded into GC, but I don't think there's a way to make those public, and I don't consistently upload to TP since I'm only using the free version.  

Originally posted by marcag

Originally posted by ligersandtions Alright, so I'm probably annoying with my power questions, but I figure a handful of people in here are willing to talk power any chance they're given Is there a "best" (better? worse?) way to set up VO2max workouts? Would it be better to have a bunch of short (1 min?) intervals at 120% versus a few longer (5 min?) intervals at 106%? Is there an optimal amount of time to spend in the VO2max zone during a single workout? What about threshold? 2x20 @ FTP seems to be the bread and butter....but I tend to prefer something like 2-3x12 over/unders because it's more manageable physically and mentally for me. I imagine the optimal time to spend in a given zone is based on what it does for your recovery? More is better until it affects what you have planned for the next day? Is this a trial-and-error kind of thing, or is there a rule of thumb? Feel free to send me over to TP and search through articles if there's something there that I just haven't found yet....

Here's a suggestion. You seem to be very technically competent and willing to try things Download Golden Cheetah version 3 and learn to use the training tab. You can load "Erg files" and ride them. You basically "program" a series of intervals, load them up and press go. We can give you a hand with these if you are interested The GC tells you what power level you are, and what your target is. You can also download erg files for sufferfest videos and it will tell you what power level to try to hit and the power you are at. If your FTP is properly set, you should make it through a video feeling you did a good workout. But what is cool is that you load an erg and it tells you what the TSS will be if you hit the targets, BEFORE you even ride it. If it's a 1hr workout and the TSS is 80, you know it will be a solid workout. There are various sufferfest with various durations. But like I said, you can also program an erg file. So if you want to do this, step 1, download GC, install the Ant+ stick and get GC to read your power levels, learn to use the training tab. We can guide you through this is there is interest on your part or anyone else from this group.

I have GC, version 3 -- I've been uploading all my power files to it, but the only things I've really figured out how to do on there are analyze the PMC and quadrant analysis.  

That said, I have been using TrainerRoad, which allows me to create workouts and know what the TSS will be before I do the ride.  If the TSS is too high or too low, I've been adjusting as necessary prior to doing the workout.  That's part of the reason I was asking how to create "good" VO2max and threshold workouts.

TR also has workouts for the Sufferfest videos -- honestly, I feel like the way they have them set up, most of them are harder than most people are capable of if they have their FTP's set correctly.  I tend to "fail" at them most of the time if I ride them on 100% intensity, but it's a good goal to chase.  I can typically finish them at the target powers if I lower the intensity (90-95%).  Curious if the erg files you've been able to download are the same as what TR has...

With regards to learning how to use the training tab, is there a complete GC manual out there somewhere?  I downloaded one off their webpage, but everything past section 3.3 (Views & Sidebar) is like an outline that was never actually completed.  Thought it was weird...

This is one of the big local group roadie rides, the regular Tuesday morning ride, and why I don't ride in big squirrely groups (crash, nothing squeamish though)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUF-RwY2rak&feature=youtu.be

Apparently a couple broken bones and 25K of bike damage.  Someone overlapped a wheel

Good to know going in.  Looks like temp/humisity are calming down slightly, although not enough to help me

From looking around a bit, have a couple thoughts. One is to watch your spacing for the workouts. An example is where you tried ISLIAGIATT once the day after a hard VO2 session. That's a big and hard workout (near 2 hr Sufferfest) the day after a very high intensity one. I couldn't have done it either. And generally I try to do something that involves lower intensity the day after VO2, though volume may still go up higher.

Also, you probably won't be able to do all of them at 100%. I tend to do like what Ryan said on the 2 x 20', more like 95% when it's just those two and try to work towards 100% over several workouts. When I get there, then it's likely time to retest. You're not doing 2 x 20', but other workouts with smaller intervals that work at or a bit over threshold. Still take that idea in towards the TR setting as opposed to the IF for the specific interval. Start lower and get the work in. You'll get stronger. If you're actually able to do all of these at 100%, then it might be time to retest.

Watch the design of the workouts too. I usually don't like ones with like 8' work, 4' recovery as often as that's kind of in between threshold & VO2 pattern. Try to find ones with recoveries more like 20-25% of the work session or so. The 10/16 workout would be a good example if the early intervals didn't go so high. I'd use those more to wake things up and then take the later parts stronger. Ethan Allen seems like one I might do more often. The work intervals are big, so the recovery spacing being bigger is less important. Don't worry about killing the sprints they put in. Those ones are only to help wake things up. You're going 100 watts over! Since the longer work interval has been giving you issues, try to find more of the shorter and build up interval duration and/or decrease recovery interval. Should help give you some more practice to build up your confidence, and have another go at them.

Always keep the goal of the workout in mind. It's not to go 100% of whatever the selected profile says every time, but to stress the area you intend. I pick things that are close enough to work with and adjust accordingly. Plenty of times I've skipped sections of a 'Fest vid as all I wanted was the 20' hill in say The Hunted. The other parts are there to use, but if they don't fit the goals of the workout I'll just ride right through or skip past entirely.

Glad to hear that it wasn't worse Jason

Ouch, glad to hear you are not worse off.

Glad you are ok Jason!!

I packed up my P3 for travel for the first time tonight.  Getting the stem off the steerer tube was an adventure due to how I have the shift cables running.  I was just barely able to get it off after a lot of cursing and head scratching.  Putting it back on is likely to be equally frustrating.  

Flying out at 11:30am tomorrow and getting into Fort Lauderdale at 9pm.

see ya there.  bib numbers are up.  I am 1357.   Although not a huge fan of odd numbers, quite happy with this 

2679 for me.

I assume the letters that go with the waves (ie. the Q-Z in "Age Group M35-39 Male - Q-Z Wave 4") means M35-39 with last names starting with Q-Z??

Well, that's how I did it for my road bike.  The problem is the way I have my BTA cage ziptied on.  There is a plethora of zipties criss crossing across the face plate and I'm scared to cut them....  It's hard to describe without a picture!