Increase your Cycling Power over the winter = Faster times on 2009 (Page 19)

JorgeM - 2008-12-07 2:09 PM I finally was able to start training again today after a nasty chest cold which puts me back 2 weeks. I will be picking up the plan on week 2 and go from there. Great Job to those who have been following the plan; CONSISTENCY is the key for you imporve over the total 14 week program so stay focus, keep on training and fire away with any questions!

I started week 2 over and completed Q2 a few hours ago.  I was looking at the sheet between the 5 minute sets and seen 13 minutes coming up next, in Q3.  That should prove interesting!

Joe

JorgeM - 2008-12-07 1:09 PM I finally was able to start training again today after a nasty chest cold which puts me back 2 weeks. I will be picking up the plan on week 2 and go from there. Great Job to those who have been following the plan; CONSISTENCY is the key for you imporve over the total 14 week program so stay focus, keep on training and fire away with any questions!

Glad you're feeling better!!

Hi Jorge- I just want to run this past you to be sure I am clear.  We are to use our average power numbers from the 20 and 5 minute time trials to calculate our critical power for 60 minute number using the calculation you gave us (or spreadsheet). This number is then used to calculate our  training zones as listed on the week's workouts.  For instance in part of this week's main set we will be riding at 96-102% of our critical power number. I guess I just want to make sure that the terms "critical power for 60 minutes", "functional threshold" and "functional threshold power" are all referring to the same number.  If they aren't can you clarify the differences between them.

Thanks so much for all your time in this.  It is greatly appreciated. Glad to hear you are feeling better.

Kathy

Micawber - 2008-12-08 9:51 PM Week 4, Q1 is done. /* insert lots of random whining here */

KOM - 2008-12-08 1:09 PM

... I guess I just want to make sure that the terms "critical power for 60 minutes", "functional threshold" and "functional threshold power" are all referring to the same number.  ...

I'm pretty sure that's correct Kathy.

My spin class did the 5 minute time trial tonight and we all agreed that it was much harder than the 20 minute. I guess it was a quick lesson in anaerobic metabolism.  Found it hard to not go out too fast and lose power after a minute or so. Fun none the less.

GoFaster – The best way to find out your optimal natural cadence is by just riding, literally! Specially when doing long rides, that tends to show what cadence you seem to feel more comfortable with. Of course if you ride at lower cadences and you are used to ride faster rpms it will feel tougher (and vice versa). You can do some sets at lower cadences to mix things a bit simulate a bit climbing (as our cadence tends to drop a bit), etc. but I don’t do much of that on the trainer as the strain on the knees seem tot be higher. If anything I try it outside but in general I try to ride at my optimal cadence most of the time. In terms of gearing I go with what matches the terrain I am riding and the power I am shooting for, if I am doing intense intervals and to match my power goal I am on the big ring then I go for it, otherwise I always adjust gearing to match my goals. On the trainer I am usually on the small ring due to the resistance (Good job with the test!)  

Week two done, a week late but done.

I find I need to do a few minutes of warm up, prior to warming up.  It seems that extr few minutes helps my knees work better.  I also am sure I way over estimated my FTP.  Since we did not test at the start I rode once and picked 260 watts as my FTP.  Then I made a little sheet up with different targets, like 55-65% and so on.  Tonight I kept around 210 range for the main set.  I don't believe I could hold higher for the test.  I guess I will find out in a few days.

Heres tonights question.  Does anyone have a link to one of those spreedsheets, that show gear ratios, speed and cadeance?  Maybe one that relates power to speed to gears?

Joe

 ok I need some advice, might be repeated question or maybe a dumb question if I missed something but I gotta know

I did my 30 test (HRM) with warmup TOATL 50 MIN

It ws freakin painful, I pushed as much as possible without burning out early, kept my heartrate up around 152-158 for the bulk of the 30 min session. pushed the last 3 minutes hard

I ended up wit ha max of 163 and an ave of 141 thru the whole 50 minutes, so it works out that my LTHR would be about 137 with Jorge's calculations, that seems so low. That is like 3-4 RPE

did I do something wrong? The only thing I can think of is that maybe I did not get my heart rate up in my warrmup enough...just not sure.

should I have only  taken the ave of the 30 minutes test or does that seem right

my max HR in running is 177

I have not done a max HR bike test yet but it always seems lower. I am confused I worked my a@# off doing this

 someone help me please

Dave

Puppetmaster – you can check on your trainer’s maker website; I know Kurt and Cycle-ops offer those graphs online.

PennState – Welcome! Let me answer your PM here as it might help others, Fred asked: “Do you think that intervals of 20 min, 5, min or less are best for IM base prep”. Short answer – improving your power at threshold is the single best and most important training adaptation for all endurance athletes from sprint to IM. For that reason devoting a training phase (cycle) for this through the general phase (none-specific IM training) will yield great results. The higher your power threshold, the higher watts you can potentially sustain for the IM bike leg as long as you do the specific training which you’ll focus on later on your plan when you get to the specific phase (long steady state rides).

In terms of the duration of the intervals you can start with shorter ones (like we have been doing on this plan) to allow your body to adapt and we’ll build up over time to eventually do 2-3x 20 min @ FTP or 1 hr. You can also do shorter intervals at VO2 max power (3-5 min) which can also help improve your power at FTP, cycling efficiency, etc. Those adaptations happen over a shorter period of time hence with a small cycle (3-4 weeks) you can focus on that. We’ll have 3 weeks of VO2 max intervals and later move to full 6 weeks of FTP intervals on this plan

Ioco Triloco – does the HR avg is for the entire ride (test + warm-up) or is that only for the test?

Jorge,

that was for the whole test, warmup, 30 min test, and cool down for a total of 50 min

Here's a tip for Garmin users.  Define your HR training zones in the Garmin software and on your Garmin watch.  Then set up workouts for each of the sessions in the Garmin software and download the workouts to the Garmin watch.  When it's time for my workout, I start the workout on my Garmin.  It beeps at each change in HR zone. 

So for example.

WU
10' @z2 <beep>
Main Set
5' @z4<beep>
1' @z2<beep>
.......etc.

You get the idea.  Works great.  Using this method, I don't have to check the time for each interval; just focus riding and wait for the beep.  Also, the Garmin will emit a different beep if your HR falls out of the specified HR zone.  Nothing like an annoying beep to motivate you back into the proper zone.