Chasing 4.0 watts/kg in 2020 (Page 2)

Nice work.  I just came off a three week training block and did a virtual race on Zwift with some good results.  I'll probably give a test a go next month...Sufferfest has a new ramp test which is a lot less painful than their 4DP one.

Yes - those are quite difficult, depending on the over/under ratio and total length.  I find nine minutes 2' @105%, 1' @ 95% x 3 just painful enough to hurt but not totally fry me.

Here is my progression in power training:  

Originally posted by kloofyroland Looks like someone likes joining the discussion only to post his data but not share information when asked, hehehe. My quest continues regardless. =P Recent test results: Maximum sub-anaerobic capacity 3m power: ~279watts (+3) Maximum aerobic 5m power: 276watts (+6) Functional threshold 20m power: ~250watts (+6) Weight: 147.4lbs=67.00kg (+1.4lb due to ST and harder workouts?) Power to weight ratio: 3.54watts/kg (+0.04) Jorge's Plan Calculator = 3.65watts/kg (+0.05) using 3m power and 3.60watts/kg using 5m power (+0.10) The heat and humidity that crept into my gym room may have hindered my performance in during the 3' and 20' interval test session. >.< Other than that, I'm feeling pretty good I still made positive gains since last report, hehe.

I don't visit the Challenges Section very often.  I got on today for the first time in several months to see if there are any new challenges for 2021.  So, not ignoring your question.  I just didn't see it until today.  

I did outdoor cycling when I got into Triathlon in January of 2015.  I did pretty much all of my cycling training outdoors until 2018.  After my first triathlon the spring of 2015 I did Jorge's Winter Bike Maintenance plan that is free in the BT workout session.  I did that outdoors with HR from August to November.  That was my first prodized bike training.  I did the 8 week Tridot plan the winter of 2017 on the stationary bike at the gym where I swim that has a Watt setting on the screen.  In 2018 I got a kurk's kinetic bike trainer and ant+ Garmin sensors and started doing periodized training in Trainer Roads.  I made a lot of progress from 2015 to 2018 without the bike trainer, but with the bike trainers training became much more controlled, repeatable, and measurable.   So the key to my progression has been periodized training on Trainer Roads.  I do a Monday Wednesday morning 60-75min session on the trainer doing structured intervals, a 2-3 hour Saturday outdoor ride on Saturdays with long Sweet Spot Intervals.  about once a month I add a 4th indoor trainer ride of 75-90 mins on Friday morning that is it.  If the sessions get too hard take a rest week or two and re-test.  If your FTP is too high you are going to go backwards and not forward.  There are a lot of threads about going slow to get faster.  The same applies to the bike.  If you are getting stronger the workouts won't feel harder even though you are doing higher Watts.  The key is consistency.  Stick with it the gains will come.  If it feels too hard it probably is so re-test and don't worry about the lower score.  That will get the effort back to where it needs to be for you to progress.    

I am looking at this again and see your 3m Power is only 3 watts higher than your 5m power and that your 5m power is only 26 watts higher than your 20m power?

I think if your 3m power is not at least 25% higher than your 20m power that a VO2max Booster plan would help you get through the plateau.  That would look like a lot of short intervals (Tabata type intervals) and some big gear stuff (i.e. 10-minute 100% FTP @ 55 RPM).    

Yeah I didn't notice that.  That's a REALLY flat power curve.

My 1 minute power is 469w, 3 minute power 329 (never really tested that interval), 5 minute 318, 20 minute 241.  I really haven't focused on 20 minute power this year, was more trying to hit the extremes of sprints and anaerobic power plus pushing out to 50+ miles on long ride for endurance.  I just started TR's sweet spot based to solidify the middle.  I use 260 as my FTP setting and I"m juuuuust able to complete the workouts.  Maybe it's set a tad too high but I could ride all day at 88% of 241.

If you look at my 2019 vs. 2020 power curve, solid gains across the board except for that middle section I spoke of, so hear I am suffering 5 x 10' at 90% intervals this morning. 

I completed 5 x 10' @ 88/90/92/92/90, with 5' RBI on Saturday.  Didn't hit LTHR until the last minute or so of the 4th one, and for the last half of the 5th one.  Not suffering, just takes a lot of concentration and I'm not used to that type of training as I did mostly outdoor riding and Zwift racing this year.

I am on the last week of my 4-week break from structured training right now, so I haven't done any intensity over FTP in a month, but this morning I felt like doing something so I did 3 X 10mins @ 90% FTP and they felt easy.  I did the canned "Geiger" TR workout and noticed in the in-ride instructions that said, and I paraphrase, that "Too much intensity and/or too little recovery = negative training effect" and that "correct intensity + correct recovery = positive training effect".      

3 x 20' @ 85% (221w), 5' RBI this morning.  First two were pretty easy, third I had to really concentrate.  HR stayed below LTHR the whole time and my hrTSS on Training Peaks was lower than the TSS by a couple of points, but close.  The plan starts moving into some over/unders next week.

I had a rough week last week, wasn't feeling great and slept like crap so I made it a recovery week.  Easing back into it this week with a 30' interval @ 82-88% on Monday and some threshold work yesterday.