SWBKRUN Mentor Group-"Off Season?" What is that?!! (Page 236)

Hey Reub...If you're more like me than Tony...Buy a tri-bike!! I bought a used Cervelp P2K at the start of the season. Maybe go that route the start of next year. All the richies will be selling their old bikes to buy new ones at the start of the year.

I'll make you a chicken pot pie that you can stick where the sun don't shine!

Edited by sdalessio 2009-08-27 9:18 AM

I am glad I didn't get a wetsuit this year.  I have been following the link at ST and all I can say is that I am happy for the suit

Hi Suzy,

Boy, you leave BT for a couple of days and you're several pages behind. Yikes. Anyway, first, I've got 40 lbs on Birdy, not 70. Just to clear that up...

15 watts is a HUGE improvement! Way to go! I worked hard this offseason to push my functional threshold up about 7 watts, from about 242 to 249. One key component is that this is done on a Computrainer in a standard road position. When I get on my P3, it's very different: I can't hold 240+ watts in an aero position for an hour. My aero threshold is probably 20 to 25 watts lower. Keep that in mind when you extrapolate from some of the guidelines for threshold power-to-race formulas, like 80-82% of FTP for HIM, 85-88% for Oly, etc. Generally: 5-7% decrease in target wattage for doubling the distance. So, Suzy, if you're doing these 1 hour TTs on a computrainer, try maintaining your aero position (if you aren't already) to get a good idea of what your aero FTP vs. a road FTP.

The other side of this is that FTP isn't everything, of course. I'm short and small, and thus I'm able to get in a pretty aero position, somewhere on the order of CdA = .229 m^2 (email me at ryan at fpasset dot com if you'd like more nerdy information or how to calculate your position). The rough rule of thumb is that an improvement of .005 m^2 of CdA is about 5w. So for the small people like Suzy and me, getting in a really aero position can make up for a lack of absolute power.

At Lake Stevens, I averaged 181w on the first loop and 183w on the second; this works out to about 82-83% of my aero FTP, so I was right on my target. And I absolutely believe in the quote mentioned about how there's no such thing as a good bike and a bad run. Training with power is an excellent way to be able to accurately pace yourself and measure your improvement. I highly recommend a Powertap or SRM, which is what I use. Feel free to email me with any questions!

haha they made fun of me when I posted a spreasheet used calculate your CdA

Yeah Tony, but Ryan's is apparently in english

Holy Cow....you know a lot! and you are a machine-- an FTP of 250?  I feel like a pipsqueak.

Right now, I only have a CT so I don't have a clue what my Watts look like outside.  I will tell you to get that 150W, I was NOT aero at all.  I was upright pedaling my brains out and doing everything I could not to faint. Well, not really.  I will have to test out doing this in the aerobars to see what things look like after my HIM.

I don't even know what this means-- CdA = .229 m^2 so I will have to email you. Tony is working on finding me a tri bike so hopefully over time that will make me even more aero. I need all the help I can get at 100lbs.  I have seen pics of me using my clip ons and I don't feel aero at all!

I am glad to hear you agree with the "good  bike, bad run" comment.  I am really working to control myself on the bike so my run isn't a total disaster.

Out of curiousity, why the SRAM vs the Powertap?  This is my Spring purchase so any advice would be helpful.

Suzy

For those who don't understand
Cd……………………COEFFICIENT OF DRAG
FTP…………………..FUNCTIONAL THRESHOLD POWER
SRM…………………CRÈME DE LA CRÈME POWER METER

any others you may come across....
http://www.cyclingforums.com/cycling-training/386984-cycling-acronyms-ftp-vo2max-etc.html

SRM power is measured in the crank not the hub so you can have training wheels and racing wheels and still get power.  Also SRM is probably the best for accuracy but you are paying quite a bit more for them over the powertap.  Ergomo also measures from Crank/BB but they seem to be going out of business.  Quarq is another good one, more techy than the SRM, you can pair it with any ANT+ headset, like the Garmin 705 so you can get power and navigation...

HAHA, when Steve is wearing his Capri's this number goes up significantly...

Sorry I just couldn't resist...

If you can, do the same TT in aero position. You'll give away a few watts, but it'll be a better representation of what your sustainable power is for a race. I usually use a slightly different protocol than the 1 hour all-out: WU for 10', then find your avg watts for a flat 10 mile TT (I just created a flat course in the CT software). Take 95% of that value, and it should be pretty close to your FTP.


CdA is your drag coefficient in terms of frontal area. As Tony alluded to, you can get a rough idea of this from looking at speed and wattage; I use www.analyticcycling.com to work out the calculations.


Yep! As a good cyclist, it's tough to "hold back" but it usually pays nice dividends late in the race.


The SRM is a crankset so it allows me to use my Eastons for training and my Zipps for racing. The Powertap requires a different hub for each wheel. The SRM is more expensive but it's also considered the most accurate and consistent. I don't think you could go wrong with either one though; there are Pro Tour teams who use each of them. Don't go with the Ergomo unless you can get it for a ridiculous price (<$150?); they're essentially out of business and support is non-existent. Lots of people got screwed over when they purchased these in the last few years. Installation isn't easy, and they're very finicky. The Quarq is a recent challenger to the SRM as a crank-based system. It looks very cool. It plays nicely with Garmin stuff, uses the latest technology and protocols, and is cheaper than a SRM.

Well, I type too slowly here at work, so basically, yeah, what Tony said... almost literally word for word... wow.

Edited by ryanp100 2009-08-27 11:17 AM

Hey Cool!! Glad to see you are alive and kicking.  It has been a while since we have heard from you.

The man has never been to one of my tris and won't be at the HIM either.  I think I burned him out being my marathon Sherpa for 6 years! Oh well, sometimes being completely ananymous has its advantages.

PS. Tony's comments about the capris got my first laugh out loud of the morning.  Gotta love Birdy and his pants.

That is going to go very far on your run!  She will be that BOOST of inspiration out there.

Hey Tony--I did the measurements you told me to do.....45.7cm and 36.8cm.  Of course, I may not have done them totally correctly, but do they give you any insight?  And please don't start with the phrase...."boy you are small"...., instead say "we may have some options"....please?

Weather isn't ideal (59F and overcast), but my training buddy and I are headed to Devils Lake for another swim this afternoon.  The life of a consultant has its advantages......later kids.

Check out my training log from yesterday... Race "report" up from last night.

Great report - glad you both had fun.  Poison ivy sucks!!!!  I'm sure she will be back for more.

Great race report, sounds like a blast. I hope everyone's poison ivy clears up soon.

Poison Ivy...PPHHhhHH throw some calamine lotion on it and keep moving!! I like the part about hearing the body hit the ground. That sounded like alot of fun though.
My adventure from last night? Why I went to the store, bought a Flatscreen and hung it on the wall. Didn't have our girls, so the wife and I hung out getting the basement ready for training.

LOL - that sounds like the kind of excitement Tony and I have when the kids are away. 

Trevor, my plan for the bike is like you mentioned...pick one up over the winter or spring.  I thought I setup this bike as a temp. test and bite the bullet in the spring.  But this bike with an aero setup may last thru next season.

Ryan, thanks for the power meter explanation.  I probably won't be to justify the expense, but at least I know what that stuff means now.

Rob, good to see you around.  Glad your wife is making the race with you.

Steve, the race sounds like a blast.  I wish I could say I feel you pain with the poison ivy.  However, I like my father, do not get poison ivy.  A buddy and I go rabbit or squirrel hunting - he walks around everything and I just trudge thru it all. 

Suzy, I need to introduce you to my friends and neighbors.  They think I never work...they haven't met you

OH, Well that clears it up!!!

Thanks Kim for my laugh out loud moment of the day.  I agree.  I read all of this talk about numbers and power and blah, blah, blah.  Don't get me wrong, it's all great and I'm sure a very useful training tool but I have zippy time to even think about it. 

I'm still in the caveman stage of training ...  Get on bike, pedal.  Put on shoes, run.  And in my case - jump in water, try not to sink.