Cycling program v4.0 2011-2012 (Page 25)

Great Job! keep up the consistency, let's get that 3 to 3.9 w/kg

As long as you improve in your training and learn about smart training, I am ok with either

Jorge

I've read in the past that once you know your FT in watts you can just dial that number in for a race and keeping as close as possible will deliver the best performance you can manage. Does the same apply for heart rate?

Now I know my FTHR can I keep that number in mind and aim to maintain my heart rate at or near for the duration of the race (Olympic, so the numbers from the cycle programme are roughly correct) and achieve the same result?

Thanks

2nd 5min test in the bag.

 Not dissapointing, but a little suprised. My legs have been really tired the last 2 days and last night I had a bad run after I did my 20min test on Monday. I figured I would not really see huge gains in my 5min test 1) because of tired legs/body and 2) I have only really been doing 2 of the 3 workouts a week and I always try to go with the slightly longer ones b/c I felt that my 20min power was not quite at the level of my 5min  power from test 1. So my focus has been more towards 20min/CP power than 5min power.

Well I thought I rode a pretty good 5min test and the way it felt I thought I was actually going to see a decent jump. I downloaded and it actually dropped. Like I said above, not dissapointed given my reasons above, but suprised it dropped a touch.

Test 1  (Dec 14 & 18)   5min   316w avg          20min   256w avg     CP   236w (3.46w/kg)

Test 2 (Jan 9 & 11)      5min   309w avg           20min   277w avg     CP   266w (3.91w/kg)

Test 2 (Week 7) done!  20 min test was pretty good, 5 min test was pretty tough, my average power dropped a bit in the last minute, so will need to work on pacing.  Also for some reason started coughing pretty hard after 5 min test (may have something to do with an open window and really cold temperatures outside)

Here are the results!

5 min @ 319W (vs  4 min @ 313W test 1)

20 min @ 255 (vs  20 min @ 240W test 1)

CP 234 - 2.98 W/kg (vs 222 - 2.83 w/kg test1)

Feel there is some progress ... 2 tests to go to reach my goal of 3.45 w/kg

Happy training!

Holy buckets, as my mom used to say.  Here are my results:

20 min power was 303/ now 305 watts.

5 min power was 334/ now 358 watts. (4.67 w/kg)  I guess the ceiling has been raised.

Jorge,  My CP has dropped about 10 watts.  I understand the why.  But my question is if I can do the workouts at the higher CP value, should I do them?  Or, would I get more benefit from lowering my CP and doing my workouts with the lower value?   

How much of the CP/FTP gains carry over throughout the season?  I will finish the program in March and then will start specific training for Ironman Wisconsin.  The program is working great and I see great improvements now.  Should I expect my FTP to drop as the season progresses (since I will be doing mostly aerobic training), or does it stay pretty steady?

Thanks!

My question is what are we working on with the long rides? I'm learning this stuff about VO2 and CP. My running is on hold so now I am going to ride the 4x a week till I can get back to that. I did the long ride yesterday. I'm just week 2 but did 2 hours watching the game. The workout was 70-75-80%... that was pretty easy and I was not tired so I basically did about 85% for 1.5 hours.

My question is what are we working on? What is the range I want to stay in for the long ride? And I am realizing this year it's about the weekly work load not blowing out a killer workout.

1st  20' Test Done

long way to go but I am def happy and encouraged by the results so far!

I just finished my 3rd 30min test - dropped a tad from test two.  The same thing happened last year as well on test 3.  Not sure why because I felt pretty good going into it. 

I used CP for that workout.

20' as 2' @ 95-105% + 10' @ 70-75% 

I think that's a typo.  I think it should read.  Ride for 20min. as 2min @95-105% and 2 min @ 70-75%.  So you are alternating.  2 min hard/2 min easy.  

Jorge,

This may have been asked before, but I haven't read all 20 some pages yet, but will be when I can.

Anyhow, I' looking at starting the program Mon along with the free HIM plan. I have the HIM plan modified to fir my schedule along with your plan. Would it be ok for me to just drop it in place of what it calls for on the HIM plan, most weeks only have 3 days for bike, most weeks maybe 60,60, 90+ so that I think will work well with your plan, but does add a session which I don't think will be a problem, just extra bike traning.

My question was in regards to recovery weeks though, your plan while it does have a recovery week, they are still fairly high in effort, but reduced on the long ride. The problem I was wondering about though is it will not line up with the recovery weeks of the HIM plan. The HIM plan is weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16 for recovery, and yours are 6,10, and 15.

Even if I did wait to start your plan to make 8 from the HIM plan line up with 6 from yours, I t still would be thrown off with the extra week you have at the end, instaed of 14 in your being recovery, it is 15.

So should I sweat it? Or just start at the same time and call it good, even though I'll still be going fairly hard on the bike during my recovery week for the HIM plan, if anything I guess I could just cut your long bike to an hour on those weeks, and extend the long bike on your recovery weeks.

Hope it makes sense with me flip flopping talking about your plan vs the other.

That's sick my friend.  I'm gonna have to hit the running harder because you're eliminating any hope of me getting close to you on the bike!  Very nice.

Question for Jorge and others:

Well, its finally caught up to me.  I'm on week 8 of Don Fink's IronFit plan for IMCDA.  I was replacing the weekday bikes with Jorge's plan (I'm on week 10) and the past two weeks, my power has been falling on the interval rides.  I just don't know that I have the fitness.  Should I, 

A) Continue the plan just knowing full well that my power numbers may not show progress due to the extra load I'm taking on during the IM plan.

B) Scrap Jorge's plan knowing that I at least got 10 weeks worth of gains and fully focus on the IM plan.

Thanks all!

I'm on week 8 right now.  Doing Jorge's plan and lifting twice a week.  The plan is very tough, and I don't see how I could do this and swim and run at the same time.  I would go with option B.  Just my 2 cents.

Which days are you doing? A;ll 3 week days and no optional 4th? It was mentioned doing only 1 and 2 for less intensity. Do you take recovery weeks?  Nothing wrong with taking one when needed.

Finished my 2nd test today. I felt good for the 5 min test. The 20min test on Tuesday was another story!  However, very happy with my progress to date...

Test 1.  20min  274w  w/kg 3.0          5min  302w  w/kg 3.3

Test 2.  20min  292w  w/kg 3.2          5min  339w  w/kg 3.7

Then you're doing it wrong.  

I'm doing the 1st and 2nd days with a long ride on the weekend.  Tell me more about taking a recovery week.  I certainly know what you mean, but I'm curious about recommendation about application.  Both Jorge's plan and my IM plan (IronFit) are pretty well spelled out.  Are you suggesting I just throw in a random week that's recovery off plan?  Take a week off of Jorge's plan to do easy bikes and then come back in where I left off?

thanks!

Ya, that was the "less" intense one. Or leave off the optional long ride.

I am not the guy you want to be taking expert advice from....

Last year I tried to stay on programs and what ever... now people that have been doing this for a while don't seem to take "recovery" weeks, they just alter things a bit. So I do my running plan and now this plan and I will adjust depending how I feel and if I am feeling run down then I will take it easy for a week to recharge. I don't plan on "recovery weeks", but I will need to recharge from time to time.

This plan is "cycling specific" but for triathletes... so if you need to cut back or rest up because of your running, do so... you could just substitute one of the beginning weeks as a recovery week since they were sort of short and easy. I don't know how much help that is, take it for what it's worth.