SWBKRUN fast, furious, and closed (Page 284)

NFEC 50 miler on Saturday! The course is now 10,023 ft of ascent and 51.2 miles long, due to some trail maintenance course changes. An extra 1.2 miles isn't a big deal, but I'm glad I noticed it beforehand, so I'm not mentally finished at 50, lol. My strategy is to walk the ups, run the downs and flats, and keep moving forward. As long as I stay under 16' miles, I'm golden.

Same strategy, but for only 26.2 miles and 3500 ft of ascent. Leave it to the crazy kids in this MG to make that sound easy! Roni, I'll be thinking of you and sending you strong-leg thoughts while I'm sipping my hot soup after my race! 

So? who's ready to rock a race this weekend?  Details!

For the rest of us, there seems to be a lot of chatter about LT tests on the bike.  If you've done one, spill your strategy for getting the very best result possible! 

Same strategy, but for only 26.2 miles and 3500 ft of ascent. Leave it to the crazy kids in this MG to make that sound easy! Roni, I'll be thinking of you and sending you strong-leg thoughts while I'm sipping my hot soup after my race! 

So my curent state of emotions are all over the place.  A quick background on my kids.  My second pregnancy was a surprise twin pregnancy.  We ended up needing intra-uterine surgery at 19.5 weeks for TTTS.  They were born at 29 weeks.  That night the neonatologist told us Gabriel would not make it through the night.  He did but ended up with a grade 3 and 4 brain hemmoraghe.  He had a VP shunt placed at one month old followed by sepsis due to klebsiella and then meningitis.  He has had 3 follow up surgeries on the shunt since.  He didn't walk until 2.5 and has many gross and fine motor skill delays.  He is now 4.5.

So, I have suspected for a little while he had cerebral palsy and we had an appointment today with a neurologist who confirmed it.  It doesn't change much and I knew why we were going today but it still makes me sad.  I feel like he has so many hurdles and hills to climb and one more has been thrown his way.  Granted he is a fighter who will make you laugh so hard you cry (and not always on purpose), I just hate this for him. 

Last official cross race of the season, Capital Cross Classic in Reston VA.

Do you mean FTP test or LT test?  I've done FTP tests at home, but only LT tests with my coach hooked up to some machine.

You boys make it really hard to catch up on BT posts at work   Great job to all our turkey holiday racers.  I'm looking forward to reading all the race reports.  

I second all the advise about the right leg/knee pain.  I tried to HTFU on a similar issue with very unhappy consequences.  Find the root cause please!!!

As I was planning my race schedule for next year I asked my coach if I should end the season with the Augusta HIM or a marathon.  His answer......... Let's do both!!!!!  Typical!     So much for taking it easy next year.    Any IMFL peeps interested in racing Augusta?  

Doug, I'm registering for all the FS series open water swims.  I'll even do the Big Deuce with you if you want.  Better see your butt out there  

So my curent state of emotions are all over the place.  A quick background on my kids.  My second pregnancy was a surprise twin pregnancy.  We ended up needing intra-uterine surgery at 19.5 weeks for TTTS.  They were born at 29 weeks.  That night the neonatologist told us Gabriel would not make it through the night.  He did but ended up with a grade 3 and 4 brain hemmoraghe.  He had a VP shunt placed at one month old followed by sepsis due to klebsiella and then meningitis.  He has had 3 follow up surgeries on the shunt since.  He didn't walk until 2.5 and has many gross and fine motor skill delays.  He is now 4.5.

So, I have suspected for a little while he had cerebral palsy and we had an appointment today with a neurologist who confirmed it.  It doesn't change much and I knew why we were going today but it still makes me sad.  I feel like he has so many hurdles and hills to climb and one more has been thrown his way.  Granted he is a fighter who will make you laugh so hard you cry (and not always on purpose), I just hate this for him. 

So my curent state of emotions are all over the place.  A quick background on my kids.  My second pregnancy was a surprise twin pregnancy.  We ended up needing intra-uterine surgery at 19.5 weeks for TTTS.  They were born at 29 weeks.  That night the neonatologist told us Gabriel would not make it through the night.  He did but ended up with a grade 3 and 4 brain hemmoraghe.  He had a VP shunt placed at one month old followed by sepsis due to klebsiella and then meningitis.  He has had 3 follow up surgeries on the shunt since.  He didn't walk until 2.5 and has many gross and fine motor skill delays.  He is now 4.5.

So, I have suspected for a little while he had cerebral palsy and we had an appointment today with a neurologist who confirmed it.  It doesn't change much and I knew why we were going today but it still makes me sad.  I feel like he has so many hurdles and hills to climb and one more has been thrown his way.  Granted he is a fighter who will make you laugh so hard you cry (and not always on purpose), I just hate this for him. 

So? who's ready to rock a race this weekend?  Details!

For the rest of us, there seems to be a lot of chatter about LT tests on the bike.  If you've done one, spill your strategy for getting the very best result possible! 

Really?    Here's what I mean, "balls to the wall" for 20".  Done correctly, your AvgHR should be darn close to your LT (no? mine is) and from that you can determine your FTP (95% of the watts given the length of the test).  If going by HR then it's the average over those 20".

Dan, I have had varying results between indoor and outdoor tests.  If the course is flat then outdoors is usually higer for me. If it is hilly which I have done on purpose since it mimics real life around here, then it's usually lower than what I can pound out inside because of spin outs going down hill.

I have yet to perfect doing one of these suckers indoors.  I always start too high and watts drop over time. Interested to hear how other people avoid that.

I thought the V02 test I did gave me my theoretical Max HR zone and from there you could get LT and HR zones.  It's been awhile so I could be confusing things.  The test was just slow ramp up, ride 2 minutes at some tension, make it harder, rinse, repeat until you can't go anymore.  Same as the running one on the treadmill.

I did a lab test similar to this, but we called it an LT, not a VO2.  I am sure it was useful for my coach in designing workouts and it did set my FTP.

FTP test protocol is normally 15 minutes warmup, few bursts, all out 5 minute TT, 10 min easy, then 20 minute all out TT.

Yep, mine was similar to this.  We do these rarely.  He seems to have some secret formula that moves my FTP around though.  I don't ask....

That gives you your 5 minute wattage which is used in some calculation and your 20 minute wattage which a percentage is used to figure out your FTP. 

For that test it was tough for me because I always use so much up on the 5 minute test that the 10 min recovery isn't enough, but I guess that's part of the test so you're legs aren't totally fresh for the 20 minute ride.  FTP is supposed to be the max average wattage you can ride for 1 hour.

For me I start with a number I "think" I should be at and bump it down from there for the first couple of minutes, then slowly ramp it up, if I have more I keep going past my made up starting number, if not, I try to maintain it there for the majority of the time, then go as hard as possible for the last few minutes.

Going balls to the wall right out the gate never works for me, I just crap out after a few minutes, so ramping it up seems to work for me.

I have gotten better FTP numbers doing Time Trials, races are better motivators than the trainer.

I think for using both, if your workout intensity is built around FTP, or HR numbers you'll know your test wasn't accurate if the workouts that are supposed to be hard are either impossible or too easy, so you can adjust from there.

That gives you your 5 minute wattage which is used in some calculation and your 20 minute wattage which a percentage is used to figure out your FTP.  

I thought the V02 test I did gave me my theoretical Max HR zone and from there you could get LT and HR zones.  It's been awhile so I could be confusing things.  The test was just slow ramp up, ride 2 minutes at some tension, make it harder, rinse, repeat until you can't go anymore.  Same as the running one on the treadmill.

FTP test protocol is normally 15 minutes warmup, few bursts, all out 5 minute TT, 10 min easy, then 20 minute all out TT.

That gives you your 5 minute wattage which is used in some calculation and your 20 minute wattage which a percentage is used to figure out your FTP. 

For that test it was tough for me because I always use so much up on the 5 minute test that the 10 min recovery isn't enough, but I guess that's part of the test so you're legs aren't totally fresh for the 20 minute ride.  FTP is supposed to be the max average wattage you can ride for 1 hour.

For me I start with a number I "think" I should be at and bump it down from there for the first couple of minutes, then slowly ramp it up, if I have more I keep going past my made up starting number, if not, I try to maintain it there for the majority of the time, then go as hard as possible for the last few minutes.

Going balls to the wall right out the gate never works for me, I just crap out after a few minutes, so ramping it up seems to work for me.

I have gotten better FTP numbers doing Time Trials, races are better motivators than the trainer.

I think for using both, if your workout intensity is built around FTP, or HR numbers you'll know your test wasn't accurate if the workouts that are supposed to be hard are either impossible or too easy, so you can adjust from there.

Yes, balls to the wall for the full test definitely does not work for me...I have had to learn this the hard way by actually getting about 17 minutes into a 30 minute test and having to quit due to my inability to keep my legs going.  Literally, they just stopped working, it was rather depressing.  UGH! 

I am still not sure why I have to do a 30 minute test, it really sucks!!! 

I ramp up by having a certain number in my head or at least a certain HR that I need to hit, go below that a bit for the first 10 minutes, this is when I am supposed to hit the lap button, then I go hard like in an OLY race for 10 more minutes, then 5 minutes of omg, I think I might never make it, but by now that number should be higher than my initial target, and then for the last 5 minutes, I say to myself, no quitting now, there's no way I am doing this test again next week!!!Stare at my feet, block out the pain and keep them hammering.  By now my breathing is reduced to grunts and even Ripley is scared...I usually stand up and hammer for the last 90 seconds or so just to eek out a bit more.

I have done this both inside and outside, but prefer to test inside because it is really hard for me to find a stretch of road without stop signs, cars crossing, etc that I can go all out for 30 minutes and not risk getting killed.

Did I mention, I hate it?  I hate it!  It sucks! 

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF OUR RACERS!!!! 

btw, where is canada?  i thought ELI put the E.L.I in elite?  ha, you wanna smack talk???  bring it.

Yes, balls to the wall for the full test definitely does not work for me...I have had to learn this the hard way by actually getting about 17 minutes into a 30 minute test and having to quit due to my inability to keep my legs going.  Literally, they just stopped working, it was rather depressing.  UGH! 

I am still not sure why I have to do a 30 minute test, it really sucks!!! 

I ramp up by having a certain number in my head or at least a certain HR that I need to hit, go below that a bit for the first 10 minutes, this is when I am supposed to hit the lap button, then I go hard like in an OLY race for 10 more minutes, then 5 minutes of omg, I think I might never make it, but by now that number should be higher than my initial target, and then for the last 5 minutes, I say to myself, no quitting now, there's no way I am doing this test again next week!!!Stare at my feet, block out the pain and keep them hammering.  By now my breathing is reduced to grunts and even Ripley is scared...I usually stand up and hammer for the last 90 seconds or so just to eek out a bit more.

I have done this both inside and outside, but prefer to test inside because it is really hard for me to find a stretch of road without stop signs, cars crossing, etc that I can go all out for 30 minutes and not risk getting killed.

Did I mention, I hate it?  I hate it!  It sucks! 

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF OUR RACERS!!!! 

btw, where is canada?  i thought ELI put the E.L.I in elite?  ha, you wanna smack talk???  bring it.

Actually this is a Critical Power Test, but will give you exactly what you are looking for ........ use the testing process as listed for Power or HR (see tab in Calculator) and then fill in the proper numbers in the proper calculator when done: 

Jorge's Critical Power Calculator . 

Just read the link here...
The "Cycling Heart Rate Test (HR-MLSS)" is what I had planned to do.  Thanks Dino!!

The test truly sucks, but it really is worth it.  It allows you to keep the easy days easy and makes you push those hard days to the right level.  Embrace the puke.

btw, where is canada?