Increasing power threshold over the winter (Page 9)

Today was 3 x 15' (3') for me!  After only 3 weeks, I would guess my FTP is already inching back up towards last season's level--not there yet though.  As a bonus, my weight is also inching back down. 

Hoping to keep those two trends working for the next several weeks still!  More pain fun! 

I did 5 x 10 @ 245 watts average the other day with 3-4 mins rest in between each.  Those are above my FTP of 220 watts per my last test so I think I may see some improvement on my next test.  I'm not sure when that will be, but I'm going to try the 20 minute and 5 minute efforts when I do, since I've never done that one.  My last FTP was a 2 x 20 minute effort as per Carmichael Training Systems and the averages came out to within 5 watts of each other.

I did another 20min TT yesterday since I screwed up 2wks ago on my first ever TT when I went out too fast -  

Jan 29, 08 - Avg Watts = 140.  Weight = 113.  FTP = 95% x 140 = 133. Power to weight = 2.6. Avg kph = 29.1. Avg HR = 155 (max 161).

Jan 12, 08 - Avg Watts = 134. Weight = 113. FTP = 95% x 134 = 127. Power to weight = 2.5. Avg kph = 28.6. Avg HR = 153 (max 161).

I've not done any FTP sessions yet.  The FTP improvement of almost 5% is mostly due to proper pacing this time.  I'm happy with 5% FTP improvement, but a little disappointed that it translated to only 0.5kph.  FTP sessions will start next week.

When you're doing the TT or FTP sessions, should you be staying aero, or does it matter?  I tried to ride as hard as possible, and that means mostly in road, and not aero, position, sometimes even changing to harder gears and standing.  Is that the correct way for TT tests?  

OK, in the middle of my trainer ride today I got in my 5 minute maximum power effort.  The plan is to do the 20 minute test tomorrow and then do the calculations.  I'm hoping to do this once per month or so for the next several months and follow the numbers.  Here are my figures from today's test, via the Ergomo power meter:

Avg watts: 296
Max watts: 341
Avg HR: 147
Max HR: 159
Avg RPM: 101
Max RPM: 107

And today I got in my 20 minute time trial.  Believe me, I left nothing in reserve, this was the hardest I've pushed myself in some time.  My figures look like:

5 minute test
Avg watts: 296
Max watts: 341
Avg HR: 147
Max HR: 159
Avg RPM: 101
Max RPM: 107

20 minute test
Avg watts: 248
Max watts: 291
Avg HR: 150
Max HR: 162
Avg RPM: 103
Max RPM: 112

Based on the formula Jorge posted, I come up with 232 watts for my Critical Power.  That appears to be an increase from my test in early December where I calculated 220 watts, so I'm seeing some gains over the past 2 months.  I would like to see 240 watts by the time I start riding outdoors a lot, and thinking maybe I can push that amount at the Mooseman Oly in June.

Max, that's awesome indeed

I did a FT session on Tuesday (3x8:30 min @ 96% of FT) but legs were pretty tired to do more. Today I did a FT/tempo session mainly because I have a 10K race as a test tomorrow and I didn't want to cook my legs too much. I did: 2x 12:30min @ 96% of FT with 1 min spin as recovery, + 20 min @ 80% of FT
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Entire workout #s: 1:00 hr, (215 watts avg), Work: 773 kJ, TSS: 73.9 (IF 0.858), NP: 223, VI: 1.04, 93 rpm

Legs are feeling good and continue to feel how the cycling legs are coming back each session at a time

First test a couple of months ago

20 min avg 242  weight  208

today

20 min avg 264  weight 205

Would have been better but went out way to hard and spent the next 15 min watching my avg slip from 280's to mid 260's

Can someone do the math for me on what my FTP is

Looking back through this thread, Jorge says take 20 min avg x .95

So a couple of months ago I was 230 and now I am 250.8 if my math is correct

For those using cycling peaks I figured I’ll post some of the graphs I use to track my training and improvement so you guys can do the same. I am also working on a training log post for my blog which touches quite a bit on training cycles which is important to know because based on that we can make better choices for our plans and manage our training better in hopes to improve faster. I’ll post that when it is ready

Did 2 x 20' again yesterday (though 5' rest instead of the 2' during my test last week ).  Due to a weather-induced scheduling change, I was back on the bike again this morning and wasn't up for another 2 x20'.  So I went for 60' at ~90% or so. 

I finally upgraded to WKO+ and am just now starting to play around with the charts, etc. now that I have a reasonable amount of data to use.