Cycling Workouts: Discussion/Encouragement/Sharing/Banter

[Norry1]

There are other threads on here where we can discuss our Zwift and Real Life Racing and give each other encouragement, p~ss taking, banter and knowledge sharing. I thought it might be good to have a thread where people can post up what workouts they are doing, how they got on and how they are progressing. It may even give a bit more accountability for the tough workouts.

This opening post may ger edited as we go along if there are useful links or information.

So post up the workouts you are doing and how they went.

 

[Norry1]

I'm coming back from 6 months off the bike due to a hip replacement. I've built my mileage up and done quite a lot of Zwift racing and Zone 2 volume. I'm now back to doing some structure.

The 2 workouts I'm doing are below:

The first is 5 x 4:30 @ 113% FTP with 6 min recovery. I completed it okay. (Last week was 5 x 5 mins @115% with 5 mins recovery, but that beat me)

The second is 3 x 20 mins @ 105% FTP. I'll be doing this one outside where my power is usually better than on the turbo. I did 3 x 15 mins at 105% last week and it was reasonably comfortable.

I'll be doing similar for a few weeks and then start moving to shorter, more intense intervals.

What are you all doing?

 

[IrishAl]

The second is 3 x 20 mins @ 105% FTP. I'll be doing this one outside where my power is usually better than on the turbo. I did 3 x 15 mins at 105% last week and it was reasonably comfortable.

Wow isn’t that like doing 3 x 20 minute FTP tests? Sounds tough. The plan I’m following has me doing a session with two long high Z4 efforts - I find these just as tough mentally as physically.

 

[Norry1]

Wow isn’t that like doing 3 x 20 minute FTP tests? Sounds tough. The plan I’m following has me doing a session with two long high Z4 efforts - I find these just as tough mentally as physically.

I suppose it is now you state it. I think Roy set it for me because I managed the 3 x 15 mins fairly comfortably. It is probably because my outside FTP is higher than the 239W I am using indoors. He also wants me to do a 30 minute test soon, as he uses that to assess my FTP.

How long are your Z4? And how close to Threshold are they?

 

[JuhaL]

I have done couple Z4 workouts. I am lookin for boundaries now how long Z4 intervals I can do and what resistance. First one included 4x7min and last one 2x11min. Next time I will I try 2x15min. If that doesn't feel too bad I will add another 15min interval. Maybe 5min recovery between those intervals. For now I have set 220W-225W my Z4 intervals.

 

[Norry1]

I have done couple Z4 workouts. I am lookin for boundaries now how long Z4 intervals I can do and what resistance. First one included 4x7min and last one 2x11min. Next time I will I try 2x15min. If that doesn't feel too bad I will add another 15min interval. Maybe 5min recovery between those intervals. For now I have set 220W-225W my Z4 intervals.

What's your FTP Juha? Are you doing sweetspot?

 

[JuhaL]

What's your FTP Juha? Are you doing sweetspot?

It's been a while since I have done ramp test. My FTP is 230W and it's based on Garmin's calculations, so it's only estimated. I haven't done sweet spot recently but I use to did when I had Sufferfest.

 

[bobinski]

I am being careful not to get too fatigued before starting a 12 week plan and taper to Raid Pyrenees. At this point I am just trying to sort overall body fitness and strength. At 60y old I reckon that is what will help me over 5 days hard riding just as much as a 10w increase in FTP.
I just rode this at a reduced ftp. It’s a great ride and that bump in effort in the last 30 min leaves the legs tingling 😁

 

[Norry1]

I am being careful not to get too fatigued before starting a 12 week plan and taper to Raid Pyrenees. At this point I am just trying to sort overall body fitness and strength. At 60y old I reckon that is what will help me over 5 days hard riding just as much as a 10w increase in FTP.
I just rode this at a reduced ftp. It’s a great ride and that bump in effort in the last 30 min leaves the legs tingling 😁
View attachment 679332

Yes I agree. The issue will be durability rather than peak numbers. How much of the training will be outdoors and how much on the turbo?

 

[bobinski]

Week days likely to be turbo, weekends hopefully 2 outdoor rides. Saturday outdoor rides are tricky though. Though Brixton cycles club do a tuestday north or south london hills ride i might join. It being london though its all stop start so not ideal.

 

[bobinski]

2 hour z2 workout today.
Hopefully rest day tomorrow with an easy commute by bike in anticipation of a HIT workout or hill climbs on tuesday.

 

[CXRAndy]

You've got this Bob,👍

Personally, once I could do a couple 3hr Z2 indoors a week I was able to ride a weeks tour in Tenerife or the Alps.

 

[Norry1]

2 hour z2 workout today.
Hopefully rest day tomorrow with an easy commute by bike in anticipation of a HIT workout or hill climbs on tuesday.

Similar for me. Rode the first 10 miles with Wendy largely in Z1 - then 90 mins Z2 with 2 x 15 sec efforts near the end.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

One of my workouts is low cadence big gear intervals at Sweetspot intensity. These are called strength endurance sessions. I do these outside and there is a suitable nearby road up to a village of the right length without interruption. It’s reasonably flat and thus I can do the intervals both ways, with a recovery spin between. However there was a stonking wind blowing along the alignment of the road on Thu. I ran out of road going one way, with a stonking tailwind, with a minute of the interval still to go!

 

[Norry1]

One of my workouts is low cadence big gear intervals at Sweetspot intensity. These are called strength endurance sessions. I do these outside and there is a suitable nearby road up to a village of the right length without interruption. It’s reasonably flat and thus I can do the intervals both ways, with a recovery spin between. However there was a stonking wind blowing along the alignment of the road on Thu. I ran out of road going one way, with a stonking tailwind, with a minute of the interval still to go!

I've heard several coaches who prescribe these to their athletes and swear by them. What length intervals do you do and what cadence is "low" for you?