Cycling Workouts: Discussion/Encouragement/Sharing/Banter

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Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Photo Winner
Location
Inside my skull
Z2 - 2 hour ride completed, good for the soul.

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After a pretty hard chain gang last night (IF = 0.8 for 1h6 book ended by 5.5mile ride to the start/from the finish (x2)) and still feeling it, I was a bit dubious about tonight’s scheduled work (Dragontail -1) which adapted into my plan a few days ago. (Im sure the previous one was an IF less than 0.8). Once going though relatively it wasn’t as bad as I feared. After the first block though it was pretty low cadence stomping on the pedals most of the time.

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Strangely enough I feel less worn out/ tired after that; its probably the endorphins though.

Edit: I think they are beginning to wear off and I’m feeling the legs again 😂
 
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IrishAl

** Full Time Pro **
Location
N.Ireland
Stunning cheers Bob. 20 degrees and blue skies. Loads of cyclists. Great roads, hills and scenery.

The target (apart from enjoying myself) is to get 20 hours riding done this week and I've budgeted 1,000 TSS. Easy recovery day today and I'm just over 500 TSS so far.

Did the marque climb yesterday (Coll de Rates) and did it 4 mins quicker than last year (sorry @IrishAl I beat your time) and did my best 20 min power of 2023.

3 days riding to go.

Good going Martin 💪
 

IrishAl

** Full Time Pro **
Location
N.Ireland
I’m well and truly back from my cycling holiday in Mallorca. Overall it was a great holiday:-
Weather ✅
Hotel ✅
Food ✅
Travel plans ✅
Rental bike ✅
Training ☑️
Beer ✋

Overall 480 miles cycled, 30,000ft climbed, 30 hours on the bike including a 100 miler. If anything too much but everything it was too good not to. Very little downtime given the long days cycling. Only grumble was a tummy bug in the middle of the week - my room mate got it worse a couple of days before me and he suffered worse including a couple of Tommy Dumoulin episodes - one at the viewpoint overlooking Pollensa and other leaving Sineu 💩 😂

We hit some new climbs to me and only got to Sa Calobra on the 2nd last day as it was closed for roadworks Mon-Fri. My time up it was poor as I was still on the recovery from my sickness but also a lack of food that day hit me badly on the climb with a real case of bonking only a few minutes into the climb. I did have a crack at my PB up the climb from Pollensa to the viewpoint but I was down by a minute on what is for me a 10 minute effort but again that was on day 7 so I put down to the weeks efforts /fatigue but I also know I’m nowhere near the condition I was when I set my PB

I’m now on the post training target slump so need to get my mojo back and back onto the clean diet. I go back to Pollensa in 7 weeks for a family holiday so that’s the new target (ofcourse I’ll hire a bike whilst there)

I put a daily video short up on my YouTube Channel just to rub in the good weather to those back home.

Hope everyone’s training is coming on - Martins certainly looks to be.
 
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Norry1

Norry1

Legendary Member
Location
Warwick
I’m well and truly back from my cycling holiday in Mallorca. Overall it was a great holiday:-
Weather ✅
Hotel ✅
Food ✅
Travel plans ✅
Rental bike ✅
Training ☑️
Beer ✋

Overall 480 miles cycled, 30,000ft climbed, 30 hours on the bike including a 100 miler. If anything too much but everything it was too good not to. Very little downtime given the long days cycling. Only grumble was a tummy bug in the middle of the week - my room mate got it worse a couple of days before me and he suffered worse including a couple of Tommy Dumoulin episodes - one at the viewpoint overlooking Pollensa and other leaving Sineu 💩 😂

We hit some new climbs to me and only got to Sa Calobra on the 2nd last day as it was closed for roadworks Mon-Fri. My time up it was poor as I was still on the recovery from my sickness but also a lack of food that day hit me badly on the climb with a real case of bonking only a few minutes into the climb. I did have a crack at my PB up the climb from Pollensa to the viewpoint but I was down by a minute on what is for me a 10 minute effort but again that was on day 7 so I put down to the weeks efforts /fatigue but I also know I’m nowhere near the condition I was when I set my PB

I’m now on the post training target slump so need to get my mojo back and back onto the clean diet. I go back to Pollensa in 7 weeks for a family holiday so that’s the new target (ofcourse I’ll hire a bike whilst there)

I put a daily video short up on my YouTube Channel just to rub in the good weather to those back home.

Hope everyone’s training is coming on - Martins certainly looks to be.

Sounds like an awesome week. That is some mileage 💪

I was "instructed" to take a recovery ride on my third day. It was hard to do but I'm pleased I did. It helped these old bones.

I'll have a look at your Youtube later - I've not done Mallorca.
 

Legs

usually riding on Zwift...
Location
Staffordshire
I’m working back to fitness with the Zwift Spring Training workout series, which I started on Wednesday evening. They’re a bit shorter than the typical 1-hour sessions I normally try to do, but that’s probably no bad thing. The first workout was quite easy, rated 2/5, which was just what I needed, having had 10 days off with a cold.
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On Thursday, it was FTP Boosters, which was 10-minute blocks at 290W, punctuated with short bursts at 460W. I only got through because it was a short 2-block workout - I think an hour-long 3-block version of this workout would have been too much for me! I tried coupling this workout with some instantaneous sprints afterwards and was struggling to bring the wattage into four figures.
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I had a fairly arduous day in the garden yesterday, lifting, wheeling and stacking 2’ concrete paving slabs, and breaking out chunks of concrete patio footing, so in my wisdom I then jumped on the bike while I was covered in concrete dust, to save myself a shower. The Hairpin Wizard workout itself was quite easy and I managed 10 sprints (on the minute, just bringing the power over 1000W), much more easily.
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I’m going to see if I can fit in the fourth session (Over/Unders) today - my youngest is at a birthday party and my wife’s got some work to do, and it’s due to rain later.
 

bobinski

Legendary Member
Location
Tulse Hill
I’m working back to fitness with the Zwift Spring Training workout series, which I started on Wednesday evening. They’re a bit shorter than the typical 1-hour sessions I normally try to do, but that’s probably no bad thing. The first workout was quite easy, rated 2/5, which was just what I needed, having had 10 days off with a cold.
View attachment 686553

On Thursday, it was FTP Boosters, which was 10-minute blocks at 290W, punctuated with short bursts at 460W. I only got through because it was a short 2-block workout - I think an hour-long 3-block version of this workout would have been too much for me! I tried coupling this workout with some instantaneous sprints afterwards and was struggling to bring the wattage into four figures.
View attachment 686554

I had a fairly arduous day in the garden yesterday, lifting, wheeling and stacking 2’ concrete paving slabs, and breaking out chunks of concrete patio footing, so in my wisdom I then jumped on the bike while I was covered in concrete dust, to save myself a shower. The Hairpin Wizard workout itself was quite easy and I managed 10 sprints (on the minute, just bringing the power over 1000W), much more easily.
View attachment 686569

I’m going to see if I can fit in the fourth session (Over/Unders) today - my youngest is at a birthday party and my wife’s got some work to do, and it’s due to rain later.

These have been much critcised elsewhere, too short, too long a warm up, not enough TSS but they sound about perfect for your needs post illness. Just goes to show.
 

Legs

usually riding on Zwift...
Location
Staffordshire
These have been much critcised elsewhere, too short, too long a warm up, not enough TSS but they sound about perfect for your needs post illness. Just goes to show.
Were I at full fitness, I’d probably be wanting to stick a third block onto each of the first three workouts and run them out to nearer an hour, but, as you say, they are suiting me well for where I am at. There are *loads* of workouts in the whatsonzwift libraries, but many of them are either very long or very hard, and that’s not what I need!

I did the o/u workout this morning and it was a bit tougher, with the target power increasing by 5W per block. Another 2 blocks on there, bringing the target powers in the finale up to 355W/300W, would make this a worthy workout indeed.

5159201D-A18F-485F-85ED-A69985177922.jpeg

Then I went out and lifted 10no 43kg paving slabs (one at a time) and changed the tyre on my wheelbarrow (very taxing!)
 
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Norry1

Norry1

Legendary Member
Location
Warwick
Well my week in Calpe was awesome, and I pretty much stuck to the plan training-wise as well.

I got my 20 hours in the saddle (21hrs) and did 1,195 TSS vs 1,000 planned. Roy has me down for a big recovery week this week - Monday and Tuesday off the bike (done); Wednesday a 2hr recovery ride (done) then starting the race specific stuff 5 x 1 min aiming at 480-500W tomorrow. then 2 hr recovery ride Saturday and 2 1/2 hrs sweetspot on Sunday.
 
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Norry1

Norry1

Legendary Member
Location
Warwick
Did my 6 x 1 min efforts yesterday. I hadn't realised that the 5 minute recoveries were at Tempo this time. I got nowhere near the 480-500W target, but averaged 445W over the 6 efforts. Fairly pleased as I only managed an average just over 400W a month a go when I did a similar set - and that was with recovery periods at recovery/endurance. Hopefully improve when I try it again next week.

2hr recovery ride today then big sweetspot / tempo session on Sunday.
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Photo Winner
Location
Inside my skull
24 mins of threshold today with easy warm up and cool down either side. Legs and lungs felt strong. Done outside as I have a suitable stretch I can do it on. Finally warm enough for shorts.
 
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