Cycling Workouts: Discussion/Encouragement/Sharing/Banter

[IrishAl]

How old are you, in your 30s / 40s?

I’ve just turned 46 😫. I’ve had similar estimates years ago from health assessments at work. Who knows if it’s anything accurate but I’ll take it nonetheless 😂

 

[Norry1]

Well that was quite a big week in the end with a TSS of 707 and 227 road miles (8,221 KJ of work) and I am officially feeling tired. Saturday was 2 x 20 mins sweetspot followed by 45 mins Tempo and that was tough. Yesterday was 3 hrs at mid/top endurance and with the fatigue in my legs that was also hard.

Roy hasn't posted my schedule for this week but it will be an easier week with my first race on Saturday.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I think the AI was trying to kill me, suggesting VO2 max 6 x 9 x 30 / 30. I almost folded, thinking of doing 5 x 7 x 30 / 30 instead. But I went for the suggestion and managed it. First time accumulating 27 mins at VO2 max. My previous highest accumulation in a session was 25 mins back in January, and did a session with 22.5 mins in March.

 

[Legs]

What percentage of FTP are your 'ons' at?

I did this one last night, which is a bit of a favourite. The crests of the 'bridge' are 5 minutes at 96% FTP (300W), but the bit that really hurts is the few minutes afterwards, as the power requirement just won't drop off quickly enough! I found it really tough yesterday, probably because my true FTP will have dropped a little bit during my recent illness, but I'm too proud to reduce it in my in-game settings!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

What percentage of FTP are your 'ons' at?

I did this one last night, which is a bit of a favourite. The crests of the 'bridge' are 5 minutes at 96% FTP (300W), but the bit that really hurts is the few minutes afterwards, as the power requirement just won't drop off quickly enough! I found it really tough yesterday, probably because my true FTP will have dropped a little bit during my recent illness, but I'm too proud to reduce it in my in-game settings!
View attachment 689917

The ons are between 118% to 127% of FTP. I like to do VO2 max on resistance mode and let my legs find the right level, as I get into it. Sometimes I’ll push higher, but not when attempting the most sets and intervals I’ve ever done. Psychologically I like to finish the workouts I set out to do.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

My AI uses a concept called the anaerobic speed / power reserve to set the target power ranges for my VO2 max work.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34398445/

https://hiitscience.com/the-anaerobic-speed-power-reserve-maximizing-training-prescription/

https://www.scienceforsport.com/anaerobic-speed-reserve-a-secret-weapon-to-optimise-conditioning/

 

[HLaB]

Lol, I put the giro relive on during my workout tonight and after I dozed off until about 500m from the line.

I retrieved my polar h10 from work but I was wearing my Wahoo TickR warranty replacement so I done the workout wearing that. It didn't take long before I realised I should have done it with the H10 as my HR according to the TickR jumped from 84% to 90% and back to 85%

 

[Norry1]

It was my old favourite yesterday, 8 x 45 sec @ 460-480W with 5 min Tempo Recoveries. These are intended to get me ready for "race-like" efforts. The XERT screenshot shows how I empty the well 8 times and just about recover in time for the next interval each time.

2hr recovery ride today, day off on Friday, 2hr recovery with 3-4 15 sec sprints on Friday then first race on Saturday.

 

[nagden]

A superb ride today. As I have previously said I have adopted a low heart rate or as I call it steady approach with some fartlek once a week. Today I did a 2.5 hour ride at an average 2kph faster than previously for what seemed less effort. I am riding entirely by feel having ditched the HRM and am finding it more pleasurable.

 

[Norry1]

Sounds like it is working for you

 

[HLaB]

It was supposed to be a 90 session rising to threshold for me tonight but I decided an hour better suited the time, so I swapped it to a 60min workout of the same profile using TrainerRoad's 'Alternates' tool. Lol, then after a beautiful day and a few frustrating emails, I decided to take it outside and get away from the flat to chill out.

It was just my of my training routes down to Glatton with an extension to the Sawtry roundabout to make sure I finished what was supposed to be the threshold interval on the old A1. I need to get a lbs to look at my worn dropouts which are allowing the rear disc to twist in the axle going into the frame after stopping a few times to sort that I kinda lost my mojo to push hard on such a calm relaxed night, I was now too chilled

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A 5.5 hour Z2 outing today in lovely weather. Got a hour and 20 mins of threshold intervals tomorrow.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Back to some threshold work today, drawing nice heart rate graphs. Done outdoors on my favourite section of country lane for it. Total of 48 mins accumulated at threshold.

 

[Sallar55]

This is our training load up with food and see how it goes on the days climbing.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Lovely Z2 outing in the morning sun on empty lanes. New bottom bracket has returned silence to the bike. Just birdsong as it should be.