Worth adding a turbo session?

[Tin Pot]

hi all,

I'm doing long bike commutes2x 50km/day 3x per week, looks like I will be for another three months now. And I'm training for IM 70.3 Staffs and IM UK.

I've got a wahoo speed/cadence sensor now so I can get virtual power on a Tacx booster turbo if I pay for Trainerroad.

The question in my mind is...is it worth adding a regular turbo session to my training plan, 14.5hrs a week cycling is already a lot but I'm keenly aware that it's commute not quality sessions.

Also, if there is an app out there that doesn't require Trainerroad that can calculate virtual power, I can save a few bob too.

Cheers tp

 

[huwsparky]

Nothing wrong with your training really imo. You don't need a lot of power for ironman. You need a solid endurance capacity with the aim of improving ftp. At my weight of 74kg's if I just ride to 250w I'll average around 20mph with 80ft per mile elevation. The more I throw in hard intervals and up the power the slower my average becomes because I get more fatigued. You need to figure out your 'sweet spot' capacity and just try and up it.

If you have time i would add a turbo session, why not? It's not going to make you slower! But if I were doing the amount of cycling you do already I'd be wanting to make sure it was at the right zones to maximise what it's going to do for you. I'd be throwing in an hour of over and under type training if I were you as I've found its affective for improving ftp. Hurts though!

 

[Citius]

If you have time i would add a turbo session, why not? It's not going to make you slower!

It might do if you are already putting in 14.5 hours per week and then add a high intensity session, in the sense that it will add to your training load - and therefore your recovery - and if you aren't recovering sufficiently then it may affect your ability to train. Viscious circle, etc...

 

[screenman]

How is the swimming going ?

 

[huwsparky]

It might do if you are already putting in 14.5 hours per week and then add a high intensity session, in the sense that it will add to your training load - and therefore your recovery - and if you aren't recovering sufficiently then it may affect your ability to train. Viscious circle, etc...

True enough, I just took it from his description of the commute being low quality that he probably does a lot of miles at low intensity not really thinking about fatigue as part of a possible problem.

Your really fortunate that you have this time available to you without having to find it. I'd be looking at ways to try and make your commute 'better quality' if I were the OP. There will be a lot of very good riders out there who struggle to get in that amount of training I would imagine.

 

[screenman]

Not forgetting 4 hours of swimming and 8 hours of running each week, fatigue may come into play for him.

 

[Tin Pot]

How is the swimming going ?

Stop it!

Swim training starts next weekend, swim focus in April.

 

[screenman]

Stop it!

Swim training starts next weekend, swim focus in April.

The swim can fatigue you at first, I have just stepped up to 2k 4 x a week, it took me a month to get used to it. Obviously for your event you need more, so be careful.

 

[Tin Pot]

True enough, I just took it from his description of the commute being low quality that he probably does a lot of miles at low intensity not really thinking about fatigue as part of a possible problem.

Your really fortunate that you have this time available to you without having to find it. I'd be looking at ways to try and make your commute 'better quality' if I were the OP. There will be a lot of very good riders out there who struggle to get in that amount of training I would imagine.

I'm trying to see it that way but wisdom is that nine or ten hours indoors is better than what I'm doing. There is no advice out there for my situation.

Also it's hard to get the rest in so my run is just starting up to 3hrs/week and 1 swim planned.

I have to reduce the bike and increase specificity in spring/summer but it's only the last two months I can do that.

So the q remains...

 

[Tin Pot]

The swim can fatigue you at first, I have just stepped up to 2k 4 x a week, it took me a month to get used to it. Obviously for your event you need more, so be careful.

4 sessions a week is pretty dedicated I'll max at 3, if I can.

I'm replanning due to the bike, but was aiming for a swimsmooth tech/speed/endurance week. Lake open again in April, and I miss it.

 

[jay clock]

Having done a few IMs and half IMs I would not bother with the turbo. 3 x100k commutes will just be fine for getting you to the point where simply getting on the bike and pedalling sodding miles seems easy

If not already doing brick sessions I would look at once a week doing 10-15 minute run off the bike....

 

[huwsparky]

I agree with the above, if you're getting them miles in, they'll be doing you more good than you think. At the end of the day IM is all about endurance. If your in a position where you can jump on a bike and ride 100+ miles then your in a good place IMO.

I suppose it's natural to doubt what your doing to a degree and your training could always be better than a commute but you're getting these miles in which is great as they don't really seem to be hindering with your life.

I think you'd need to be very committed to ride 8 - 9 hours on a turbo. I sometimes struggle with an hour a week! I find it very tedious but you can't doubt it has it's place for training as everything is always constant. Don't know if it's my mindset but my numbers are never as good Indoors either.

Another area I know a lot of people struggle doing IM is nutrition. Make sure you know what works for you in terms of keeping yourself fueled. May sound easy and may not even be a problem but this is one potential problem which could see you not completing the race.

 

[jay clock]

Just to add that last year I did an Ironman. In addition to my usual training (basically one long ride a week peaking at bout 6+hr) I was at that point doing a 4 day a week Brompton commute of 13 mile round trip, flat and easy and not rushing. My feeling is that really helped. Just gets the legs in the daily habit of going round and round

 

[400bhp]

It might do if you are already putting in 14.5 hours per week and then add a high intensity session, in the sense that it will add to your training load - and therefore your recovery - and if you aren't recovering sufficiently then it may affect your ability to train. Viscious circle, etc...

I guess it depends upon the commute as well too? If he's got a commute where he isn't stopping/starting for traffic then he could do sessions (LT based sessions and aerobic) akin to what's needed for the iron man?

 

[Tin Pot]

I guess it depends upon the commute as well too? If he's got a commute where he isn't stopping/starting for traffic then he could do sessions (LT based sessions and aerobic) akin to what's needed for the iron man?

I got the HRM working over the weekend, both sessions today not as taxing as I'd thought:

132avg in the morning 131avg in the evening, both ways about three times peaking at ~159bpm.

By pretty much any zone calculation method, that's aerobic stuff.

I've only done hills before this so I'm more used to ~145 peaking at 170.

Pretty much all the advice for IM training is to do 80/90% aerobic work. My run training is more intense, I'm just measuring it this week, but 1.5hrs around ~168 would get me my 10% threshold work.