I just finished reading the long VO2 max thread. Right now, the plan I'm on (carmichael/time crunched) calls for 2 sets of 3x2 on 3 min rest. These are described as "all out" efforts. In a couple of weeks, I have found that the 8 min AP used as a baseline (the all-out test) has been reached during "steady state" intervals (or rather, come within 5w of) without undue suffering. So what I have been doing is simply going as hard as I think I can hold these two minute intervals via guesstimate after looking at the previous workout. (I was so addled when I finished the second set that I thought I had missed a turn on a loop that I've ridden many times, and ended up riding an extra 10 minutes in the wrong direction). I'm not so concerned with FTP for this purpose (or rather, a percentage of the baseline test) as it seems that I've raised that value somewhat. Am I doing them wrong if I do this? My instinctive reaction would be "no", but I thought I would ask. Would the training effect be considerably different if they were 3 minutes long?