I would love to get feedback from the veteran power trainers in this forum on what I am doing, how it should change, and what I can do to improve.
I have done a lot of reading and searched quite a bit of threads. After reading all that - many, many pages to read but lots of good material - I have tried to emulate what I came across here in the forums.
Last week I did 600 TSS in 7 hours of training with an intensity factor of .92, including warmups & cooldowns. This was done over 3 days of riding for the week - each ride in the 2 to 2-1/2 hour range, normal power in the 143-147 range, and each generating 200 TSS roughly. 15 minute warmup, 1-1/2 to 2 hours of pure SST riding (88-94% of functional power), and then a 15 minute cooldown . Power training levels by time for august 2009:
Functional power metric as of last week was 156 and that number came directly from a dedicated 60 minute time trial test I did.
Question: Is this a good training approach? Am I training smart? hard enough? What should I change? Is increasing CTL on the PMC, and thus using intense rides that earn the most TSS, the best approach to gaining fitness as a bike rider?
Given weather and time, I recently bought a stationary trainer to place my bicycle on. Today I tried those 2 x 20 something minute intervals indoors for the first time that I read so much about. I did what you all say in those thread - got a big fan, stayed hydrated, and distracted myself with music/cards/movie/etc. So the first one was 20 minutes @ 157w. Then I took a five minute breather. The second set was 25 minutes @ 165 watts. TSS was about 75ish total, which is much less than any of last week's tempo rides. On the other hand, I was able to ride at a higher sustainable power and not worry about stopping or dodging cars/people, both of which were quite satisfying things.
QUestion: Are these 2x20 style indoor intervals a good thing to include in my training? Or is pure SST stuff better at this point?
I know these intervals are said to be hard but in a way they seem easier for me. Why? Because the streets/traffic/congestion in this area are all horrendous. Being indoors makes it feel easier to concentrate and not have to coast to dodge pedestrians on bike trails, worry about cars running you off the road etc.
My goals are, for now at least: 1) be able to ride at 21 mph for an hour in flat grounds (without a tailwind either!). 2) be able to do an 11 mile, 3300 foot elevation gain climb without having to stop (or destroy my knees with super low/hard cadence!!!!), so say, 7-8mph average.
Will my training program get me there?
I have done a lot of reading and searched quite a bit of threads. After reading all that - many, many pages to read but lots of good material - I have tried to emulate what I came across here in the forums.
Last week I did 600 TSS in 7 hours of training with an intensity factor of .92, including warmups & cooldowns. This was done over 3 days of riding for the week - each ride in the 2 to 2-1/2 hour range, normal power in the 143-147 range, and each generating 200 TSS roughly. 15 minute warmup, 1-1/2 to 2 hours of pure SST riding (88-94% of functional power), and then a 15 minute cooldown . Power training levels by time for august 2009:
Functional power metric as of last week was 156 and that number came directly from a dedicated 60 minute time trial test I did.
Question: Is this a good training approach? Am I training smart? hard enough? What should I change? Is increasing CTL on the PMC, and thus using intense rides that earn the most TSS, the best approach to gaining fitness as a bike rider?
Given weather and time, I recently bought a stationary trainer to place my bicycle on. Today I tried those 2 x 20 something minute intervals indoors for the first time that I read so much about. I did what you all say in those thread - got a big fan, stayed hydrated, and distracted myself with music/cards/movie/etc. So the first one was 20 minutes @ 157w. Then I took a five minute breather. The second set was 25 minutes @ 165 watts. TSS was about 75ish total, which is much less than any of last week's tempo rides. On the other hand, I was able to ride at a higher sustainable power and not worry about stopping or dodging cars/people, both of which were quite satisfying things.
QUestion: Are these 2x20 style indoor intervals a good thing to include in my training? Or is pure SST stuff better at this point?
I know these intervals are said to be hard but in a way they seem easier for me. Why? Because the streets/traffic/congestion in this area are all horrendous. Being indoors makes it feel easier to concentrate and not have to coast to dodge pedestrians on bike trails, worry about cars running you off the road etc.
My goals are, for now at least: 1) be able to ride at 21 mph for an hour in flat grounds (without a tailwind either!). 2) be able to do an 11 mile, 3300 foot elevation gain climb without having to stop (or destroy my knees with super low/hard cadence!!!!), so say, 7-8mph average.
Will my training program get me there?
