45% of MAP how to train for 4 day ride

[tramontane]

Hi all,

I'm doing a supported but solo ride in August 2010 of 700 miles over 4 days and a bit.I've done a few tests and estimated i'll need to do approx 180-200 watts NP for around 8-10hrs a day.I have a pretty good endurance base built up over several years.

Most people have told me just build up level 2 volume and repeat daily! I can only do one long ride a week 6 hrs.Do you think by doing plenty of SST and maybe trying to increase MAP during the rest of the week will give a similar effect on endurance to 20 hrs a week at L2?

I'm hoping to do some long consective day rides as the date approaches .Many thanks in advance for any feedback to this question.

 

[Fightin Boba]

I understand what plenty of SST means. I'm not sure what specifically you mean by building your MAP - what type of intervals? Also, how many hours do you have available to train each week other than the one day of 6 hours?

 

[tramontane]

I understand what plenty of SST means. I'm not sure what specifically you mean by building your MAP - what type of intervals? Also, how many hours do you have available to train each week other than the one day of 6 hours?

Hi Mr Boba,

I have 1hr on Tues & Weds and 2.5 hrs on Thursdays 1 hr Saturday training time.
My plan was to use some of these sessions in increase MAP ie riding at it or just above it 3 or 4 mins at a time with 10mins recovery and increase reps every so often.

My thinking is if I can increase MAP I will increase my day long ride power without doing 20+ hrs a week .

 

[Alex Simmons]

My plan was to use some of these sessions in increase MAP ie riding at it or just above it 3 or 4 mins at a time with 10mins recovery and increase reps every so often.

I think you would find that exceptionally hard to do (i.e. riding for that long at / above MAP) and probably not necessary to go quite so hard in order to lift MAP.

Assuming you mean MAP based on he RST/BC protocol listed here:
Understanding Power

My thinking is if I can increase MAP I will increase my day long ride power without doing 20+ hrs a week .

A focus on raising functional threshold power (~1-hour TT power) would be better, but in general training to increase FTP goes hand in hand with lifting MAP, just the focus on each is a little different and the rate one changes can be different to the other for various reasons.

 

[Fightin Boba]

Hi Mr Boba,

I have 1hr on Tues & Weds and 2.5 hrs on Thursdays 1 hr Saturday training time.
My plan was to use some of these sessions in increase MAP ie riding at it or just above it 3 or 4 mins at a time with 10mins recovery and increase reps every so often.

My thinking is if I can increase MAP I will increase my day long ride power without doing 20+ hrs a week .

For the demands your target event and your available hours, I would focus as much as possible on SST. That will, by definition, give you the most time near FTP that can be sustained through your training program. While doing some shorter training blocks to raise MAP may come into play (for pulling up your FTP) between now and Aug 2010, I just don't see where a regular/structured focus there would be the most fruitful way of training for your event.