I started off in late October building up CTL by aiming for ~10hrs of L3 per week. I hit a CTL 80 at Christmas doing so but haven't really seen a increase in power doing some periodic 2x20m intervals to check FTP in the past few weeks. So I figured I needed to up the relative intensity a bit to start building FTP. I took the approach of block training 4x20's at low to mid level 4 with some L2 time after the intervals to pad CTL and keep it rising. My idea was to do the 4x20's everyday with some L2 at the end. Volume of L2 and L2 power target would be adjusted on daily available time to train. When the 4x20 power dropped I would assume I overreached and would take recovery days as needed until I was ready to hit it again.
Well today was my 5th day in a row of 4x20's all at mid level 4 and I even hit a 5th 20m right at the bottom of L4 and I was pretty much done. I figured by now I would be overreached but I bet if I had to I could do it again tomorrow judging on how I feel right now. My goal was to do the 4x20's until I hit a plateau where power wasn't increasing across the intervals and then start the same approach with 2x20's until it was time to start tapering a bit and adding L5 work before racing starts.
I have a forced day off the bike tomorrow due to family constraints. Truth is I'm tired but I seem to be able to keep hitting this 4x20 power level day after day. Should I keep doing so until I finally overreach enough and power drops? Any other ideas?
I know Lydiard had his athletes doing about 10hours of what would probably be low level 4 consistently every week. My guess is that I might have a high capacity to handle a good sized training load that I never knew I had. CTL is at now at 91. When I plateau on these 4x20's my idea is that I will have to add 2x20's and pad that with some l3 time to keep CTL rising until it's time to taper and do some L5 and L6 work to peak. Am I on the right track with my thinking or am I way off base? I guess I'm surprised that I haven't seen a power drop in the 4x20's yet and wonder what other's experience is and if anyone had any suggestions they would like to offer on my plan.
I appreciate any feedback,
Robert
Well today was my 5th day in a row of 4x20's all at mid level 4 and I even hit a 5th 20m right at the bottom of L4 and I was pretty much done. I figured by now I would be overreached but I bet if I had to I could do it again tomorrow judging on how I feel right now. My goal was to do the 4x20's until I hit a plateau where power wasn't increasing across the intervals and then start the same approach with 2x20's until it was time to start tapering a bit and adding L5 work before racing starts.
I have a forced day off the bike tomorrow due to family constraints. Truth is I'm tired but I seem to be able to keep hitting this 4x20 power level day after day. Should I keep doing so until I finally overreach enough and power drops? Any other ideas?
I know Lydiard had his athletes doing about 10hours of what would probably be low level 4 consistently every week. My guess is that I might have a high capacity to handle a good sized training load that I never knew I had. CTL is at now at 91. When I plateau on these 4x20's my idea is that I will have to add 2x20's and pad that with some l3 time to keep CTL rising until it's time to taper and do some L5 and L6 work to peak. Am I on the right track with my thinking or am I way off base? I guess I'm surprised that I haven't seen a power drop in the 4x20's yet and wonder what other's experience is and if anyone had any suggestions they would like to offer on my plan.
I appreciate any feedback,
Robert