Race ready statistics and CTL

Thanks guys for all of the informative posts.

I have a question about my FTP, Performance Management Chart statistics, and prep for racing. Based on my numbers in the performance management chart and 4 more weeks to prep, am I on track to be competitive in Men's CAT 5?

My first race (Criterium series) will start on February 25. I have been training with a Cycleops PowerTap for approximately 3 months. Unfortunately a bike wreck and hand surgery derailled my training in December, but I am back on the bike and working hard to get ready to race.

I am a CAT 5 beginning rider (37 years old).

My current Power Profile looks like this:
5 Sec: 1096 watts (14 w/kg)
1 min: 512 watts (6.4w/kg)
5 min: 340 watts (4.3 w/kg)
20 min: 267 watts (3.4 w/kg)
60 min: 245 watts (3.2 w/kg)

My performance management chart has me at +0.9 Training Stress Balance, Acute Training Load (ATL) of 79.7 and Chronic Training Load (CTL) of 58.3.

 

Cat5 is not about being competitive. It is about gaining experience by finishing 10 races.

According to a chart that is commonly referenced you have power numbers at the top of Cat5 or middle of Cat4. That may or may not be a good indicator depending on how you train.

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The best method of determining if you will be competitive is to do training rides with the local racers.

 

OG is correct about finishing. Your numbers are good but I've been to a season opening Cat5 race in March where some guys showed up with deep tans and very good gear. Also a lot more goes into doing well in a race than numbers, I say that because I used to be a bit of a slacker and still did ok. Staying out of the wind, taking a few more seconds to catch a break (in fact unless they had deep tans I'd just let em go, or let someone else chase - 90% of Cat 5 breaks fizzle due to riders inability to gauge their own effort at or near redline), how quick you accelerate to close even a very small gap (could happen 50-100 times in a single race), making sure not to gas when you take your pull (new racers tend to up the pace very slightly, even considerably when their turn comes to pull).

Also, a Cat5 sprint can be a dangerous place. Sometimes guys are sprinting recklessly for 15th place. I can tell you are excited, it's a very exciting time. Cat4 brings a refreshingly less "skittish" set of races. Try to get there in one piece.

 

Have you ever ridden a crit before? As the others have said it takes a little while to learn the ropes and get comfortable... Crits are very technical races.. How your ride it can REALLY change how hard it is for you... stay off the back of the pack.. because of the accordion effect, if you are not super strong or REALLY know what you are doing to is the most difficult position to be inn the peloton... in the front 1/3 the pace is way less variable.. less harsh acceleration out of corners, less people leaving gaps and falling off the back.. stay off the back.. what you might want to try is following the wheel of someone who you know is going to finish.. If it's your first race I'd try to ride conservatively... for crits especially, fitness is about half the battle..

 

I donno. Your 5min seems to suggest room for improvement either on FTP (under evaluated maybe?) and I'd worry that this surprisingly low 1min be a sign that anaerobic capacity might not be adequately addressed.

One thing is sure, boosting your FTP should be a priority. You may want to try and stay in the first third of the pack, you know first for security then to see what's going on... Playing the game, not just being the guy behind catching his breath. The closer you are from the head of the race, the less chances to be involved in a crash.

You want to stay with skilled riders, staying calm not being out of breath, looking at what's going on. And for that threshold is a good investment. A touch of micro intervals might not hurt (like half an hour of 40s/20s all averaging spot on *target* FTP, goal being to end up with highest possible VI) since both your 1min and FTP are low relative to your 5MMP.

 

Thanks guys for the comments...I appreciate the advice. One of the reasons that my 1 min power is so low is that I haven't really started power interval work yet so I expect that to rise once I start this speed type work. Interestingly enough I just finished a 20 min time trial effort and averaged 304 watts so that changes my best 20 min power wattage.

I will absolutely work to stay in the first 1/3 of the field and try and develop my strategy based on what is occuring (follow attacks, respond to surges, etc.).

 

I have ridden 1 other crit race (in pensacola Florida last year). That was a 7th place finish in a field of 35, but admittedly my tactical knowledge and experience is limited. Thanks for the advice and I will work to stay in the front of the field