SST/L4 or who cares?

[Watoni]

I have been breaking out the pm after some needed mental breaks this winter, and wanted to focus on SST given limited time/daylight.

I did hill climb workout with the following results:

10 minute warm-up
29.5 minutes @ 95%
descend and ride to start minute break
17.5 minutes @ 100%
1 minute break (thought I had to run back to work)
10 minutes @ 95%
descend and ride home 20 minutes

So, total ride time of 1.5 hours with a TSS of 120

I suppose SST should be more in the 90% range? I tried not to hammer but it is tough when there are carrots out there on the road. I would hope to do 2x20s harder than this, but not by too much.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[frenchyge]

You're asking how to classify that workout? L4. Sounds like a pretty tough ride if your FTP is correct.

 

[Watoni]

You're asking how to classify that workout? L4. Sounds like a pretty tough ride if your FTP is correct.

Thank you!

That is indeed what I am asking and yes, it hurt but was not as hard as trying two 25-30 minute slogs at around 100%, which just slay me this time of year.

I will try to stay more in the 90% range going forward!

 

[frenchyge]

Yeah, I'd say that's a bit vigorous for sweet-spot training. Is that a workout you could do 2-3 days in a row?

The key to sweet-spot is that you can greatly increase the volume by dialing down the intensity slightly. Longer intervals or steady tempo workouts, several days a week, that kind of routine.

 

[Alex Simmons]

So, total ride time of 1.5 hours with a TSS of 120

I suppose SST should be more in the 90% range? I tried not to hammer but it is tough when there are carrots out there on the road. I would hope to do 2x20s harder than this, but not by too much.

Thanks for any advice!

Well 120 TSS over 1.5hrs = an IF of 0.89, so I'd call that in the 90% range.

Just looked like an L4 workout with a bit of extra time added. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Fightin Boba]

I suppose SST should be more in the 90% range?

Keep in mind that despite attempts to define a range for SST, it is a concept more than is it a defined range: http://www.fascatcoaching.com/sweetspottraining.html

 

[Watoni]

Well 120 TSS over 1.5hrs = an IF of 0.89, so I'd call that in the 90% range.

Just looked like an L4 workout with a bit of extra time added. Nothing wrong with that.

Thank you again for all the responses!

Alex, about extra time

Workout is as follows: ride 1.1 miles from home to base of climb, climb 4.2 miles, descend, ride another 0.5 miles to ride same climb using the park "shortcut," descend and ride 1.1 miles home

It's the quickest way from where I live to do repeats ... now I just need to lose weight after the holidays.

Tomorrow I might get to do 2 Mount Diablo ascents, which should get me at least 2.75-3 hours of climbing if done tempo/SST