Time Course of Anaerobic Adaptations

[gudujarlson]

Speaking of NP busters. I looked back at a CAT4/5 road race I did on 6/23/2012. In a 20 min span right at the beginning I averaged 244 watts with a normalized power of 275 watts. Compare that to the best average power I did all year in a 20 minute time trial of 257 watts. I have a hard time believing I could do 275 watts in 20 min time trial or maybe I'm really self defeating myself psychologically.

By the way, that 275 watts wasn't enough to stay with the pack. I was dropped in the first 5 minutes of the race. I averaged 312 watts during the 5 minutes which is just shy of my personal best. The start had a 5 minute climb of 273 feet over 1 mile (~8%). My watts/kg was 4.2 on the climb which would put me in the top end of CAT 4 on the chart in Training a Racing with a Power Meter. Frustrating to say the least. I guess CAT 4/5 competition is tough in Minnesota.

 

[frost]

Have you done those 20min intervals with different pacing approaches?

 

[tomw1974]

Originally Posted by gudujarlson .

Speaking of NP busters. I looked back at a CAT4/5 road race I did on 6/23/2012. In a 20 min span right at the beginning I averaged 244 watts with a normalized power of 275 watts. Compare that to the best average power I did all year in a 20 minute time trial of 257 watts. I have a hard time believing I could do 275 watts in 20 min time trial or maybe I'm really self defeating myself psychologically.

By the way, that 275 watts wasn't enough to stay with the pack. I was dropped in the first 5 minutes of the race. I averaged 312 watts during the 5 minutes which is just shy of my personal best. The start had a 5 minute climb of 273 feet over 1 mile (~8%). My watts/kg was 4.2 on the climb which would put me in the top end of CAT 4 on the chart in Training a Racing with a Power Meter. Frustrating to say the least. I guess CAT 4/5 competition is tough in Minnesota.

I think what you're seeing is the anaerobic contribution to your NP. I've seen crits where my NP was over 300 watts, yet my best 20 min was only 260.

 

[gudujarlson]

Originally Posted by frost .

Have you done those 20min intervals with different pacing approaches?

No, not yet, but I plan too; maybe this weekend.

 

[gudujarlson]

Welp, it didn't take long to prove myself wrong.

Last 3 weeks of training consisted of 21 1x20 workouts and some longer rides on the weekends: 300 TSS L3, 90 TSS L2, 350 TSS group ride, 200 TSS L2
CTL 87, TSB -14 and rising (1 day rest)
15 min warmup
Pacing strategy: keep it above 250 watts and see what happens
Result: 20 min, 273 watts average, 273 watts NP, avg speed 21.3 mph

New 20MP personal best. Beat last personal best set on 6/1/2012 by 6.2%.

The pacing ended up to be the about same because I was able to maintain 268+ watts average all the way through with an uptick at the end.

Now I need to decide whether to adjust my FTP. This test was not the same as my standard test because I only did the 20 min test. Normally I would do the 20 min test after doing the 5 min, 1 min, and sprint tests.

 

[frost]

Great work mate!!! Don't worry about your FTP number just keep doing "solid work" as Dave puts it and your future workouts will confirm when needed.

 

[gudujarlson]

If I don't raise my FTP, I will continue to do my 1x20's at 214-228 watts and feel good about it. Raising my FTP to 260 means doing those same intervals at 229-242. Interestingly, the normalized power of my evening intervals have been in the later range. The intervals have had a fair amount of variability due to the terrain I cross in the evening.

 

[frost]

No, forget about FTP when planning the workouts. Do the intervals at power that is as high as you can recover to the next workout. Good starting point is 90% of the duration max. If you cannot compete the workout or the next workout then back down a bit. When it feels too easy turn up a notch.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

Originally Posted by frost .

No, forget about FTP when planning the workouts. Do the intervals at power that is as high as you can recover to the next workout. Good starting point is 90% of the duration max. If you cannot compete the workout or the next workout then back down a bit. When it feels too easy turn up a notch.

Exactly!

 

[frost]

Originally Posted by frost .

No, forget about FTP when planning the workouts. Do the intervals at power that is as high as you can recover to the next workout. Good starting point is 90% of the duration max. If you cannot compete the workout or the next workout then back down a bit. When it feels too easy turn up a notch.

A small note here: percentage of FTP is also a good starting point for interval intensity but I wanted to highlight that it should not be followed religiously but just as a reference for the start and then adjusted accordingly.

 

[gudujarlson]

I'm all exited about my new power numbers and ready to hit the roads today, but it's 21F (-6C), there is an inch of snow on the ground, and it is still coming down. I might have to dust off the trainer.

 

[frost]

Also good time to think about the "big picture" of your training. What kind of goals and target events you have for the next summer? What is your strategy to succeed? How should your overall training plan look like?

I know exactly at the moment it is practically impossible to hold back whatever the plan looks like /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

 

[gudujarlson]

I went out anyway, but took the cross bike with 35mm knobbies (no studs). 4 blocks from home I hit the pavement trying to get started at an ice covered intersection. I didn't suffer a bruise or scrape but it was embarrassing. It's safe to say I didn't get any L4 intervals completed.