Just Started Trainerroad

[stephen.rooke]

Just started using trainer road today, (only just got a turbo) using virtual power my ftp tested at 237 watts and around 2.7 watts/kg. My aim for this winter is to try and get into a position to be able to race cat 4 crits next year and do a half decent job, any recommendations on what plans i should do. i was thinking of starting off with the 40k time trial plan then moving on to the criterium training plan. Im going to try and shift some weight also as my recommended weight is 2-3 stone less than it is currently which with my current ftp would put me around 3.4watts /kg with no ftp increase. I have a solid base fitness already so can get on with the hard stuff now.

 

[Citius]

If you're aiming for next season, there's not really any need to do the hard stuff right now. Just focus on long steady rides and some shorter sweetspot stuff for as long as the weather is still pretty good. Worry about the hard turbo stuff in January...

 

[Bollo]

The short answer is that most (all?) TrainerRoad training plans follow a 12 week base, 8 week build and 8 week speciality phases, so you've got plenty of time! I'd also recommend reading around a bit to get a better idea of the underlying reasons and arguments for and against this type of higher-intensity, shorter effort type training.

The longer answer - shifting weight. Getting down to your "recommended weight" (another minefield - I'm not going there but I'll assume your talking BMI just to nail it down) will make much more difference to your ability to perform than trying to up your FTP significantly. You say you've got a solid fitness base, which implies you're already doing regular exercise, so you need to look at your nutrition and maybe make some changes there. The trick will be to maintain your power while losing weight.

I was in a similar position a few years ago, where I was active ex-rugby player prone to popping on the pounds. I bit the bullet,managed my calories and over the course of a year dropped from a 16+ stone 'heavy unit' to a *ahem* 12.5 stone racing-snake. The big lifestyle change was food intake, but the turbo/rollers helped maintain my power output (shunting16 stone around the hills of mid-Hants took some effort!) and burn off a few calories. Like Citius said, for this longer efforts at lower intensity will likely help more here.

In terms of using your turbo with TrainerRoad, don't forget that your power output is based on an estimated speed-power curve ('virtual power') for your model of turbo, which can be out significantly. This isn't a big problem as you should be interested more in changes in your power rather than absolute numbers.

To spot changes, it's important to keep your setup as consistent as possible. Having the numbers bouncing around makes spotting any improvements more difficult. Tyre pressure and tyre/resistance-unit pressure are the critical factors, so check and adjust your tyre pressure to the same value every time before attaching to the turbo. Also try and apply the same pressure between resistance unit and wheel. This will depend a lot on the mechanism used to lock the resistance unit against your wheel, but do the best you can. Ambient temperature can also make a difference. In my experience it's not huge compared to the first two factors, but this could depend on the type of turbo.

If you need better absolute numbers, then you'll have to invest in either some form of power measurement on your bike (powertap wheels, vector pedals, SRM crank etc) or a power-measuring turbo (Kickr/Bkool/I think Tacx now do one). Even then, regular calibration is essential.

 

[TrevorDeRuise]

If your goals are all next season, be careful with the intensity over the winter. It's great that you're motivation is high and you're willing to put in the work, but there are different kinds of work aside from all-out intervals, and winter is the time for this other work. The body can only handle so much high-intensity training before a plateau is eventually reached. Coach Chad actually just wrote a pretty interesting blog on this, check it out: 4 Ways to Train Between Peaks

First, I'd recommend taking a bit of a break from the bike for a week or two. Stay active in other ways like hiking, running, swimming, yoga, etc. Then, jump into a full Base > Build > Specialty cycle.

Sweet Spot Base is 12 weeks long and focuses on your aerobic engine. You will spend a lot of time in your fat burning zone, which will also strengthen and increase efficiency of your body's ability to burn fat - thus helping you lose weight and keep it off during the rest of the season.

Next, I'd recommend the Short Power Build. This plan is 8 weeks and is designed to do exactly what it sounds like - increase your short duration power. It will work to build your power for short, huge efforts like those you will encounter in a crit.

Finally, you'll start the Crit Racing Specialty Plan right as those early season crits are starting. This plan is also 8 weeks long and focuses specifically on the unique fitness adaptations you need for crit racing. You'll continue to work on your high-end power, v02, and ability to recover between maximum efforts so that you can launch attacks and be ready to shut down the attacks of other racers, all race long. Hope this helps and good luck this off season!

 

[Citius]

Another alternative - if you happen to live near Manchester, Newport, Glasgow, Derby or south London - buy a track bike, get accredited and start doing some SQTs...

 

[MrPie]

Nothin wrong with wading into a 12 week structured training plan full gas to see what you can realistically achieve, or at least see how much you improve in that timeframe. Christmas will come and go and you can take it easy / recover for a wee while just in time for the Tour of Sufferlandria in January. A wee rest and then get stuck into another 12 week plan. Remember to give yourself enough recovery time during each 12 week plan and in between ToS and the next 12 week plan. Then it's crit season - enjoy the spoils of your hard work. Four words: The Sufferfest. Do it.

 

[Tin Pot]

I'm not sure I could get into turbo training this much, but good luck with it.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Some good stuff on here and great suggestions. If possible think about weight loss during the winter months, before the intensity really begins. You can't build power whilst restricting calories but you can lose the weight first then work on the power for the final few months prior to your first crit/race. Alternatively you could build power through the winter months and trim down as your first event approaches. Either approach takes discipline and hard work.

Trainer road is an excellent tool for training the body to ride and race theoretically but remember that a real race will feature group riding, fast cornering and wet or dry conditions - make sure you are prepared for racing by practising your technique as much as the winter weather allows. Ride in a fast group, be it apr, pacelines or chaingangs, and get comfortable riding inches apart from someone to your left and right, front and back.

Good luck and remember to have some fun too. ;-)