Structured Training in 2017

[r04DiE]

Well, last night I did my second session on TR. It was a bit too easy but I'm pleased I've started at the bottom - much better than overdoing it. Really enjoying TR - it's just how I'd imagine having a real coach would be. Its always providing interesting tips and a bit of motivation.

Here's last night's effort. Power drops off a couple of times as a) I forgot to set the fan up (I know), and, b) the Ant+ dongle was a bit too far away so I moved it a bit closer. New HR monitor though so no erroneous data there this time

 

[Tin Pot]

Positive result, FTP up from 217 to 228W

Kind of not knackered though, feeling ok. At no point was I panting, vision blurring or feeling sick...obviously didn't try hard enough!

Added 5% in the first 5 minutes then 10%, no problems, then tried to do the last ten minutes at +15% but couldn't keep it going.

So a bit of discontinuity as I switched from virtual to power meters, but gained 18W in the first three weeks of January, then ignoring the three weeks following and jump from 191 to 217 as I changed meters, and 11W that's still 30W in 16 weeks, or roughly a 15% improvement.

I could retest with a virtual power just to get an absolute gain measurement but I'll leave that until later in the plan.

I'm switching to a tri bike and aero position next week and testing in that position too.

 

[steve292]

I could retest with a virtual power just to get an absolute gain measurement but I'll leave that until later in the plan.

TBH I wouldn't.

I switched from virtual power to a smart trainer, and the virtual power was so far away as to be meaningless. Although you can measure in any units you want as long as they are the same every time.

Nice increase in power tho'

I'm struggling a bit atm as there is a serious illness in the family, and i'm up and down the m4 quite a bit to Pembrokeshire.

I have at least maintained my base fitness, and have just concentrated on reducing weight(I've lost 10 lbs so far), which, providing my ftp doesn't drop to much will go some way towards compensating. I did a 50k with the club on wednesday & didn't struggle to much.
I may have to scrap my Half Iron distance ambitions this year, but thats life.

 

[kipster]

Okay guys and gals, how are we doing so far?

I'm in the last week of Base training Triathlon Full Distance and I'm finishing with an FTP test today!

These last 16 weeks have gone pretty quickly, I've missed 12 of the 48 rides (8 whilst skiing, 4 through poor motivation). Otherwise, I'll have done 36 rides (only 8 outside). If it weren't for the two weeks off I'd be very happy with my commitment.


@CXRAndy
@Joffey
@Asa Post
@MasterDabber
@HLaB
@Chappy
@WelshJon
@Shut Up Legs
@uclown2002
@steve292
@kipster
@simon walsh
@postman
@mythste
@r04DiE
@si_c

Let's see some updates from you guys!

I completed the 6 week sweet spot 1 but haven't started build phase yet as I was cycling in Majorca for 5 days. As the evenings are getting lighter and the weather better, I think I'll find myself outside now until the Autumn. I will start earlier on TR next year as I found it very good.

My initial FTP was 251 (3.4w/kg), would like to be closer to 4 w/kg by this time next year. At 6'3" and 73kg I need to add power and not lose any weight.

 

[HLaB]

Okay guys and gals, how are we doing so far?

I'm in the last week of Base training Triathlon Full Distance and I'm finishing with an FTP test today!

These last 16 weeks have gone pretty quickly, I've missed 12 of the 48 rides (8 whilst skiing, 4 through poor motivation). Otherwise, I'll have done 36 rides (only 8 outside). If it weren't for the two weeks off I'd be very happy with my commitment.


@CXRAndy
@Joffey
@Asa Post
@MasterDabber
@HLaB
@Chappy
@WelshJon
@Shut Up Legs
@uclown2002
@steve292
@kipster
@simon walsh
@postman
@mythste
@r04DiE
@si_c

Let's see some updates from you guys!

It seems to be working my last FTP test was 301w and IIRC my first one 200w before I started training a year and a half ago, my coach has advised me to work of 290w though. Touch wood it translates to real seconds on a TT; 200w got me 25.20 on a flat course last years 265w FTP got me 25.03, so fingers crossed.

 

[huwsparky]

It seems to be working my last FTP test was 301w and IIRC my first one 200w before I started training a year and a half ago, my coach has advised me to work of 290w though. Touch wood it translates to real seconds on a TT; 200w got me 25.20 on a flat course last years 265w FTP got me 25.03, so fingers crossed.

That's not on the same course surely? A 25%+ hike in power would be worth a lot more than 17s unless you were wearing a parachute!!

 

[Tin Pot]

+1

There must be more to that story than 17s, surely?

 

[HLaB]

That's not on the same course surely? A 25%+ hike in power would be worth a lot more than 17s unless you were wearing a parachute!!

Different days but the same flat course but different bikes. Wouldn't be surprised though if my original FTP test before coaching was wrong pacing and on the low side but I looked back the first two test I done were 194w and 201w and my first test after coaching started was 207w, so 200w was a not bad memory.
Thinking about last season and the season before I was more comfortable on the older converted road bike (disc cover, forward facing seat post and tt bars with bar end shifters) than the new TT bike, and handled the road bike better too, so I didn't get the full benefit. Net result I've changed the fit on the TT bike which seems to be more comfortable, so fingers crossed I do get the benefits this season.

 

[HLaB]

+1

There must be more to that story than 17s, surely?

Thinking about it there probably was see above ☺

 

[r04DiE]

Here's todays effort and that concludes week one. Still too easy but I am going to stick with it as I am sure that will change soon enough!

 

[Tin Pot]

Blink and you'll be getting a "plan completed" message like I did today

 

[r04DiE]

Blink and you'll be getting a "plan completed" message like I did today

Look forward to it and well done you!

 

[si_c]

Wife is out for the evening, so decided to do the zwift mountain route. Tried to go as hard as I could throughout, although I found it difficult to maintain a steady power output, so it went up and down a bit.

Glad I did it as training peaks recalculated my FTP as being 300W, somewhat different from the 250W I was working on before, so I'd have been undertraining somewhat. I'd be nice to think that this was all an improvment from a weeks training, but it's more likely that when I did the FTP test previously I was unable to get settled on the bike properly having been off for 4 weeks with a separated shoulder. Hopefully this "new" baseline figure will mean I can actually see some genuine improvements during the year.

https://www.strava.com/activities/914299046

Edit:

I'm actually really surprised it's so high, given I've never done any structured training. I'm pretty crap at climbing hills and I'm not particularly quick, but thats probably because I'm about a stone and a half overweight.

 

[Tin Pot]

Okay lads how are we doing this week?

I hurt my knee on the final run of the final session of Base plan, but I got through this week and it seems to be okay again.

Something to show for my efforts - look at the tyre rubber dust!

I'm week one into Build and a day behind already, pushing my long ride (4hr turbo!) into Monday.

Long run and two swims tomorrow, catch-up ride on Monday will get me to:

4 runs
4 bikes
3 swim

Still one swim behind but Hey Ho.

What the week been like?

 

[r04DiE]

Glad the knee is feeling better. I finished off week two with three more sessions. I felt the burn on today's 90 minute one, I have to say! Still, I dug in and got on with it, also I managed 150km of commuting during the week, so good stuff really

Pictures of pain below (Goddard, Monitor, Antelope)