The Wattage Thread

[okgo]

Races seem to have got harder, so make sure you do some hard intervals!

I did a 2hr45 2/3 cat race the other day, averaged 300w with 350NP - quite a bit considering I thought, I mean most of the break were 1st cat level riders but still. We had 4 minutes on the bunch by the end

[Ponk]

Where are you racing chaps?

I had a moment of madness and got an entry for the Jock Wadley seeing as they are short a team or three. The course is less than 2 miles from my house so at least I've got a short ride home after getting dropped. Come on the early break!

[E65Ross]

Sandersports said:

Must be racing this Sunday !! Its old faithfull time on the torture rack .....

Looks decent.... What were the length of those reps and what % of FTP were they at?

[okgo]

Ponk said:

Where are you racing chaps?

I had a moment of madness and got an entry for the Jock Wadley seeing as they are short a team or three. The course is less than 2 miles from my house so at least I've got a short ride home after getting dropped. Come on the early break!

Gone with vaguely local ones, SERRL and Surrey League. Nice to be racing against people with jobs again to be honest.

[Sandersports]

okgo said:

Gone with vaguely local ones, SERRL and Surrey League. Nice to be racing against people with jobs again to be honest.

Why you not on the Paceline Training camp .. They will be talking about you !!

[Sandersports]

Ponk said:

Where are you racing chaps?

I had a moment of madness and got an entry for the Jock Wadley seeing as they are short a team or three. The course is less than 2 miles from my house so at least I've got a short ride home after getting dropped. Come on the early break!

See you on the startline ... Should be a bit better than previous years where the UCI boys have ripped it up. Was epic a few years ago when Rapha blew the st out of it . After 1hr a large break will go and the bunch will bowl round till the time limit kicks in and gets pulled out a couple of laps early.

[Sandersports]

E65Ross said:

Looks decent.... What were the length of those reps and what % of FTP were they at?

5x3min , 10x1min , 10x30sec, ..... Ftp 292

[E65Ross]

Sandersports said:

E65Ross said:

Looks decent.... What were the length of those reps and what % of FTP were they at?

5x3min , 10x1min , 10x30sec, ..... Ftp 292

Sorry, I meant what were the reps as a percentage of your FTP? Eg 5x3mins 100%....10x1min at.... 110%? What were your recoveries.... Looks like a good session!

I'd be interested in getting into racing, but I'd be worried I'd get absolutely cremated. I'm not build for flat routes, my FTP is only 219 but as watts per kg it's over 4. I also suspect that 219 is a few watts on the Conservative side. I don't want to go into racing and get obliterated, as that's no fun.... Any ideas on where to start? I'm based near Southampton.

Many thanks.

[PulsatingStar]

okgo said:

Races seem to have got harder, so make sure you do some hard intervals!

I did a 2hr45 2/3 cat race the other day, averaged 300w with 350NP - quite a bit considering I thought, I mean most of the break were 1st cat level riders but still. We had 4 minutes on the bunch by the end

I was marshaling that day. I think I could have stayed in that bunch the amount of effort they made the last couple of laps. The comm wasnt too happy with it and sent someone to remind them there were still some points available...

[E65Ross]

Just had a very quick look and British cycling came up.... It looks like I need to get a race licence. Do I need to be a member of a club? or can I just buy a race licence and start signing up for races? Looks like it's a case of join British cycling and get your membership (around £100 total).

I'll look into it a bit more tomorrow but I've found a few local races in May and June which have category 4 Road races (something I'd rather do than circuit racing).

I'm just worried about getting absolutely dropped. Maybe I should man up and just enjoy it! Thoughts?

Cheers.... Maybe I should start a new thread? Many thanks in advance

Edited by E65Ross on Tuesday 8th March 21:55

[Sandersports]

E65Ross said:

Just had a very quick look and British cycling came up.... It looks like I need to get a race licence. Do I need to be a member of a club? or can I just buy a race licence and start signing up for races? Looks like it's a case of join British cycling and get your membership (around £100 total).

I'll look into it a bit more tomorrow but I've found a few local races in May and June which have category 4 Road races (something I'd rather do than circuit racing).

I'm just worried about getting absolutely dropped. Maybe I should man up and just enjoy it! Thoughts?

Cheers.... Maybe I should start a new thread? Many thanks in advance

Edited by E65Ross on Tuesday 8th March 21:55

As you mention i would start a new thread ... Plenty of advisers on here to get you started.

[okgo]

Sandersports said:

Why you not on the Paceline Training camp .. They will be talking about you !!

It would be unfair on them


@pulsatingstar - yes, we only went hard until they gave up, which wasn't long. Our last lap was embarrassingly slow also, but was a fun race.

[lukefreeman]

Finally got a turbo with a power meter (Tacx thingy off a mate).

Did the rubberglove workout, 343w for 20 minutes, so around 325w FTP. No idea how accurate the turbo is though, but was happy considering it's 2 days after a race.

I found that once I got heart rate up, it felt OK.


My missus did a "mini" FTP test (7 minute warm up 20 min 7 minute warm down) and average 197w. Her final 5 minutes where around 240, first around 170!

Edit: Spoke to a lad who used to race for Kuota, and his FTP is 414w! He's built like a snake too. Much to go :-(

Edited by lukefreeman on Monday 14th March 19:08

[okgo]

Who is that?

Not many with those numbers out there, although its becoming more common at the elite UK level as the sport evolves and the scene gets stronger, lots of strong boys in the big UK teams now.

[lukefreeman]

okgo said:

Who is that?

Not many with those numbers out there, although its becoming more common at the elite UK level as the sport evolves and the scene gets stronger, lots of strong boys in the big UK teams now.

Top ten for National hillclimb last year, that'll give it away ;-)

[okgo]

lukefreeman said:

Top ten for National hillclimb last year, that'll give it away ;-)

Looks pretty thin, I would think that number is probably a bit high, he was beaten by people with far lower numbers than that in the HC who are similar build.

[anonymous-user]

So after a fair amount of training I'm starting to see good numbers. I have never put loads out really but I guess I'd say I'm 'solid' rather than powerful. Over winter the turbo has been used a lot with Zwift. I'm seeing numbers indoors which would have been pie in the sky previously. My main fear was it was just a case of adaption to the turbo with the extra hours. However on the road I'm pushing comfortable intervals at what was 10 mile TT pace last few years. HR and feel of the loads seem much lower as well. thw ultimate goal is 330w over 20 mins which should put me amongst the quicker blokes in local TT's. Some of it maybe always thinking of a number as 'tough', that was always 300w for me, yesterday I was doing back to back 8 min sets with 3 mins rest for 90 mins. The coaching plan is great and I'm always chasing the top of the zone, it maybe time to do an FTP test again, it certainly doesn't feel massively hard when I think it should. Hoping to get an entry this weekend somewhere, now it's raining it should be easy :/ Don't underestimate decent shoes, my new ones are night and day and feel awesome, zero flex and great support from the footbed.

[anonymous-user]

My race was cancelled today, floods. Instead I did a 20 minute test and was pretty chuffed with the results. I averaged 325w which puts me well on track for a pb. Come race day I'll give more and the conditions today were just ste, really hard to get into a groove with heavy side and head winds.

[E65Ross]

yonex said:

My race was cancelled today, floods. Instead I did a 20 minute test and was pretty chuffed with the results. I averaged 325w which puts me well on track for a pb. Come race day I'll give more and the conditions today were just ste, really hard to get into a groove with heavy side and head winds.

Sorry to hear about the race, though the conditions were very bad....all silver linings with that 20minute test result though, well done!

[anonymous-user]

E65Ross said:

Sorry to hear about the race, though the conditions were very bad....all silver linings with that 20minute test result though, well done!

I was actually pretty happy. The course, F11/10 is mad enough without high winds and massive puddles Looking forward to much harder training sessions now as the previous zones were all set at 275 FTP which is were I started at in December. To be honest I should have upped them before but I really wanted to do a test on the road rather than an indoor ramp test or whatever. I think the ramp test flatters certain muscle types, 20 mins on the road is what it is.