Trainerroad expectations
Discussion
WestyCarl said:
Quick question, I keep seeing "over and under" workouts mentioned. What are these? (maybe it's best not to ask.....)
Intervals have have sections which are "over" your FTP, and intervals that are (usually only just) "under" your FTP. For example an interval may be 8 mins long where you have 2mins at 95%, 2mins 105%, 2mins 95% and finally another 2mins at 105% before having a break.Just checked, I have the joys of Warlow next week.
The only thing in my favor is that I suspect my FTP is may maybe 20W too low due to my piss poor pacing on my first test. Despite everyone posting improvements I am resisting the temptation to re-test for a few weeks as I'm new to TT and Trainerroad so figure a slightly low FTP isn't a huge issue whilst I get used to the intensity of the TT.
The only thing in my favor is that I suspect my FTP is may maybe 20W too low due to my piss poor pacing on my first test. Despite everyone posting improvements I am resisting the temptation to re-test for a few weeks as I'm new to TT and Trainerroad so figure a slightly low FTP isn't a huge issue whilst I get used to the intensity of the TT.
Hi all,
Forgot to add a quick post in here to say hello! I've joined the group (I'm alteredc on there) mainly to prop up the bottom of the leaderboard
I've had a break from cycling for nearly 2 years now so was dreading getting back in the saddle - but was determined to try and regain some of my previous cycling fitness. So when a sportive came up local to me I bit the bullet and signed up. I'm following the British Cycling 'Train for 100k' plan, and the SweetSpot Base on TR. I'd used TR a bit previously so knew what I was getting in to this time around. Sportive is end of March, so hoping zero to 100k in 11 weeks is achievable!
I'm about 40% of the way through the plan at the moment and already noticing the difference out on the road. I'm hoping my FTP will climb reasonably quickly back to somewhere near previous levels (it's a pretty low 130 at the moment which probably isn't a surprise given no cycling for that length of time!). I've already dropped 6lb of Christmas timber in the 3 weeks since I started, and hoping to lose another stone over the longer-term to get me back to where I'd like to be weight-wise, along with the hoped for improvements in FTP.
Forgot to add a quick post in here to say hello! I've joined the group (I'm alteredc on there) mainly to prop up the bottom of the leaderboard
I've had a break from cycling for nearly 2 years now so was dreading getting back in the saddle - but was determined to try and regain some of my previous cycling fitness. So when a sportive came up local to me I bit the bullet and signed up. I'm following the British Cycling 'Train for 100k' plan, and the SweetSpot Base on TR. I'd used TR a bit previously so knew what I was getting in to this time around. Sportive is end of March, so hoping zero to 100k in 11 weeks is achievable!
I'm about 40% of the way through the plan at the moment and already noticing the difference out on the road. I'm hoping my FTP will climb reasonably quickly back to somewhere near previous levels (it's a pretty low 130 at the moment which probably isn't a surprise given no cycling for that length of time!). I've already dropped 6lb of Christmas timber in the 3 weeks since I started, and hoping to lose another stone over the longer-term to get me back to where I'd like to be weight-wise, along with the hoped for improvements in FTP.
I'm interested in watching what you're all doing and comparing that with my stats on Zwift doing the plans on there. I'm not following the structures to the letter, taking days off where I have to due to life rather than where it asks me to and working hard on the turbo when I get the opportunity. Doing a mix of sweetspot, over and under and strength work at lower cadence.
I did an FTP at the beginning of the month at 206w but my pacing was poor. I was fairly consistent but had too much left in the tank at the end. I'm not doing another until the end of this month.
I did an FTP at the beginning of the month at 206w but my pacing was poor. I was fairly consistent but had too much left in the tank at the end. I'm not doing another until the end of this month.
wobert said:
Carillon tonight, 4 long 10 min intervals with only a minute between.
Managed to keep up.....just.
Training level now a couple of orders of magnitude above where I was last week.....it didn't kill me, so I must be stronger....
You're record busting every ride! Well done, keep it up.Managed to keep up.....just.
Training level now a couple of orders of magnitude above where I was last week.....it didn't kill me, so I must be stronger....
Just need the HR data now and that'll give you the complete picture.....until you move on to blood testing after every ride, buying a Kickr etc etc.
Crazycraig said:
wobert said:
Carillon tonight, 4 long 10 min intervals with only a minute between.
Managed to keep up.....just.
Training level now a couple of orders of magnitude above where I was last week.....it didn't kill me, so I must be stronger....
You're record busting every ride! Well done, keep it up.Managed to keep up.....just.
Training level now a couple of orders of magnitude above where I was last week.....it didn't kill me, so I must be stronger....
Just need the HR data now and that'll give you the complete picture.....until you move on to blood testing after every ride, buying a Kickr etc etc.
I did think I'd bitten off more I could chew when I got to the end the first pair of intervals.....esp after the FTP test last night.
Night off tomorrow night, so I can ride on Friday....
Don't know about breaking any records.....
wobert said:
Crazycraig said:
wobert said:
Carillon tonight, 4 long 10 min intervals with only a minute between.
Managed to keep up.....just.
Training level now a couple of orders of magnitude above where I was last week.....it didn't kill me, so I must be stronger....
You're record busting every ride! Well done, keep it up.Managed to keep up.....just.
Training level now a couple of orders of magnitude above where I was last week.....it didn't kill me, so I must be stronger....
Just need the HR data now and that'll give you the complete picture.....until you move on to blood testing after every ride, buying a Kickr etc etc.
I did think I'd bitten off more I could chew when I got to the end the first pair of intervals.....esp after the FTP test last night.
Night off tomorrow night, so I can ride on Friday....
Don't know about breaking any records.....
I've also been watching what I eat since the beginning of the new year and today I am pretty chuffed to have hit 1 stone off since Jan 3. (If anyone was wondering why my w/kg is increasing each week you now know!!
) I've still got a little way to go, but by the time I'm done, I should hopefully be over 4w/kg without any power loss!!WestyCarl said:
still feeling crap so an easy 30 mins this morning.
Hope you feel better soon.Back to some hard sessions today after having almost 1.5 weeks off. Feels good to be back suffering...although the 1st session I did "Do as you're told" hurt a bit, and legs were tired for Power Station. Basically 130TSS this morning so not bad.
After greasing the kickr again using the other grease and not tightening up the locknut too much it appears to be fine. My adapter thing so I can get my small torque wrench (2-24nm) to work with the 17mm nut needed to do the lock nut up came today, so before I ride tomorrow (weather crap, so I'll probably do a "virtual training" route) I will torque it up to 5nm, as Wahoo said it shouldn't be tightened beyond this as it then compresses the spacers too much.
The good news is, the Wahoo person said ultimately the spacers are there to protect the whole pulley system in the event it is over-tightened, so she said the odds of any internal damage to the kickr having been done is extremely unlikely, so I'm pleased about that.
Good to see some of you doing very well on your sessions. Keep at it. I'm loosely following a training plan (aside today), I'm kind of changing the sessions and doing equivalent Sufferfest sessions....eg next is Mount Alyeska which is 6x4mins 105-109% FTP off 4mins.....I'll do "a very dark place" instead....which is 5x4mins, but They're all over 110% and nearer 115%.
The good news is, the Wahoo person said ultimately the spacers are there to protect the whole pulley system in the event it is over-tightened, so she said the odds of any internal damage to the kickr having been done is extremely unlikely, so I'm pleased about that.
Good to see some of you doing very well on your sessions. Keep at it. I'm loosely following a training plan (aside today), I'm kind of changing the sessions and doing equivalent Sufferfest sessions....eg next is Mount Alyeska which is 6x4mins 105-109% FTP off 4mins.....I'll do "a very dark place" instead....which is 5x4mins, but They're all over 110% and nearer 115%.
Looking for some advice / comments guys.
I did Avalanche Spire this morning which contains over-unders and one that I have not done for around a year.
Now the thing is, with over-unders I usually expect the first couple of intervals to be okish and then the toughness starts to kick in, but this morning I found that I didn't feel that challenged so after the first 2 intervals I upped 3 to 102%, 4 to 103%, 5 to 104% and 6 to 105% and still had gas left in the tank.
I know on Monday the day before the FTP test I still had slightly aching legs from Sunday, but by Tuesday when I did the 8 minute FTP test they felt OK, but I'm thinking I may have carried over some fatigue and did not perform my best on the day, and ordinarily the 20 minute Test / Rubber Glove suits me better than the 8 minute test as I favour more longer endurance efforts than short all outs.
Here's the screenshots from last year's and this year's efforts which shows this morning I was as a percentage in a lower Heart Zone.
March 2016
February 2017
What do you recon. Leave my FTP as is and see how I get on with future efforts? Manually update FTP a couple of % but risking blowing up and not completing harder efforts next week? Or just take it I'm now brilliant at over-unders and leave FTP as is
? Or was it just a fluke / having a fit day and I was just lucky?
Any thoughts?
I did Avalanche Spire this morning which contains over-unders and one that I have not done for around a year.
Now the thing is, with over-unders I usually expect the first couple of intervals to be okish and then the toughness starts to kick in, but this morning I found that I didn't feel that challenged so after the first 2 intervals I upped 3 to 102%, 4 to 103%, 5 to 104% and 6 to 105% and still had gas left in the tank.
I know on Monday the day before the FTP test I still had slightly aching legs from Sunday, but by Tuesday when I did the 8 minute FTP test they felt OK, but I'm thinking I may have carried over some fatigue and did not perform my best on the day, and ordinarily the 20 minute Test / Rubber Glove suits me better than the 8 minute test as I favour more longer endurance efforts than short all outs.
Here's the screenshots from last year's and this year's efforts which shows this morning I was as a percentage in a lower Heart Zone.
March 2016
February 2017
What do you recon. Leave my FTP as is and see how I get on with future efforts? Manually update FTP a couple of % but risking blowing up and not completing harder efforts next week? Or just take it I'm now brilliant at over-unders and leave FTP as is
? Or was it just a fluke / having a fit day and I was just lucky?Any thoughts?
Edited by Crazycraig on Thursday 2nd February 14:12
Well done ALawson..
I think my kickr issues are resolved..... Managed to use the torque wrench.... It turns out 5nm really isn't very tight at all, and I must have MASSIVELY over tightened the nut! Hopefully it'll be fine now! I'll check the nut over the next few rides and see how it goes. Pretty pleased I've sorted it.
Wahoo should be sending me some new spacers just for the future as they do naturally wear out in time anyway, but my 1st set lasted a good 400+ hours of riding time....!
Long ride tomorrow, will use virtual training instead of trainerroad I think.
I think my kickr issues are resolved..... Managed to use the torque wrench.... It turns out 5nm really isn't very tight at all, and I must have MASSIVELY over tightened the nut! Hopefully it'll be fine now! I'll check the nut over the next few rides and see how it goes. Pretty pleased I've sorted it.
Wahoo should be sending me some new spacers just for the future as they do naturally wear out in time anyway, but my 1st set lasted a good 400+ hours of riding time....!
Long ride tomorrow, will use virtual training instead of trainerroad I think.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff