It's killing me but..........

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Yes there is. What goes up must come down - twice if you make a mistake.:DI think it's what goes down must come up.;)

I think it's what goes down must come up.;)
Are we talking about AWC intervals ridden to the max here;) ?

P.S. What happened to the "taper paper" we are all waiting for, and whatever happened to the "Document" of 2 months back?:D

That reminds me, I must check the latest on the iBike.:rolleyes:

P.S. What happened to the "taper paper" we are all waiting for, and whatever happened to the "Document" of 2 months back?:D I was looking for those myself just the other day. Oh yeah, I forgot, I'm writing them.;)

I was looking for those myself just the other day. Oh yeah, I forgot, I'm writing them.;)
RD, you really must treat yourself to a new pen. People just aren't using quill and ink anymore.:D

RD, you really must treat yourself to a new pen. People just aren't using quill and ink anymore.:DYou're kidding, right?:D

One thing I forgot to mention. After all that's been written about how often and how much one should drink on a ride, I paid close attention to my intake today. As I've said in the past, I don't seem to need much fluid. Today in 110 hard km I drank a small drinks bottle of Gatorade diluted with water and just over half of my big drinks bottle of water. I actually drank when I didn't feel the need to because I thought maybe I wasn't taking in enough fluid. I think like many other facets of cycling, it is genetically determined and virtually impossible to lay down hard and fast rules as to how much one should drink on a ride. TYSON

In my small country(Trinidad) I don't think anyone has a powermeter at least to my knowledge but at least I have one on my kinetic trainer "In Trinidad, one dollar buy
Papaya juice, banana pie,
Six coconut, one female goat,
An plenty fish to fill de boat.

One bushel bread, one barrel wine,
An all de town, she come to dine.
But here is bad, one dollar buy
Cup of coffee, ham on rye." (Nat King Cole)

Welcome on cyclingforums mate. Who knows, soon enough "one dollar" might buy a powermeter too, in Trinidad !

YMMV but you can see that myself and the act of tapering have had a falling out (no pun intended because that's what my fitness did) this so that is one of the major things that Im changing in next years program plus not tapering long allows you to be good in a lot more races throughout the year. I agree with your comment. Tapering is no joke. I can bring one to his peak, but the aftermath can be pretty rude at times. I guided somebody though a 2week taper recently. He was happy, had a very sharp peak, enjoyed a personal best in Mnt Washington.

But the 3 weeks following this event, he suffered quad cramps.

I agree with your comment. Tapering is no joke. I can bring one to his peak, but the aftermath can be pretty rude at times. I guided somebody though a 2week taper recently. He was happy, had a very sharp peak, enjoyed a personal best in Mnt Washington.

But the 3 weeks following this event, he suffered quad cramps.
So what do you put that down to? Physiologically speaking that is.

Tyson, I'm still looking at my data, but my suggestion for this week is that you should do 100% of your average weekly volume and intensity over the last few weeks. I'll work up some numbers for next week in a day or two. Given that your top priority is to peak your FTP, I wouldn't taper at all this week.

Tyson, I'm still looking at my data, but my suggestion for this week is that you should do 100% of your average weekly volume and intensity over the last few weeks. I'll work up some numbers for next week in a day or two. Given that your top priority is to peak your FTP, I wouldn't taper at all this week.RD this is the penultimate week and the following (posted earlier) is the tapering plan for next week.


Sunday - 1st Oct - usual 57k course with plenty of climbs (tempo)

Tues - you suggested 50% volume high intensity, so I thought maybe
1x10 @ 260W

Wed - rest day but 300 watts as long as I can hold it. Just to see if I can do it should I need to on the day.

Thurs - 1x10 @ 250/260W

Frid - 30 min @ 200W just to keep the legs oiled.

Sat - off

Sun - burn up as many 5000 dollar bikes and Adonis calves as poss

RD this is the penultimate week and the following (posted earlier) is the tapering plan for next week.I'll reserve comment on next week for another day or so. I'm rushing to finish a couple of documents so I'm in total immersion mode. Translation: my son called me yesterday and he thought I was on another planet, it took me that long to get out of the mental tunnel I was in.:D

I'll reserve comment on next week for another day or so. I'm rushing to finish a couple of documents so I'm in total immersion mode. Translation: my son called me yesterday and he thought I was on another planet, it took me that long to get out of the mental tunnel I was in.:DRd, you are very busy I can see. Biwa is not that important. For me it is just another step along the path towards my goal, albeit my immediate goal is a mediocre one, (by the forum standards) namely 300watts for 20 mins.

I shall be OK for Biwa; I'll just "feel" my way to the start next Sunday.

Have no fear, when the adrenalin starts to flow I shall be off!;)

RD, another barrier was breached today. If you remember back on the 13 Sept I couldn't complete my VO2Max workout at 280W. I fell 3 mins short in total.

Well today did the full 4x5mins @ 280W (PB by far)

Also managed to finish off the hour @ 220W at a cadence of 100-110.

Slowly but surely we're getting there!;)

RD, another barrier was breached today. If you remember back on the 13 Sept I couldn't complete my VO2Max workout at 280W. I fell 3 mins short in total.

Well today did the full 4x5mins @ 280W (PB by far)

Also managed to finish off the hour @ 220W at a cadence of 100-110.

Slowly but surely we're getting there!;)Wow! You're definitely getting there! Good for me you're not coming to LV in the near future. I've got time to get ready for you.;)

Wow! You're definitely getting there! Good for me you're not coming to LV in the near future. I've got time to get ready for you.;)
LOL Make sure you eat well - you know, plenty of doughnuts/donuts, ice cream, chocolate and drink lots of soda.

I might or might not have a little surprise for you on Tuesday - depends.;)

LOL Make sure you eat well - you know, plenty of doughnuts/donuts, ice cream, chocolate and drink lots of soda.Cool, just what I was thinking. Actually, your name came up on today's ride. I rode with a buddy of mine on a ride we rarely do that takes us up on the west side of the Strip and then we come back on Las Vegas Blvd. (the Strip). The garbage trucks are out early and it's kind of fun drag racing them (yeah, I know, they have a low power/weight ratio). Anyway, there's one nice little 10 min section without any lights and smooth pavement. I went to the front and pulled pretty hard. We got to the light at the end of the section and my buddy pulled up alongside huffing and puffing and said, "Who pissed you off today?" I said, "Oh, I'm getting ready for Tyson's visit." He said, "Who?" I said, "Never mind, it would take too long to explain.":D

Cool, just what I was thinking. Actually, your name came up on today's ride. I rode with a buddy of mine on a ride we rarely do that takes us up on the west side of the Strip and then we come back on Las Vegas Blvd. (the Strip). The garbage trucks are out early and it's kind of fun drag racing them (yeah, I know, they have a low power/weight ratio). Anyway, there's one nice little 10 min section without any lights and smooth pavement. I went to the front and pulled pretty hard. We got to the light at the end of the section and my buddy pulled up alongside huffing and puffing and said, "Who pissed you off today?" I said, "Oh, I'm getting ready for Tyson's visit." He said, "Who?" I said, "Never mind, it would take too long to explain.":D
Lol. Yeah a 54 page long explanation!

Anyway I'm enjoying your jokes with more than a hint of sarcasm in them.
Hopefully in a few months from now, you'll no longer be jesting and have to really get down to some serious preparation for my visit - like losing 15 pounds in weight. :D

I still get regular PMs from guys who are following this thread and say how their cycling has improved as a result. For some reason they prefer to chat to me at the back door rather than in this thread. Why I don't know but that is their prerogative. Perhaps they are afraid someone might ask what their FTP is and they don't wish to reveal it. I can tell you, and if you go back to page one you will see, my FT was so low power meters had a job recording it.:D

To people just checking in for the first time, especially newbies; you obviously don't want to read through 54 pages to see what the thread is about, so I'll sum it up as simply as possible.

It is all about taking a geriatric who wasn't getting faster on the bike and was perhaps even slowing down on hills, and with the help of people like RapDaddyo and other forum members recommending a structured training regimen, the result has been undreamt of improvement. If you are young, just think what this training could do for you.

If you don't have a power meter (which I don't) or a nearby gym with good indoor trainers, you can of course get by with a heart rate meter (some people swear by them) and if you don't have either you could perhaps and I emphasize perhaps, make do by training with cadence (and perceived effort). Any of the above would probably suffice, the important thing is sustained effort for say Level 4 @ 10mins 20mins or 30 mins (some masochists do longer intervals) Level 5 @ 4-6 mins and Level 6 @ 2-3 mins.

Best of luck! ;) TYSON

Thanks to Sidewind for the following:

2-4 * 15-30 min intervals on your 1 h TT pace/HR/power/PE will increase your sustainable power (1 h TT power, or LT power on some concepts).

4-6 * 4-6 min intervals will develop your VO2 max power. Power/speed/PE should be ~10...20% higher than your 1 h TT power.

1-2 min intervals with another 10-20% higher power will develop your anaerobic capacity.

More detailed instructions can be found from e.g. Hunter & Coggan "Training and racing with Power Meter", or Cycling Peaks pages.
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If you don't have a power meter (which I don't) or a nearby gym with good indoor trainers, you can of course get by with a heart rate meter (some people swear by them) and if you don't have either you could perhaps and I emphasize perhaps, make do by training with cadence (and perceived effort). Any of the above would probably suffice, the important thing is sustained effort for say Level 4 @ 10mins 20mins or 30 mins (some masochists do longer intervals) Level 5 @ 4-6 mins and Level 6 @ 2-3 mins.This is a fairly important statement because it puts the methods of managing intensity of effort in a hierarchical order of preference, PM, HRM, cadence/RPE. I would not rank the alternative methods that way. I would rank them PM, trainer with a speedometer, RPE, then HRM. The reasons for this ranking are too involved for a one paragraph explanation, but the reason HRM is last is because HR is affected by too many things other than intensity of effort. Frankly, I never recommend that someone train by HRM, because there is always a better option.