Is this SST?

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I'm trying to increase my focus on SST this winter. Some of my training time is spent on a fast 20km each way commute which I do three or four days per week. There is heavy traffic at both ends (where survival is the order of the day) but I have a 25min central section where I can do some work.

The inbound 'work section' starts with a 4km steady 3% hill, then undulates for the next 10km. I can pin my SST range on the hill, but on the ups and downs I find it hard/impossible to stay in the range. I'm using a Polar CS600 (much better than the old s720i) power kit so I don't have an interval function showing average power...I rely on a mix of instantaneous power data and RPE.

I'm finding that my NP for this 25min section is usually in the middle of my SST target range, but with a VI of 1.04 - 1.08. I've got the Allen/Coggan book (I even understand most of it!)...Can I expect their predicted physiological benefits of an SST session from the work I'm doing on the commute?

To complete the picture, in my early base training I'm also doing some 20" 53x13 force reps (one of my limiters), some more controlled SST sessions on the trainer, an L2 longer ride and some L1 active recovery work each week.

Any comments from SST alchemists appreciated;)

McP

I'm finding that my NP for this 25min section is usually in the middle of my SST target range, but with a VI of 1.04 - 1.08. I've got the Allen/Coggan book (I even understand most of it!)...Can I expect their predicted physiological benefits of an SST session from the work I'm doing on the commute? If the NP for that section is in "the zone" then you are doing it correctly.

http://www.fascatcoaching.com/training_tips/SweetSpot_partdeux.html

I was doing a lot of SST during my commute this autumn. Similar to you, I have a ~20 minute section in the middle where I can do some work (sometimes I would extend the interval length) and I could do it in either direction, going to work or going home. This represented 50-75% of the SST training I was doing during any given week. Also, similar to your situation, I have some interruptions due to stop signs and traffic lights that would cause my power output to vary quite a bit but I was always still able to hold the NP (and even AP) in high L3/low L4 for the whole interval.

In an case, my power meter says that I have definitely benefited from all this work so I'd say that you probably are too.

FYI- I was also doing some steadier SST on weekends in addition to this work during the commute. You may consider doing that too.

Steve

Thanks Steve, that's good to know...and thanks for the link to the article; very useful.

McP