Poll: What's your Functional Threshold power?

Originally Posted by K50

Yeah, that's a good idea. But seriously, you're only Cat 5 at 4.1W/kg? Are you new to racing? I figured at 4W/kg you'd be able to get to Cat 3 in most places, and at the very least a good Cat 4 racer.

Originally Posted by jbvcoaching

the holster 370 67 5.52
Camoscio 340 62 5.48
scotmart 385 72 5.35 19:58 (47:21 on a 37.8km course)
musher 340 64 5.31
clausfod 414 78 5.307
bigmatt 396 75 5.28
joemw 354 68 5.20
whoawhoa 320 62.5 5.12
gvanwagner 325 64 5.08
c.walton 325 65 5.00
BullGod 340 69 4.93
musher 318 65 4.89
Markster 335 70 4.79 19:57 51:55
2007 bikeguy 340 72 kg 4.71 W/kg, 12 minute power 400 (+?) w @ 100 rpm
PSUCycling 315 67 4.7 Cat2 (U.S.)
Dirtcoach 305 65.6 4.65
postal_bag 345 75 4.6
gonzalovilaseca 310 68 4.56
kennethn 320 70.3 4.55
JohnMeyers 350 77 4.54
rmur 380 85 4.47 (PT Pro)
NomadVW 345 77 4.48
peterpen 290 65 4.46
zaskar 280 63 4.44
midbunchlurker 275 62 4.43
joule 266 60 4.43
HammerHead 300 68 4.41
rouleur 315 72 4.38
Thorman 340 78 4.36
rmur 370 85 4.35 (PT Pro, ~380W on SRM)
Chowderm 325 75 4.33 52:19
Lazy Llama 286 66 4.33 13.3 mi TT, 30:12
dshep27283 345 80 4.31
PaulMD 297 69 4.30
RobM 312 73 4.27
2006 bikeguy 315 74 4.26 corrected for weight
cadence230 280 4.24
bikeguy 315 72 4.38 5 km rolling TT, 7:15; standard, no aero bars, after 90k
andoveradi 322 76 4.23
mattv2099 314 75 4.19
Stanette 313 75 4.17
Atsic 252 61 4.13
yzfrr11 310 75 4.13
Xav 318 77 4.13
pledac 285 69 4.13
Spunout 280 68 4.12
RapDaddyo 325 80 4.06
velobob 310 77 4.03
jack.hutchinson 285 71 4.01
PeterWright 280 70 4
bspurgeon 315 78.5 3.99
K50 275 69 3.99, (no TT's) all XC baby!
cube 290 73 3.97
Old Junker 250 63 3.97
velomanct 310 79 3.92
jbvcoaching 300 77 3.90
My02Sti 305 79 3.86
Otb4evr 385 100 3.85 22:19 58:48
BlueJersey 230 60 3.83
robkit 280 75 3.73
amartinez 250 67 3.73
Trailhead 312 84 3.71
11ring 256 70 3.66 22.10
sugaken 240 66 3.64
woodgab 321 89 3.61
bigbevans 260 73 3.56 21:30 (270 w) 56:46
Hookyrider 284 80 3.55
Krazyderek 260 78 3.33
AndROOb 232 71 3.27
spomanski 310 96 3.23
alleycat 170 52 3.27
netscriber 143 47 3.04
beerco 220 78 2.82
fmarques25 204 74 2.76
offthebackCT 200 76 2.63
DesFlurane 189 92 2.05

Originally Posted by NomadVW

Updated the list - someone quoted an old list and mine got slid down. Need to protect my ego and schtuff

Originally Posted by NomadVW

the holster 370 67 5.52
Camoscio 340 62 5.48
scotmart 385 72 5.35 19:58 (47:21 on a 37.8km course)
musher 340 64 5.31
clausfod 414 78 5.307
bigmatt 396 75 5.28
joemw 354 68 5.20
whoawhoa 320 62.5 5.12
gvanwagner 325 64 5.08
c.walton 325 65 5.00
BullGod 340 69 4.93
musher 318 65 4.89
Markster 335 70 4.79 19:57 51:55
2007 bikeguy 340 72 kg 4.71 W/kg, 12 minute power 400 (+?) w @ 100 rpm
PSUCycling 315 67 4.7 Cat2 (U.S.)
Dirtcoach 305 65.6 4.65
postal_bag 345 75 4.6
gonzalovilaseca 310 68 4.56
kennethn 320 70.3 4.55
JohnMeyers 350 77 4.54
rmur 380 85 4.47 (PT Pro)
NomadVW 345 77 4.48
peterpen 290 65 4.46
zaskar 280 63 4.44
midbunchlurker 275 62 4.43
joule 266 60 4.43
HammerHead 300 68 4.41
rouleur 315 72 4.38
Thorman 340 78 4.36
rmur 370 85 4.35 (PT Pro, ~380W on SRM)
Chowderm 325 75 4.33 52:19
Lazy Llama 286 66 4.33 13.3 mi TT, 30:12
dshep27283 345 80 4.31
PaulMD 297 69 4.30
RobM 312 73 4.27
2006 bikeguy 315 74 4.26 corrected for weight
cadence230 280 4.24
bikeguy 315 72 4.38 5 km rolling TT, 7:15; standard, no aero bars, after 90k
andoveradi 322 76 4.23
mattv2099 314 75 4.19
grebletie 272 65 4.18 Cat 4 (U.S.)
Stanette 313 75 4.17
Atsic 252 61 4.13
yzfrr11 310 75 4.13
Xav 318 77 4.13
pledac 285 69 4.13
Spunout 280 68 4.12
RapDaddyo 325 80 4.06
velobob 310 77 4.03
jack.hutchinson 285 71 4.01
PeterWright 280 70 4
bspurgeon 315 78.5 3.99
K50 275 69 3.99, (no TT's) all XC baby!
cube 290 73 3.97
Old Junker 250 63 3.97
velomanct 310 79 3.92
jbvcoaching 300 77 3.90
My02Sti 305 79 3.86
Otb4evr 385 100 3.85 22:19 58:48
BlueJersey 230 60 3.83
robkit 280 75 3.73
amartinez 250 67 3.73
Trailhead 312 84 3.71
11ring 256 70 3.66 22.10
sugaken 240 66 3.64
woodgab 321 89 3.61
bigbevans 260 73 3.56 21:30 (270 w) 56:46
Hookyrider 284 80 3.55
Krazyderek 260 78 3.33
AndROOb 232 71 3.27
spomanski 310 96 3.23
alleycat 170 52 3.27
netscriber 143 47 3.04
beerco 220 78 2.82
fmarques25 204 74 2.76
offthebackCT 200 76 2.63
DesFlurane 189 92 2.05

Originally Posted by iliveonnitro

Yeah I'm new to racing; my first race was the final race of the season in 06. Second race was a cat4/5 and I (accidentally) did a solo break off the front. I was in the middle/back of a crit and sprinted to catch up, starting at the beginning of a hill. The field almost crashed and people hit their brakes and I found myself a good 300m ahead of everyone, so I tried a solo break for the final 7laps/7miles. It stuck for 2 laps, but caught me...28th/50.

My most recent race was a 3rd place finish in a collegiate D road race (4 laps of 4.4mi each = 17.6mi). We had a 4 man break and almost lapped the field -- my cleat came loose in the final sprint. Admittedly, those 2 recent races were easy.

Originally Posted by K50

I was thinking that I'd dominate in cat 5 and just race solo for the whole race a couple times and win lol...maybe I have too much of an ego or confidence, but I want to work my way to cat 3. So going solo didn't work out so well for that race eh? .... Would it be easier or better in road racing to stick with the pack and then breakaway for the last section?

Originally Posted by iliveonnitro

Experiment all through cat5. Cat 4 is remarkably good at NEVER LETTING A BREAK GO. I heard someone once mention that they'd chase a rabbit if they could, and that couldn't be more true. Cat 5 has a strange amount of skill levels -- from pro triathletes who only race a couple times a year (ie cat 2), down to people who you'd be surprised to see off a couch. Many breaks can happen in cat5.

Cat 4 is for sprinters. Stick with the group and tag onto a caboose. It's about being smart and making sure you're at the right part of the final sprinting train. At least that's what I've noticed in the midwest. PS, can someone add me to the list when they get a chance/post theirs? 277, 67.5kg, 4.1, cat5

Originally Posted by K50

Basically though, I'm taking the summer off and I want to do 20hours a week and go hard. Man I love biking.

Originally Posted by iliveonnitro

I hear you about not wanting to be stuck in cat 3 or 4 forever. It'd be nice to hit cat2 or better. Invest in "Periodization Training for Sports" by Tudor O. Bompa. It's a lot of weight lifting, but you'll get a great ideas of periodization for cycling, too.

Realize that 20hrs a week isn't something you should be jumping into. They're serious when they say only increase 10%/wk. I'm pushing overtrained at 12.5hrs this week, simply because I upped my training 33%/wk this last month (spring break, end of base training). I'm dropping back down to 9hrs and holding it there for the next couple months of my build phase, but I will focus on more quality minutes on the bike. This is with 3hrs of recovery riding, too. Also realize that if you have a girlfriend, 20hrs will wreck havoc on your relationship. Often, riding 4-6hrs/day isn't feasible, necessary, or wanted.

I think it is Coggan who is a cat1 training at 5-6hrs/wk. It's really quality over quantity. Lots of stressing the body at ~110% of FTP (3-8min intervals) and making every second on the bike count. No slacking, no mental weakness. Take your hands off the brakes, push the big gear, work through the pain.

PS, don't take time off after college before getting a real job. Your career comes first, and you will find time to train if you want to. Either that, or go to grad school

Originally Posted by iliveonnitro

I hear you about not wanting to be stuck in cat 3 or 4 forever. It'd be nice to hit cat2 or better. Invest in "Periodization Training for Sports" by Tudor O. Bompa. It's a lot of weight lifting, but you'll get a great ideas of periodization for cycling, too.

Realize that 20hrs a week isn't something you should be jumping into. They're serious when they say only increase 10%/wk. I'm pushing overtrained at 12.5hrs this week, simply because I upped my training 33%/wk this last month (spring break, end of base training). I'm dropping back down to 9hrs and holding it there for the next couple months of my build phase, but I will focus on more quality minutes on the bike. This is with 3hrs of recovery riding, too. Also realize that if you have a girlfriend, 20hrs will wreck havoc on your relationship. Often, riding 4-6hrs/day isn't feasible, necessary, or wanted.

I think it is Coggan who is a cat1 training at 5-6hrs/wk. It's really quality over quantity. Lots of stressing the body at ~110% of FTP (3-8min intervals) and making every second on the bike count. No slacking, no mental weakness. Take your hands off the brakes, push the big gear, work through the pain.

PS, don't take time off after college before getting a real job. Your career comes first, and you will find time to train if you want to. Either that, or go to grad school

Originally Posted by K50

Hey man, you've got a lot of great advice there. I don't want to divert the topic of this thread, so I'll either set a new one up with my questions or just PM you if that's cool.

...and I'm her only subject. I have also been fortunate enough to get some lab time to test all my CPs, VO2, and MAP. So she's got me covered for planning things out and getting things done right. (Far better than I could do on my own)