Power Quest 4 the 2busy

Originally Posted by kopride

The past week, I continued with my plan to stay in the sweet spot as opposed to trying to pin it to the 98% of my FTP every 2 x 20. Saturday was an interval session where I did 2 x 20 but started the first interval at 230, then increased 5 watts every five minutes so that I finished the first one at 250. On the second, I started at 240 and worked my way up to 260 on 5 minute bumps.

Sunday was a 90 minute outside ride (55 degrees in SE PA) with a buddy where I tried not to look to closely at the PM and just enjoyed the great weather and the rare opportunity to ride without booties and a face warmer in january.

Tuesday was another 2 x 20, with the first interval at 235 and the second at 245. Again, I am trying to recharge a bit after spending the first 6 weeks of this quest trying to best my average from the prior session. I am also trying to get the last of the colds and stuffiness out of me that I have been fighting the past few weeks.

Monday and Wednesday were vanity upper body lifting sessions.

Today, I am planning another set of those sweet spot intervals similar to what I did Saturday.

Again, the goal is 275 at a February 1 hour tt, and 300 by mid summer. I can't let an old man like Tyson reach 300 before I do, but it looks like he might be more committed.

Finally, I hope everyone is enjoying the new Pumas Prada Addidas that they have been ordering from our spammer. After I jump off the trainer, the first think I want to do is slip into my new Nike Air Shox that I bought as a Hot Sell.

Originally Posted by ctgt

Hello from a lurker. I have very similar numbers to you (41, 3, 250, 155) and think this thread is better than those about the Pumas or Air Shox. How is the training going?

Originally Posted by kopride

I had a good weekend : was good for 2 x 20 (90%FTP)Fri; 1 x 40(90%)Sat; and 1 x 50(85%)Sun (Assuming a 270 FTP). I was hoping to get outdoors but couldn't squeeze the time.

Originally Posted by ctgt

Based on your next reply, can I assume this is part of a block before the Disney recovery, or do you have no trouble recovering from these workouts?

I'm quite motivated and believe that I have a large base to work from/on, so I'm trying to get a handle on how much/how often.

Originally Posted by kopride

I was pushing every session to the max for a few weeks there (2 x 20 @ 258-262) and did see some recovery problems. Once I started really focusing on staying within that 85-90 percent range, (at Dave Wyoming's suggestion if you scan earlier threads), I seem to have an easier time recovering from session to session. On my schedule, I am lucky to get more than 4-5 hours per week, so I don't worry as much as the guys who are riding 6 or 7 days per week about "recovering". My "recovery" days are usually outright rest days, or just some vanity upper body workout. If I am riding consecutive days like I did this weekend, I don't do any work at 100% of FTP and try and do a longer interval (40-50 minutes) at 80-85% At 85% of 270 is 230, which seems pretty managable for 50 minutes. I was watching the first half of "Prestige" which just came out on Comcast on-demand so the time was tolerable. My preference would have been to get outdoors on the road for 2 hours at 190-200 for at least one day, but you you do what you can do.

I would prefer not to "recover" on the Disney cruise. If I can grab time on spare spin bike, I should be able to do some PE intervals.

Originally Posted by kopride

I was pushing every session to the max for a few weeks there (2 x 20 @ 258-262) and did see some recovery problems. Once I started really focusing on staying within that 85-90 percent range, (at Dave Wyoming's suggestion if you scan earlier threads), I seem to have an easier time recovering from session to session. On my schedule, I am lucky to get more than 4-5 hours per week, so I don't worry as much as the guys who are riding 6 or 7 days per week about "recovering". If I am riding consecutive days like I did this weekend, I don't do any work at 100% of FTP and try and do a longer interval (40-50 minutes) at 80-85% At 85% of 270 is 230, which seems pretty managable for 50 minutes. My preference would have been to get outdoors on the road for 2 hours at 190-200 for at least one day, but you you do what you can do.

Originally Posted by ctgt

You're absolutely right. I have re-estimated my FTP at 270, and working between 85-95% of that (230 - 256) for 30 minutes at a time, and up to an hour or more in a session is very manageable and reasonable to recover from. I just did 4 straight days of SST/FTP work:

2 x 28 @ ~250
1 x 20 on an exercise bike using PE
3 x 20 @ ~240 within a 2:40 endurance ride with an overall AW 210
1 x 28, 1 x 38 both @238, 1 x 18 @228 while watching the Super Bowl with my sons

Nothing special about the 8s, I was just riding specific Computrainer courses.

Since I've revised my FTP estimate upwards to equal yours, I'm even more curious to hear how your training is going.

Originally Posted by kopride

Thanks for reading. Sounds like we are on paralell tracks and can push each other through this winter.

Originally Posted by ctgt

OK, Kopride, where are you? Time to report back in to your thread and let the other 40-42 year old dads know how its going.

Thanks for asking. I've been really increasing my training time, although I don't think more than 10% of it has been between 9:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. Last Saturday, I did 110 km and was off the trainer at 8:45 A.M.!

Originally Posted by kopride

Lack of time and a series of illnesses has taken its toll. The week before President's Weekend, a stomach bug levelled me, then I came back from a President's Wknd ski trip with a nasty chest cold. Anyway, Wed was a 2 x 20 @ 230 w, and last night was a lift session. I am trying to fit in another reccovery week of 2 x 20s and then L4 -L5 work is going to assume a greater role. As the weather breaks, i am expecting more outdoor riding as well.