What's your CTL ceiling?

Uhl

What is the highest CTL you can maintain without injury, sickness or turning over-reaching into over-training?

It would also be interesting to know your aqe along with your response, but I don't know if these polls will allow for two questions.

Uhl

Well, it looks like polls only allow one question. So if you don't mind giving your age, you can post replies to this thread.

I'll start...

CTL: 100 TSS/day
Age: 37

peterpen

36 y.o.
140 CTL
But that's really an estimate. I maxed out around 130-something at the end of my base period, but didn't feel close to being overtrained and wasn't getting sick. I just run out of time to ride the bike, and trying to hit PB's in CTL isn't one of my goals.

PSUcycling

i'm getting pretty tired when my CTL starts getting up near 70. don't know what my deal is. I've been racing (track CC or cycling) for about 9-10years now, and i'm 25 y/o.

seems like i can't handle near as high a CTL as almost everyone else I know. Don't know if its holding me back though. I've recently gained the points, so i'll be a cat1 this year...

i was begining to think i may be anemic or somthing like that, had some blood work done last week. all my numbers where great, RBC 5.05, Hemoglobin 15.7 and hematocrit 46.1.

any thoughts?

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MY02_STi

Hovering around CTL 130 back in December/January

Age 51

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NomadVW

Topped out at 128ish at the end of the build period, but was then into racing. I could certainly have gone higher, but the training plan changed to racing/peaking.

So, I gave it a 130, age 33

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Piotr

Age: 40
High CTL: 87

I started my PMC beginning of March at an estimated 65 CTL. I hovered around 70 in April and after some rest I started building again in May. After reaching 87 last week I felt very fatigued. I am currently on my rest week, but I may be able to go higher as the season goes on.

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daveryanwyoming

Age: 46
CTL highpoint this season 88.9

Season starting October 30, 2006 with a CTL/ATL seed of 35 based on the TSS of 250 I could comfortably hold that first week of training.

I don't think I've topped out yet, but just based on available hours to train and rest I don't think I'll get above 110 or so. 600 TSS/week is pretty standard, 700 isn't unusual, but I don't think I can squeeze enough hours out of the week to sustain 800 for the 6 or more weeks it will take to pull my CTL over 110.

I think the real question is what CTL ramp can you sustain without burnout or illness. I've regressed the steeper sections of my CTL build and building at a rate of 3 TSS/d/week seems very comfortable, 5 seems steep and when I've built faster for more than a week I've had to take a day or two off. I don't have any illnesses to track relative to CTL ramp yet (knock on wood) but I think the ramp rate is more closely tied to burnout and potential for sickness than the absolute number.

-Dave
P.S. Piotr, they postponed the Ketchum Omnium so I'll look for you at High Uintas, good luck.

Piotr

Hopefully, because as of now I still don't have anyone to go with me (wife has to work that weekend). I'm working on it. ;-)

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Speedskater

Maybe it would be interesting to also post the FTP in a W/kg manner since TiMan argued some time ago that it is far more difficult to reach a high CTL if you have a a high FTP since systemic stress is higher.

CTL 85
Age 30
FTP 5,1 W/kg

Piotr

Age: 40
High CTL: 89 (updated)
FTP: 4.7 W/kg

Where is TiMan?

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zaskar

Perhaps he was referring to his self? There is no proof to your 5,1w/kg so you prove nothing anyway. Well maybe arrogance

Alex Simmons

Don't know what my ceiling could be so I put down my last season max of:

100 CTL
Age: 42
FTP: 310W (at the time)

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Speedskater

Sorry, i don´t get your point - maybe due to the language barrier.

Why should I lie about my FTP? I also didn´t link my FTP to my CTL but only was referring to TiMan.

BTW: Why so aggressive?