Thanks for your thoughts. I should have clarified something in my original post. My peak FTP was recorded at the end of August, just before the race I was training for. Once the race was over, I kept a high volume (12+ hours) but all unstructured rides. Following this with most of the month off in December due to illness and injury, I expected the drop off. The 334 measurement on 1 Jan confirmed what I expected.
I optimistically thought I’d bounce back to +350 from a month of hard training. I’ve been doing 3 intense interval session on the trainer per week and 2-3 group rides - more base mile type rides than intensity. I’ve averaged 12 hours per week.
I’m not concerned that my FTP has dropped, just surprised. I certainly feel like a stronger rider than I was on the 1st of Jan.
were you doing a lot of hot (90F / 32C) outside rides during the summer? Something else to consider, you may have gotten a boost from doing 12 hour weeks (and a lot of them in the heat), and then poof the heat gains are gone by January.
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You can try and do a 20 minute ftp test, that will tell you more about the anaerobic contribution of the ramp test…
Was your 364W indoor or outdoor? I struggle to get on terms with Erg mode. It feels oppressive. One thing I noticed is that my best power numbers are always achieved with a positive split. I start high and the hang on for dear life as my power drops toward the end of the climb/segment/etc. So my Garmin looks at my results over a certain period of time and estimates my FTP based on the avg. For me, that’s never a steady state. But I get on a trainer and pedal against erg mode and it’s relentless. There’s no micro-breaks to just give your muscles a second to regroup. Outside, you can take the weight off your legs every now and then without losing any speed. Even steep hills are more forgiving than Erg mode. So I’ve been able to work my power curve effectively but I haven’t been improving my muscle endurance. Erg mode and TR workouts improve muscle endurance. I suspect there might some ability to improve indoor performance and overall fitness separately.
If you were doing TrainingPeaks indoors, then this isn’t your issue. But if you were doing outdoor workouts it might be. You mentioned knowing you couldn’t hold that previous FTP for 20 minutes. I was the same way. My 12 minute power was much more inline with my Garmin numbers but I’d fall below that estimate before 20 minutes.
The more puzzling part is the drop btwn start of TR plan and today. I’d have thought your 4 weeks of TR workouts would improve not only your FTP but your ability to test it. Maybe you’re fatigued?
Could be - there is about a 25C swing in temperature since then.
All my tests have been in ERG mode on the trainer doing the ramp test. I think your call on fatigue could be the issue. I had 260TSS prescribed and did over 500TSS and had a massive weekend of touring the city on foot.
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Last year after I tested at 364, I did an experimental 20 minute test and held 350. I hit that problem of not knowing how hard to start off at which is the problem with the 20 minute test or 1 hour test.
I’m a novice when it comes to TR training plans but I think you’re supposed to do 3 or 4 weeks of load and then do a recovery week - testing at the end of that if you’re going to test. You went the other way and loaded up pretty hard. You might have some new gains to realize once you recover a bit.
Thanks for the feedback. From what I understand, the guys at TR found there wasn’t much difference loading up for the test vs being a bit fatigued. The point of the test is to guide future workouts, so its not necessarily in your best interest to “over perform”
I don’t think it’s an accident that the plans give you several weeks of incrementally harder workouts and then an easy week before the next ramp test.
Also, I think the plans are based on your true potential - the best FTP you can achieve. Then each workout and day off are planned to give you small manageable improvements with enough rest to continue progressing until your next light week.