I took 2 months off and went up in elevation. Did a ramp test and my FTP dropped by 35W. All of my SSBLV1 workouts feel real easy and been bumping them to 105% without any discomfort. Before they were mildly discomforting but not easy.
Power meter calibrated?
Using same FTP test protocol as you have in the past?
35W drop from 400 or 250?
How many workouts have you increased by 105%?
Maybe bump to 105% for the first 2 weeks (5-6 sessions) and if you still find it easy than retest FTP.
Power meter seems to be calibrated. All test have been the ramp test. I went from 240 to 205. I spent the entire 2nd week at 105% usually after the first interval.
I’d test again when you have time. I bet you are gaining back fitness quickly and may have also slightly under tested after a 2 month break, especially if your first time back on the bike/trainer was a ramp test. You are probably 225ish.
As easy as your ftp is set. So maybe hard maybe not
Once you hit the middle workout of week 2 (Monitor) you’re in for lots of workouts that hover near or a bit below FTP. All should feel achievable, but none should feel boring or easy. If you’re counting the seconds, it’s too hard; but at least once or twice during each workout you should feel a little dismayed that the clock isn’t ticking by quite as fast as you would like. “Workably uncomfortable” is about the best way I can describe it.
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Monitor and Antelope felt very comfortable. Usually have a towel for sweat that I wash after every ride. This towel lasted me two weeks smelling clean.
You said you “went up in elevation”. Do you mean you moved to a place at a higher elevation than you were before? If so, that might account for the drop in FTP, without a big drop in lower intensity work. Perhaps the increased elevation is affecting your ability to put out very high effort watts (like the last few minutes of a ramp test), but has less of an effect for your endurance and sweet spot efforts. If that’s the case, given that your workouts are based on the lower FTP, those efforts would indeed feel a lot easier.
BTW: I’m just throwing out possibilities here. I don’t have any expertise in the effects of elevation, but it might be worth checking out with someone who does.
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That’s gross.
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Raise your FTP value. Unwinding half of your 35W reduction might be a good place to start. Revisit after a week at the adjusted value perhaps, and fine-tune from there.
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I went from sea level to 4500ft. Once I was above my ftp during the ramp my heart rate spiked. In fact my legs weren’t in any discomfort when I hit had to stop from hitting my max HR.
How much in elevation did you go up.? It takes anything from a few days to a few weeks for the body to adjust to altitude. So if you do a ramp test straight after arriving at altitude your ftp will have dropped. But after a few days to weeks it’ll recover.
Bumped up my FTP up 15W and did Eclipse. By the 2nd interval bumped it up to 110% and by the final 20 minute interval I was up to 118%. I think my FTP is definitely set wrong If able to do the final interval at 118% while feeling good.