For context, I’m 31, 63kg, cycling since 2017, AIFTP 230 (tomorrow) ride around 6x per week with 2/3 hard sessions per week, moderate ‘grey’ zone rides 2 per week.
I’ve been 75+kg in the past but did not do much if any structured training then. I go the gym now but focus on upper and core, I also do a lot of walking ~3miles per day and up to 10 on non cycling days.
Feeling wise, I am forever tired, legs do seem to ache a fair bit. I feel my lifestyle is severely limiting my ability. Work isn’t exceedingly stressful and I don’t have kids or a partner so I think I should be well better than I am. Comparison is the thief of joy
I want to know/hear your thoughts on whether a 300w FTP is a possibility. Obviously not overnight though. Thoughts appreciated.
I would start with one of the large data reviews and listen to the section on typical TSS by different wKg and the findings on consistency or ‘worst weeks’.
Think about where you currently sit and then whether you have room to grow.
..but to add, it’s cool to be thinking about it and at your age. Could have been nice to have my current knowledge and the current iteration of TR 10 years ago. Have never really had a multi-season plan.
With dedication its possible. My Highest pure watts wise FTP was 308 (based on a 20mins test of 325w) was in my early 40s at circa 62kg and I didn’t start road biking until I was 30 and didn’t start training until I was 39. My actual best watts/kg came a few years later when I recovered from an op which saw me drop to sub 50kg and I built back what seemed to be muscle to get me to 57kg.
3.6ish w/kg to 4.8ish w/kg with nine years hard cycling already under the belt, on the face of it looks a stretch. What significant changes do you think you can realistically, and gradually, make, bearing in mind that you currently feel tired all the time?
An arbitrary goal can be a good motivator for a while, but like weightloss you are probably better off asking if you can get up the next step, i.e. from 230 to 240. Then 240 to 250. Etc.
My guess is yes, but 270ish is a more realistic goal in the near term, e.g. 12 mos. 300w might take a few years.
You didn’t provide a lot of context but I think your biggest issue is you’re doing too much, the stuff you’re doing isn’t sufficiently focused, and you’re possibly also not eating and sleeping enough.
I was able to raise my ftp from ~190w to 338 (aiftp) in 3 years of structured training. Im about 165 lbs and started at an age of 42. It was the result of religious structured training with trainerroad and ramping the volume over the years, from low to high volume when I could tolerate it. I did train year around and never let myself de train significantly which I think is important. I did deload, and take a week off at the end of specialty phase, but never like a few months off to then start again. For me it was raising the ftp a few every watts month, over and over and over again. The minimal gains added up to big gains over time
On first glance I can’t see beyond “forever tired” and feeling that you should be able to do more. You’ve got your answers I think. Sounds like you’re doing too much and not focusing on recovery. 6 sessions are a lot in their own right, and you add gym and a hefty amount of walking on top. I dislike walking too much because it’s very time inefficient. 10 miles are about 3 hours in which you’re neither eating nor really recovering. I’d try to take it easier if I were you, cut or make easier whichever activity you can until you feel fresh again and start ramping it up from there. Fuel, recover, and the gains will come. I’ve personally improved the most with 3-4 bike sessions a week and a strong focus on fuelling.
Way too much intensity. It’s going to work until it doesn’t.
Whether you can get to 300 is unknown but honestly, it sounds like a tall order. Maybe you should get a VO2max test so you can understand your ceiling?
I was around 300 watts in late 20s/early 30s. I got serious again in my 50s and would hover around 225 watts. I could easily get to 200-225 on pretty much any training and I’d get there quickly. I eventually got to 250 with a really good winter build and a new training plan. It wasn’t easy to maintain though. I didn’t have the time to stay on it.
It’s really hard to say what’s possible for you just based on the info that you’ve given.
As others have said though, if you’re tired all the time, it does sound like you’re not sufficiently recovering over the medium term. This will certainly limit your possible gains I think.
My suggestion is that before reducing volume or intensity of training, you could make sure that your nutrition and sleep are dialled in. Try a block of 2/3 weeks with your current load, but be religious on getting sufficient and consistent quality sleep (no alcohol), and dialling in your nutrition- fuelling on the bike and sufficient protein to aid the recover & build. For me, consistency on post ride protein has had biggest impact.
After 3 weeks or so, with a deload week, you should get a good idea if it’s having an impact. If you’re still always tired, then you need to look to change intensity and/or volume of work. If you’re feeling less tired, you should start to see some gains.
At 31, I think that you still have big scope to improve. Whether you can reach a specific arbitrary number is hard to say, but you can definitely get stronger and faster than you are now.
Yeah the group rides and always fretting about Avg speed/kj burn when outside is one definite source of rectification. The 50% ctl of my lowest weeks thing is pretty good I think. I’m very consistent if nothing else. I may just be chronically underweight for my “set point”, I eat 2500-3000 per day and usually fuel 40-60g per hour for rides over 2hrs, normally just electrolytes on <2hrs. Top end is pretty poor but endurance is ok.
I have quite low haemoglobin levels and bone mineral density despite eating lots of leafy greens and taking Vit D/Iron supplements. Which indicates too high training load/ insufficient food intake which I’m working to improve slowly (trying to channel my inner jonas abrahamson). I also do not drink alcohol or smoke.
Mentally I do get somewhat stressed before tough rides/intervals but this may be indicative of low fuel or low recovery
I usually sleep from 9:30/10pm to 7:30 with frequent wake ups.
I think leg strength in the gym are some gains being left behind too, but unsure where/how to begin and to balance this with serious structured training.
In the immediate future I have a 200km 3150m ascent (125miles 10500ft ascent) A/B event next Saturday, so would ideally like a taper week without feeling flat. But unsure which workouts to select and structure, given I am not currently on a TR plan.
Thanks a lot everyone. It’s great reading your feedback.
I’m going to disagree. He’s described 4-5 hard sessions per week, and six days per week of riding plus gym sessions. It’s way too much.
I’d recommend a full week off to recover and then getting back on a plan with 2 days per week of intensity (that includes grey zone rides) with the rest easy, smelling the roses, volume.
Hell yeah I think it’s possible, may need the right guidance so you can stay consistent yet not do so much that may lead to burnout.
Also remember the goal but not let it be your sole focus that it may l ad to over reaching.
From my experience I started training and racing at 34 got my FTP to 266-270 at 150 Ibs.
Everyone kept telling me that I was strong yet I didn’t believe it because the guy that I was riding with just had more experience and where stronger.
Me taking it too serious and forgetting the fun of the journey and bikes in general got burnt out and didn’t look at the bike n like eight years.
I’m glad I was on top of my bike maintenance so that when the bike itch came back, tires just needed air.
Now as an older rider who m a song what I learned from back then to apply it to training now.
Back then I was riding about 12 hours a week so this short weekly schedule took sometime to get used to but with more responsibilities I do what I can with 6-8 hours now.
Remember consistency is king, may take a few years but you can get there.
43 yo 61kg female here- I’ve been consistently training for many years similar to you. I went from 230 watts last year to 250 this year, and I think I could potentially get to 270 in a few years (though I’m balancing structured training with mtb so who knows). As you are a younger male, I would think 300 watts is a possibility. I think it’s just about consistency and time (years).
For context I mostly do 2-3 structured trainer rides a week and a couple mtb or endurance sessions as well. Balancing with kids and job with some travel, so I think if you have a lot of time for recovery and sleep you should have an advantage.
Genetically yes, it’s more about whether or not you want to make the sacrifices to get there. What you’ve been doing historically will not get you there.
I started riding around Feb 2023. I was about 75.5 kg and my initial FTP was 222. As of this month I’m 69.5 kg with a 313 watt FTP. My training is vastly different than yours (primarily on the trainer) and about 400 hrs/yr. I also don’t think I’ve rarely, if ever done more than 2 intensity sessions per week. I’m 38 y/o with 2 young kids and not endless amounts of time or recovery.
The only way to discover your potential is to do the work and see how far it takes you.
If you’ve been consistently training/riding for almost 10 years using a decent approach and volume, going from 230 to 300 is a big gap to close. If you’ve just been riding and/or inconsistently training during that time, bridging that gap is much more likely.
But again, the only real way to answer the question is to do the work. Might take a bunch more volume, many years, etc., but doing a season or 2 of smart structured training at decent volume should give you an idea of what is possible.
You don’t recover well enough to adapt to your training and you’re constantly riding too hard. I don’t know if 300 is possible, but you’re undermining your own training by riding too hard too often.
This is on point. Maybe 3 hard sessions, slowly introducing leg strength work, up your calories and body weight for a while. What’s concerning is you are stressed about some sessions so maybe reframe your view and think about ‘why’ you are doing all this training.
