That won’t work. Understand that TR and other training apps are geared toward “time crunched” users. There is an innate lack of time, thus, the overarching focus is going to be, by design, on intensity.
I could be wrong, but the longest intervals you’re going to get in a TR plan are 30min SS and/or 15min Threshold. Only the 40kTT speciality plan has 50-60min-ish Threshold workouts. The TR plans, even the HV ones, will have you repeating the same durations over and over again, just at higher intensity/FTP. TR is a great product/service, but let’s accept the nature of the beast.
Could these capped intervals lead to a longer TTE? Probably, but you’ll never know until perhaps race day or unless you break out of following a plan during training. As you said, “there is some extension of time in zone to help extend TTE but it always will ultimately only get you so far…”.
I believe Kolie said on the podcast that he tells his athletes that if they feel they can, then they should try and chain the intervals together. I’m doing this with my long sweetspot sessions with a goal of holding say 90% for 2 hours in the end. I imagine it’s going to come in very handy for roadraces
The 20min SS and short/short VO2 is what drove me to get a coach. Works great for some people, year two it was just obvious that it wasn’t pushing me anymore.
I just signed up with coach kolie and finished my first week. I’m Really appreciating the guidance! We identified the glaring flaw in my tte and yeah we’re pushing that out in the custom plan and preparing for my upcoming races.
Honestly i was always afraid to push tte out. (Step up the volume like that). afraid of overtraining syndrome or something. But i trust that if i keep him informed about my rpe and how I’m feeling that he can tell me when to pull back and or rest.
This is obviously a real thing, but for most people, and I think it may have been Friel who said it, it is very difficult to achieve a state of actual overtraining.
Ha well i like endurance rides… they are important! perhaps I don’t realize just how harmful my maclure rides were when I was riding endurance at a power prescribed by some TR algorithm when in reality riding by feel makes more sense.
You’re working with him? How many hours per week are you putting in?
My first week with him jumped a little bit in hours… from what I was doing straight to near my limit.
listing my weekly hours over the last 7 weeks:
5.5, 6.3, 6.5, 8.66, 9.2, 4.9 (rest&test), and last week first week with coach: 10.9
I did Ramp test last week (215W) and Kolie Moore test today for the first time (216W). I only scored one watt higher on Kolie Moore test, but I’ll take it! While longer than ramp test, I actually enjoyed the Kolie Moore test more as it helped me better evaluate TTE and didn’t seem quite as painful as the ramp test.
I know my response echoes some of what @eric1a2krueger said a few days ago, but wanted to weigh in to confirm that I’m in agreement with Kolie Moore test being my preferred testing method moving forward.
So I’ve read this whole thread but may have missed this answer.
I’m planning on maybe using this test in a week and a half after my next rest week. And I understand that your new FTP should be the average of the test section. However, if you go in with an FTP that is maybe artificially inflated how do you handle that to get a more accurate number? If you only last maybe 20 or so minutes how do you derive your new FTP? Just by feel from the test or maybe a multiplier similar to the classic 20min test?
I think my current FTP is relatively accurate so hopefully I don’t have this issue but I just wanted to know before hand if I do run into this scenario.
I think the idea is to not go too hard to begin with, so perhaps aim for a little under your current ftp with the intention of ramping it up or look at you PDC (Power Duration Curve) to see what power you can hold for different lengths of time.
If you are a puncheur type (high anaerobic capacity)of rider it can be around 88%. If youre anaerobic capacity is very low, it can be 95%. But i would start on the low side (88%), under the assumption that the test was under good conditions and well rested
You have to pace and assess during the test. If your current wattage feels unsustainable then drop down during the ride, aim to hold whatever wattage you can for the longest. You have to make adjustments during the workout based on how you feel. It would be better to dial it back 5w and hold for 45 min than to attempt to hold a higher number and only get 20.
20 min isn’t really going to give you a lot of useful info on what your TTE is.
i’ve heard in kolie’s podcasts on FTP tests and i’m trying to paraphrase here… that “when you’re riding at FTP… your breathing should be relatively controlled…no overly heavily panting or desire to hyperventilate… but your leg muscles on the other hand… the muscles should be screaming…”
They’re following a wild plan… For the last 4 years they’ve seemingly only done the workouts Raymond (4x5-minute repeats at 108% FTP), Gray, and the Hour Record. Dedication. Hah
