Mid-ride recovery

[onemanpeloton]

@Tanner1280

I may be reading the PR chart wrong, but it looks like your FTP is higher than your best ever 15min power. Given that you set new PRs for multiple durations over 60min on this ride, you may have your FTP set too high or you have an unusually low TTE. Just a thought.

FWIW my FTP is only a bit higher at 350w. My 2hr power is over 300w and 4hr isn’t much less.

That’s a good point, thanks for bringing it up.

There’s a couple of things to say here.

First is that my FTP is set via ramp test, as it has been since I started TR. I rarely test my FTP over longer durations such as 1hr TTs so it may be fair to say that the ramp test doesnt give me the best number for longer distance pacing. Having said that, I’ve always found the FTP I’m given to work well with TR workouts. Turning down the intensity isn’t something I need to do regularly.

Secondly, I’ve been riding unstructured since March when we were locked down. The weather’s been so good that I’ve preferred riding for enjoyment than sitting inside on the turbo. So there’s definitely the possibility that my FTP has suffered as a result of this.

@QuittingBikes

Your optimistic first half pacing depleted your glycogen stores early. By the time you refueled it was too late… you were already empty. Your only hope at that point was to perform a homologous blood transfusion that evening (tainted with synthetic T) and come back strong the following day to win the stage. /Landis Joke

You should’ve been fueling from the start. Much easier to try to top off glycogen throughout the entire ride than to fill an empty tank, which just doesn’t work.

I did fuel from the start. See earlier where I mentioned that the first 50 miles consisted of 1L of energy drink mix and some solid food. I haven’t calculated the total carb intake but it’s not miles away from a normal ride. You can still make the argument that the extra intensity did make a difference to fuelling, but its incorrect to suggest I wasn’t fuelling right from the beginning.

@martinheadon

Had a look a bit deeper into it and I think @kuttermax and @Tanner1280 have it right. I know it’s not something anyone wants to hear, but your FTP is set too high.

On 2 July you did a ride with a TT effort in the middle of it. Your highest 20min power on that ride doing the effort was 316, which suggests an FTP of 300 or possibly a little lower. There may be some variation. But I’m fairly confident in saying it isn’t 329.

So the first 3 hours of the ride at NP 250 were more like IF .83 than .77 - which makes quite a big difference.

Thanks. I’m definitely open to that option, see above.

I’m not very good with the analysis tools, but when I look at the first half of my ride it says the IF is 0.77? and the second half is 0.51.

@martinheadon

I think the other thing to note from your recent rides is that you haven’t done much structured training recently. Which is fine, it’s summer and nothing wrong with getting out on your bike and just riding. But unless you put in some proper long intervals either outside or on the turbo, your muscle endurance is likely to come up short when the intensity goes up.

Yeah I couldn’t agree more. Maybe the lack of structure has been enough to hurt me on this ride!