Hey @kiwiscott. The numbers are referring to the nominal FTP output eg. 115% FTP, 105% FTP. I’ve since done a bit of learning about VO2 intervals through reading some papers and listening to Kolie Moore’s podcast series on VO2 intervals and adaptations (well worth it if you have the time! 8hrs of solid info in that series!) and do the VO2 efforts off ERG mode and on resistance mode - hard and fast starts at high cadence and then settle into a pace I can hold with high cadence and monitor HR.
Yes, at the end of the VO2 efforts I add in an Endurance block. Although lately as I have gotten stronger I have increased them to Tempo (Medio - between 2mmol and 3mmol of lactate).
I do however have designated Z2 days where I ride 3hrs fasted and stay below the Z2 threshold to increase MCT1 etc. Those days are purely just Z2 stuff.
This happens when you do high vol POL. If you’re doing 15hrs/wk for example, you get 3hrs of VO2 (following the 80/20 rule). That’ll probably be split into two 1.5hr sessions.
That’s one thing I discovered doing POL this year, those hard days are HARD. You do a lot of Z2 work just to recover from the VO2 days!
Yep, you summed it up a lot better than me @Captain_Doughnutman. I’m following more of a POL focus in one of my 4 week blocks. Thanks for explaining better than me, haha!
Yes, those Z2 days are sacred for me. I protect them! I need them to recover from the VO2 sessions. I also don’t mind the ol’ 3hr fasted ride at 60-70% FTP. Those are good ones. The peripheral adaptations on top of the central adaptations.
The Trainerroad ramp test is estimating my FTP at 249W, and my power meter is just 4 W off (based on avg power) compared to theirs. I know reduced my FTP manually to 230 W and follow this approach at least until end of this year.
VO2 max is 48.5 ml/min/kg.
I will try to follow polarized training with 8 to 10 hours per week.
I hit a new PR on a local 1 hour climb, interval.icu increased threshold HR by +15 bpm and I have a new PR for 5m and 20m.
I will continue to do this until the end of the year.
