I’m 5’11’', 36 years old, 160lb. Joined TR after years stuck in Cat 3 in XC racing (the lowest Cat in Texas).
First Test 9/22/20: 193
SSBHV1 11/3/2020: 239
SSBHV2 1/19/21: 255
SPBMV 2/17/21: 262
Specialty/Race Season 6/7/21: 242
SSBMV1 (with Adaptive Training Beta) 8/17/21: 245
Definitely got gas-lit a little by my early easy gains last fall. I was also doing High Volume last year, and it really crushed me. Especially High Volume Build, it was murder, I was sleeping 10 hours a night, I was so fatigued.
So I’m back to mid-volume this season, and really hoping I can break build upon the foundation I built last year. I finished SSBMV1 (with Adaptive Training) this week, and FTP was effectively un-changed, which is a bummer. But I’m definitely way less fatigued through the combo of mid-volume and Adaptive Training, and just in better spirits than last year, so that’s something.
After my threshold work, I put in a polarized anaerobic sharpening block for three weeks of race prep… that resulted in a second, two firsts, a fifth, and two “others” over six races… so that went well!
After that race prep block, I kept pushing various informal testing and was up over 290W in May and June.
July: 305W based on an indoor 25min test (sustained 320W) and other informal tests forming the power curve.
I’ve been training at 305W indoors now for about a month and it’s coming together. Z2 RPE is back to normal, I’m up to 50 straight at 90% without issue and doing over/under work as well. Initially, it was a bit of a gut punch along with the heat setting in, but we’re there now. Just working on pushing TTE now.
305W - first time over 300W FTP, 4.3W/kg+/-, by far my highest ever at age 44… I’ll take it.
I started cycling on my trainer as a supplement to more z2 work from running last summer and FTP was around 180.
Started intervals over the winter and it was up to 235.
Volume went way up for the next couple months april-mid June and it topped out at 290
Was hit by an 18 wheeler so was forced to take 2 months off the bike. Started getting back into the swing of things the last couple of weeks.
Haven’t done a FTP test because I’m waiting to be pain free before I start more serious training again but I’ve been doing 80 min rides and averaging 220 without going all out so I’d guess I’m between 230-245 now. I was 67kg probably closer to 68-69 now. Lots of drinking to cope with mental and physical pain of my accident and metabolism slowed down from doing 12-17 hours a week to about 7 now
Unfortunately I’ve completely lost my aerobic engine and all of these efforts recently both running and cycling have been at threshold HR.
Sucks but trying to force some fitness back into my body before I start a 2-3 month base and basically start over with intervals for the winter months.
Maybe get into cross because it seems like a decent scene in DMV but would require another bike…
Start hard and hold for your dear life for every interval
You can choose whatever length you like of the intervals. The decreasing duration makes it a little “easier” Every workout is around 20min TiZ.
I tried a two a week protocol and fell apart in the 2nd week after three workouts. After a couple of weeks of rest, I did it again and performed a lot better with the experience in my legs.
I’d suggest that if one is not currently doing any max intervals then you can start really slow with some primer sessions. Moore talks about a preceding threshold block just getting used to short threshold intervals. He also talks about a much less demanding schedule for older athletes - I think he mentions 9 workouts sprinkled over many weeks or months.
Having done these, I think there is value in mini sessions - just start with 3x1min full gas, hard start, high cadence. See how that goes. Try a 3x2min next. Then try a 2x3min, etc.
I’m 55 years old and when I did this block the most I built up to was 3x5min. 15 minutes was enough for me.
Recommended listening are the Empirical Cycling podcasts. He was also on Endurance Innovations:
It is brutal, IF you do a proper VO2max block (key word being ‘MAX’).
No official protocol (see below), I’m not actually coached by Empirical Cycling, just a fan who’s cobbled together made-public advice & tips from them. TR has a lot of VO2 workouts to choose from so you should be able to find some that fit your needs.
Yeah, it’s gross, no two ways about it. Especially, as above, if you focus on going max.
Personally, I find it much more of a mental challenge than physical.
In the spring I tried 2 days on/1 day off…that didn’t go so well. This block I went 1 on/1 off (basically 4 workouts/week); much better results. Because of the “extra” recovery, I stuck with 4-5min intervals. Also, I find it’s the extra hard starts which really load up my fatigue vs the longer interval time so I do less but longer intervals (as I get to the end of the block, I’ve basically semi-trained my FRC/anaerobic so the starts aren’t as bad).
You kinda have to do what will work for you. Nailing the workout is only half the battle, if you don’t recover properly, you’ll never make it. I had a 2-week holiday so decided to do the VO2 work even though it was at a less than perfect time in the training cycling – the extra recovery time out-weighed the inefficiency.
Interesting experience: 2020 hit my all-time high FTP after doing a 3-month Polarized block; 2021 hit basically the same FTP after a 3-week VO2max block. The POL was a slow burn, the VO2 is like a nitro rocket – hits a lot different!
So, it’s been over a year since I posted here and at that point, people said that my results were poor, like +5W over three months or so. And the thing is, it’s still not good, I’m really struggling with the ramp tests. I can actually hold my FTP value for 20 minutes outside and according to all other metrics than the ramp test, the fitness have improved quite a bit.
What would be your suggestion? I’m afraid my fitness will go down since the workouts doesn’t get any harder. Thinking that maybe I should add 1W per 1-2 weeks or something like that and see what happens?
I’m 42 and have been training with power since 2014 and I have never felt (or actually been) faster. Yet, the ramp tests are horrible and today I did the first one for a couple of months, and the result was way below my 20 min power done outside, say 10-15W lower.
Your 20min power isn’t your FTP. Commonly your FTP is about 5% lower than your 20min power. On the other hand, you should be able to hold your FTP for about 40mins at least.
Also, its very common to be able to hold higher power outside compared to inside - partly down to cooling, but also other factors.
If you feel you don’t test well with the ramp test, you could try a longer-form test. Just be aware that the results might be slightly different, and only compare among the same tests.
Thanks, solid advice!
Just came off two slow weeks after my A race (with a few lifetime power PRs) so maybe i’m just not mentally ready to go back to training indoors yet. And it was way too warm.
That said, I added 4W to my FTP settings, will give it a shot for a few weeks.
Given measurement error and daily fluctuation and following opinion of some established coaches I would not care about less than 5% changes of your FTP. Or give or take 10W. Your body does not see the difference between 260 and 264 watts in terms of adaptations.
Every workout is around 20min TiZ.