This is probably the case when it is worth implementing some fitness into a schedule of kids. Between 7-16 I was a pretty fit - nothing spectacular, and definitely no inclinations into endurance sports but doing all kinds of activities for fun, sometimes a couple of hours per day (swimming, football (or rather soccer if you are over the pond), some mountain biking (around 1000km/yr) and skiing in winter). Then 15 years of no sports at all but some kind of fitness was translated into later life - hence easier start into cycling.
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Thought Iād share mine, Just about to finish short power build and go into criterium specialty. Been feeling really strong this last week so I imagine another decent bump in FTP is coming. I started with the mid volume plan, but switched to low volume the beginning of this build. My work is very unpredictable and low volume is very easy to manage and also easy to add in all the fun rides I want.
Iām definitely very happy with the TrainerRoad programs and canāt wait for the AI to make it even better! Thank you @Nate_Pearson and all the staff!
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Ramp test today went from 290-303 really happy after being stuck on 275-285 for a while i seem to be making progress again .
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Nice work!
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Heck yes! Your progress is inspiring. Keep it up.
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Retested just now as on Tuesday I figured out Iād been doing the spin down incorrectly (not using the gearing for the workout I did the spin down with created a power level from my Kickr that was harder than the indicated watts, by a fair bitā¦started using my properly zeroād Stages on the trainer instead and boom). Iām not entirely sure when I started that, but I know at least the last 3 Ramps are affected, including last weekās.
So anyway, dunce hat now off, I just retested at 266 and 2.59 W/kg. Still losing weight steadily, so thereās a real chance Iāll get to 3W/kg in time for the Unbound 200 in June.
TLDR: Do your spin down correctly or youāve just wasted months of data.
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wow what great achievements you got there.
There is so much about getting burn out by TR right now and you seem to be an example that TR wont necessarily burnout everyone in the same way.
Reading your achievements makes me think that I am not a natural cyclist, I have hardly can train more than 3x a week without having heavy legs (maybe because I am a mesomorph?)
Whatever you are doing about train and recover, keep on you seem to be doing it right.
Not a request for advice but dammit, Iām at pretty much the same point as the last 3 years!
I know last year with only solo riding outside with no power meter (gravel bike instead of race bike) and working nights from May '19 - Nov '20 will have stunted growth but that is really disappointing.
Thank you, I have certainly made some great strides in fitness following TR plans, but I donāt want to give the wrong impression. I have actually felt a little overcooked twice now and have learned that itās totally acceptable to dial it back as needed.
My first time through the plans I lost motivation to do any sort of intensity and gave up half way through the specialty phase. I switched to traditional base and did nothing but Z2 rides for a month until my motivation came back.
My second time through I inserted an extra recovery week midway through SSB2MV and I still felt like it was a little too much so I backed it off to LV+Z2 on build. Iām in the 2nd half of build now and doing ok with vo2max and sub-threshold work but struggling with the supra-threshold workouts, so Iām just backing as needed.
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WOW congrats. 360W is also my final goal. May I ask your height and approximate bodyfat%?
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I am currently 72kg, but 70kg for races.
190cm in height. Idk about BF, but probably sub 50% 
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Iād kill to be in the same spot as I was 3 years ago (well post April 19). I am massively down over shorter durations and down also on longer durations. What is depressing for me was my Post Apr 19 efforts were during my chemotherapy and medically should have been worse not better 
Ideally Iād get to my Pre Apr 19 levels but that was pre my bowel op and doped with iron tablets to balance out a catastrophic deficiency and is unlikely to happen
I do think I am more sustainable on efforts though.
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I did SSB 1 in October and November 2020, then in December I did a build block followed by the Festive 500. January was just inconsistent and terrible. Then I ramped things up in February and march, I just decided to do the longer rides at lower intensities, and train Sweet Spot on weekdays. I am not burying myself too deep with sweet spot though.
Long story short, even though I am taking things relatively easy, and looking to peak in May/June, I feel strong and I beat my personal best 30 minute power yesterday, by about 10 watts. I think I might try to follow a SSB1 or SSB2 program as a ābuildā phase, and go for long sustained climbs which are what I like to get better at.
Hey folks, This forum has helped me so much!
Joined the 300 club today.
Ramp test results:
- Feb 20: 245
- November 24, 2020: 261
- January 6, 2021: 265
- Feb 4, 2021: 285
- March 12, 2021: 300!
Hereās my stats:
- 53 YO dad/entrepreneur
- Had my 2nd total knee replacement in June 20 (riding on two fake knees), so have to be really careful about form and working it too hard
- Used plan builder in November to build a plan to peak for Leadville in August 2021
- 187 pounds, 6 ft. (3.5 W/KG)
Targets:
- weight = 175
- Power = 320
Very grateful for all the ideas and suggestions and inspiration!
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At the end of SSB1 MV, my first intro to structured training despite 8 years of regular riding and racing, improved from 280 to 293 W for 3.81 W/kg. Excited to see further improvement as my workouts look like they are about to get harder. Goal of 4.25w/kg seems within reach!
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Hello everybody,
Today i have finished general build and did ramp test.
I did ramp test both on zwift and tr (i have two pm which are quarq dfour and elite smart direto trainer. I matched dfour with zwift).
And according to my ramp test zwift says my ftp 320w FTP (76kg) which is same at the beginning of the build after 12 weeks base.
This is the zwift ramp test strava link:
https://www.strava.com/activities/4996672631/power-curve
In my ramp test, i could hit 178 bpm btw my max around 180-182 bpm. And after this test i just spin 25 mins zone 1 and wanted to race on zwift as a workout after ramp test. But the interesting thing is that in the race i produced really high watts.
Zwift race numbers after ramp test (25 mins after test)
Duration = 24 mins
Avg watts= 331watt
Np= 340 watt
Avg hr= 171 and max hr= 180 bpm
This is the zwift race strava link:
https://www.strava.com/activities/4996987373
So my questions are these=
- what is my ftp? 320? If 320w how can i produce 340w np 24 mins after test?
- is it normal to produce these watts after ramp test? Or did not go deep on the ramp test?
- and my last question i started general build high volume with 320w ftp after 12 weeks volume and finished it with same power. I could finish all workouts but it seems ftp did not get high (but i lost 2-3 kgs). So can i say i gained from this build or loosing weight blocked my gains in terms of raw wat?
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Iāve gone backwards but feel better doing the workouts. Itās like I was getting good at doing ramp tests but I couldnāt do the intervals. I went from 236W to 256W and any workout near or above threshold was impossible to complete. Iāve now adjusted back to 203W via the 8min FTP test and workouts are achievable.
Once AT is released Iāll do another ramp test and see how the computer adjusts the intensity levels for me. Hopefully Iāll find my groove.
I hate being outside the Bell Curveā¦
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Last test was 10 weeks ago at 275. I manually updated 6 weeks ago to 280 (I really didnāt feel like testing).
This morning I did and ramp test and got 280. And Iām definitely not going to complain because Iāve been very inconsistent the last 3 weeks.
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Np is not a good predictor of FTP as the idea is āsteady stateā and NP can be hugely elevated by some sprints and bursts of power. When it comes to avg it was 331 so if you trea ramp test as a clearing effort it gives you 314W. So 320W seems as a resonable number to me.
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Age 45, weigh 67kg so currently 4.1 w/kg. Racing around 10 years and spent the last 5 seasons between cat 1/2 before Covid arrived.
April & May ramp test were on Kickr whilst all other were Garmin Vector 3. Kickr reads higher so I think I would discount 10 watts from those results.
Iāve been pretty regimental in terms of completing workouts since covid and working from home. Really enjoyed the workouts which provided some structure to my day and prevented me going insane 
In terms of results I think I have pretty much plateaued as I use SSB1HV and SSPBMV mostly given no racing.
I would really love to break 300 using my vector pedals but I suspect I might be reaching my physical limits at 45 and current weight.
I repeated SSBHV 3 times and went from 279 - 283 - 284 and the test after the 3rd block 23rd Feb I completed the ramp test with the phone turned over and my FTP dropped to 278. That was a mistake for me because I am pretty dogged and feel I would have held on to 284.
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