Looking for some advice on how to get the most training bang for the buck during these times of trainer workouts and weekend rides. I have recently been tested for my VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold and have the heart rate and power data for:Recovery, Endurance, Tempo, Steady State, Threshold, and VO2 Max ranges. During the week and weekends where weather or other obligations interfere I will be using a fluid trainer. Currently have a heart rate monitor and a Power Tap wheel is being built up. I can only tolerate about an hour on the trainer. Weekends I can spend quite a bit of time on the bike (preferred over the trainer obviously :) ). I was told I needed to build my power by concentrating on the range of about 85-90% of lactate threshold. If I do a trainer session in the morning, 30-45 minutes is available. Evenings I can stretch it to 60 minutes. Two a days?

2x20
3x20
2x30
1x60
2x45
1x90

All in the sweet spot (85-100% of functional threshold power.... which, btw, might be significantly different than your true lactate threshold).

For variety I'll sometimes do variations within the intervals. I guess that that would be similar to Friel's cruise intervals, where I'll ride at 85% for five then 105% for five and repeat. That sort of stuff is good for simulating the sort of incomplete recovery that you get during a road race. Since I won't start racing till April, though, I won't start on that kind of work till March or so.

It's a different topic altogether, but you might consider testing your functional threshold power and using that number rather than your LT power... unless you are planning on getting your LT retested regularly. The big benefit of a PM is that you can retest yourself and reset your zones when you see improvement.

Shawndoggy,

I likeyour answer. Can you give an idea or good recommendation for testing your functional threshold power? I have read alot about FTP on this site, but can't find a good reliable test. (At least I can't remember seeing it.)

thanks,

Konaken

by definition, go as hard as you can for an hour and your average power is your FTP. The quick and dirty is to go as hard as you can for 20 minutes and multiply that number by .95. I prefer the hour test for trainer work -- I have a very difficult time hitting my 20 minute max on a trainer.

Thanks for the response, shawndoggy! Were these different suggested drills or would I interpret this as being a 6 day routine? I want to get the most bang for the buck while not causing injury and overtraining. I am a true Cat 5 with a couple of road races and several crits under my belt from my first full year. Our first race starts in January with more events coming in February through June,and mostly evening crits thereafter. Be happy to share any other pertinent info that helps with advice.

Thanks for the response, shawndoggy! Were these different suggested drills or would I interpret this as being a 6 day routine? I want to get the most bang for the buck while not causing injury and overtraining. I am a true Cat 5 with a couple of road races and several crits under my belt from my first full year. Our first race starts in January with more events coming in February through June,and mostly evening crits thereafter. Be happy to share any other pertinent info that helps with advice.

No that was not a suggested week's worth, just a bunch of variations on the theme. For those just starting out with threshold work 2x20 2-3 times a week may be all you can stand. 3x20 only takes another 25 minutes (rest 5, go 20) and you increase the work by 50% (or you back off on all three and still increase the total workload substantially). If you do shorter intervals, go a touch harder; for the longer ones back it off some.

Though now that I think about it, that probably is about what my week looks like....

See that long long sweet spot training thread down below in this forum... lots of good discussion there.

Excellent! 2-3 times a week and getting out on the weekends is realistic considering work and family obligations. I would also like to build on my first partial year of racing. I have followed the Sweet Spot thread and will also track my power from the suggestions you provided. Just wanted to get the most out of the time I can put in. Thanks again for replying. :-)

Thanks to both of you guys for letting me jump in on this thread. I also appreciate the mention on the sweet spot thread as that is where I remember reading about this prior, just couldn't remember earlier today.

I'm racing for a new team this year and would like better results than my previous two years. Most of my training previously has been group ride beatings. I think the idea you have here will be much better. If my first race falls in march, how long should I go with this type of workout, and what would you suggest after this?

Sorry to be so full of questions, but your advice here and in other threads seems to make sense to me.


Konaken

I'm not a coach, so I don't have a playbook full of plans. I do have two general principles that drive my training.

First, that the biggest limiter to racing success is aerobic capacity -- the ability to make pretty big power for a long time.

Second, that I don't have much time to train (never more than 10 hours a week) so the time I spend has to count.

With those two ideas in mind, I stick to a pretty steady diet of SST through the beginning of March. I'll begin racing in April, but my important races don't happen till July. So starting in March I'll start adding a day a week of vo2max work (5x5 @ 90% of max 5min power). Maybe only every other week at first.

But it's important for me to continue the SST for as long as possible, so that interval work will be done sparingly. On weeks with races, the race will substitute for the interval work ... which also means I have to race with training goals in mind, which isn't always the "smartest" way to race strictly speaking.

As I get close to my goal events, I will start cutting back a bit on the SST and substituting in a day a week of anaerobic capacity work, in addition to the race/vo2max work. The AC work may be a structured day of 30 second intervals, or an unstructured day of attacking on a group ride till I get off the front or get shelled. Remember, the "winner" of the weekend hammerfest is the guy who meets his training goals.

Three weeks or so before my goal events, I'll do a big weekend of work. Probably a stage race, but barring that, a hard flat day and a day with a lot of climbing. That weekend, plus the buildup of AC and VO2max work will put me in the hole a bit, so the next week will be a light one. For the two weeks before the event I'll do a quick day a week of L4 (probably 2x20s, HARD), a few sprint days, and a day or two each of AC and VO2max work. In all instances, the intensity will be very high, but I won't do as many repeats as previously.

Then show up and race.

Thanks konaken.... you've just prompted me to write my season's training plan!

I am not a coach so I can only share my own experience.

Congrats on getting the Powertap. If you haven't already make sure to get the Cyclingpeaks software and the book "Training and Racing with a Power Meter". As Shawn said do an initial test to determine your FTP. The 20 min described in the book should be accurate enough to base your training zones off of.

What worked for me was to make sure to use the powertap for every ride and race possible. That way you can use the Performance Manager Chart in Cyclingpeaks to track your form.

As far as my program, I have been focusing a lot like what Shawn does. I have yet to get on the trainer as I am in Norcal and Self-Employed so I can ride early in the morning and go to work at 10. I have my FTP set at 325. So some mornings I do a local climb that takes 24-25 minutes and do it 3 times at around 300 watts. Yesterday I went out 15 minute warm-up then drilled steady at 308 Watts for one hour and then 15 minute cool down. All of my rides during the week are like this and never more than 2 hrs. Lat weekend I went out on the local Saturday ride which this time of year is fairly slow and steady. I used my powertap to do 3x20 at 275 watts avg and 1x30 min. The key here is by not going over my threshold for very long I have been able to spend a lot of time putting in quality miles. Once you get your Powertap and load the cycling peaks you will see how much time you spend not pedaling or in active recovery. Good Luck!

I am not a coach so I can only share my own experience.

Congrats on getting the Powertap. If you haven't already make sure to get the Cyclingpeaks software and the book "Training and Racing with a Power Meter".

+1 million. Shortens learning curve for PM use by YEARS.

What worked for me was to make sure to use the powertap for every ride and race possible. That way you can use the Performance Manager Chart in Cyclingpeaks to track your form.

+2 million. perhaps the biggest bene of a powermeter.

Once you get your Powertap and load the cycling peaks you will see how much time you spend not pedaling or in active recovery. Good Luck!

;) unless you ride the trainer a lot. I can fit 3x20 into 1:15.

And may I say holy crap, 325? Whadaya weigh SC? And congrats on the baby btw!

Right now I am weighing about 163. I am 6' tall. I would like to get to around 158 but that is going to take a some effort. Will wait for after New Years to attempt that goal. :)

Right now I am weighing about 163. I am 6' tall. I would like to get to around 158 but that is going to take a some effort. Will wait for after New Years to attempt that goal. :)

And you are Cat 4 or 3? Sheesh you're gonna be killing it this year. Fo sho.

I got my 10 starts in last year but have no upgrade points as a 4. Hopefully I will get some good results early season and move to the 3's.

Heres what im doing through Feb. All of my weekday workouts are on the trainer except for Tuesdays when a group rides a local crit course.


Monday: Easy ride.... recovery 1 hour

Tuesday: Tempo ride 70mins non stop

Wed: 2x20 at 90% LTHR

Thurs: 3x15 minute standing @ 50 RPM. 85-90% of LTHR or 7x3 alternate standing and sitting per interval

Fri: low tempo pace ride 45 mins

Sat: Group ride 4+ hours... HR zones L2 through 5 with sprints and hard hill climbs during the workout

Sun: Threshold and tempo pace on the road for 2 hours

And you are Cat 4 or 3? Sheesh you're gonna be killing it this year. Fo sho.
I'm thinking -- Cat 3 or 2?
that's big power.