It's been a minute, but I've finally gotten around to benchmark my fitness from getting back on the bike (from nothing) in about seven years. At quick overview:
- Left the sport in Cat 3 purgatory around 2015 (28 y/o). I had the points for 3>2...not mentally/personally invested in the training load needed to be competitive after that jump at the time.
- Literally got back on the bike in October 2021 with a coach that has been a longtime friend – basically learning how to walk again...baseline FTP was 203w (80 kg) from a ~340w FTP (@72kg) in 2015
- Average 10-12 hours/week (TSS avg 540/week) - lots of base: primary goal was to focus on mass start events on the velodrome (i.e., Rock Hill)...looks like I need to travel out of state to get some USAC events in since Rock Hill is a bust as of now (I'm in Charlotte, NC)
- Current FTP - ~ 315w (@73 kg; 1.83m tall): I lost ~18 lbs since getting back into training...my nutrition needs work.
- To be honest...I don't even care about FTP in the context of racing. I am traditionally a crit guy and will be focusing on that discipline/track events. I've never been a TT person, and my sprint is meh...passable. The life of an "all-arounder." Most of my training now focuses on top-end power (30s, 1 min, 2 min, 3 min power intervals) with Z2 work in the gaps.
- Tuesday night worlds started up last week (essentially P1/2/3 crit with ~50 people): top 10 first week; making moves and working in the break the second week while being in it for the sprint at the end...this is more than I can ask for.
- First race(s) back is (of course) a P1/2/3 crit this weekend (Hincapie Spring Series) so we will see how this fitness really translates. I'm solo, so hiding and placing well amongst Cat 3s is the goal. No expectations from me in what will be a talented field.
Anyway, I hope this information serves to motivate anyone who is a similar situation to get back on the bike. After seven years off, it took five months of work to get "close" to old fitness (albeit a different power profile).