Slowly adding strength
#27
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My cycling season is over. My wife and I just got back from our annual 10-day backpack in the Cascades. My back muscles took a beating and are quite sore. There are some back muscles that cycling and even the gym just don't work hard enough.
So time to start over! My practice as been to restart my training year about now, My idea is to get into good enough shape to go on a group cycling tour with younger folks than I by the middle of next June and ramp it up from there for my goal rides in July. I use a slow steady ramp up. My CTL is quite high right now from the backpack trip, so I'll let it drop a ways. I'll change over to doing easy to moderate rides supplemented with 2 days/week of weight work at the gym. I'll concentrate on building strength at the gym and endurance at a moderate effort. I'll go hard maybe one day a week on a 3-4 hour group ride. I usually start doing a few formal intervals in January or February, getting conditioned enough to do some good low cadence hill work in April.
My hill climbing practice is to accelerate before a hill, bringing my effort level up to what I figure I can sustain for the length of the hill, then just shifting down every time my cadence drops below 90 until I get down to the gear I'll probably use for most of the climb. It takes a while for HR to come up while holding power steady, so I like to be fully warmed up before the hard climbing starts. Our lungs can easily move as much oxygen as we can use into our bloodstream. Hard breathing and panting is to get rid of the CO2. Acidosis is the limiting factor.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15308499/
So yes, I add strength slowly. I don't think there's another way, really.
So time to start over! My practice as been to restart my training year about now, My idea is to get into good enough shape to go on a group cycling tour with younger folks than I by the middle of next June and ramp it up from there for my goal rides in July. I use a slow steady ramp up. My CTL is quite high right now from the backpack trip, so I'll let it drop a ways. I'll change over to doing easy to moderate rides supplemented with 2 days/week of weight work at the gym. I'll concentrate on building strength at the gym and endurance at a moderate effort. I'll go hard maybe one day a week on a 3-4 hour group ride. I usually start doing a few formal intervals in January or February, getting conditioned enough to do some good low cadence hill work in April.
My hill climbing practice is to accelerate before a hill, bringing my effort level up to what I figure I can sustain for the length of the hill, then just shifting down every time my cadence drops below 90 until I get down to the gear I'll probably use for most of the climb. It takes a while for HR to come up while holding power steady, so I like to be fully warmed up before the hard climbing starts. Our lungs can easily move as much oxygen as we can use into our bloodstream. Hard breathing and panting is to get rid of the CO2. Acidosis is the limiting factor.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15308499/
So yes, I add strength slowly. I don't think there's another way, really.
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#28
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Today, I did a tempo/threshold climb up Mt. Hamilton. I was only 3% off my best pace, which I set way back in 2007. That should be enough fitness to keep me from humiliating myself.
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Most riders don't know their power data and FTP. Your 180 FTP sounds good to me. It seems that "everyone" online is 250+, does that match with real life?
I ride with some 60-75 age riders, the 4000 to 6000 mile per year serious riders. I think there's two groups: 150-190 FTP, and 250+ FTP. A lot of the difference is "genetics" and perhaps "competitive spirit".
I ride with some 60-75 age riders, the 4000 to 6000 mile per year serious riders. I think there's two groups: 150-190 FTP, and 250+ FTP. A lot of the difference is "genetics" and perhaps "competitive spirit".
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I read that one way is to do a 20-minute time trial and take 95% of that power number as your FTP.
I haven't done that. I just do rides, and every once in a while my Garmin tells me that it's detected a new FTP, and I click "Accept".
The "new FTP detected" ride is usually when I go up Mt. Hamilton (18.29 miles, 3745 feet). I got one of those yesterday.
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How do you measure your FTP?
I read that one way is to do a 20-minute time trial and take 95% of that power number as your FTP.
I haven't done that. I just do rides, and every once in a while my Garmin tells me that it's detected a new FTP, and I click "Accept".
The "new FTP detected" ride is usually when I go up Mt. Hamilton (18.29 miles, 3745 feet). I got one of those yesterday.
I read that one way is to do a 20-minute time trial and take 95% of that power number as your FTP.
I haven't done that. I just do rides, and every once in a while my Garmin tells me that it's detected a new FTP, and I click "Accept".
The "new FTP detected" ride is usually when I go up Mt. Hamilton (18.29 miles, 3745 feet). I got one of those yesterday.
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Halfway through the block and I know I'm doing it right; my legs tell me so on the stairs at night. 😉
@terrymorse, good luck next week at the Huntsman Games!
@terrymorse, good luck next week at the Huntsman Games!
Last edited by BTinNYC; 09-26-22 at 05:19 AM.
#33
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Halfway through the block and I know I'm doing it right; my legs tell me so on the stairs at night. 😉
@terrymorse, good luck next week at the Huntsman Games!
@terrymorse, good luck next week at the Huntsman Games!
I'm not even close to the fitness needed to win (national and world class cyclists are expected to race), but all I can do is give it my best shot.
Not finishing with the slowest time would be a triumph, getting within 20% of the winning pace would be amazing!
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FTP test this AM and it's up to 212 from 191 in the late summer. Zwift FTP Test (shorter).
It's all in for the next 6 months, I signed up for the GFNY on May 21.
Not going gentle into that good night.
It's all in for the next 6 months, I signed up for the GFNY on May 21.
Not going gentle into that good night.
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Great! You're committed and probably should be, too. Which blocks from where, beginning to now? And now what?
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Thanks, I'm starting from zero so still on the elbow of the improvement curve. So far this year each 4 week block (3 of them) has given me about a 5% increase. For those blocks I took the FTP on a schedule, usually with sore legs. This time I waited until I was feeling good.
Starting the next 4 week block on Monday, it's a standard CTS training block from Strava and I'm looking at coaching. The GFNY is a stretch goal, and I think the pro guidance will help.
Thoughts on coaches/coaching?
Starting the next 4 week block on Monday, it's a standard CTS training block from Strava and I'm looking at coaching. The GFNY is a stretch goal, and I think the pro guidance will help.
Thoughts on coaches/coaching?
Last edited by BTinNYC; 11-17-22 at 03:06 PM.
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Coaches/coaching…I started more serious cycling in 2007 and I have had a 3rd party coach that can see me in person as well as provide a training plan for the last 15 years. I have had different coaches and tried different styles that supported road and track.
I find having a coach and a group to work out with a lot of fun. And having training partners of similar ability and goals to train with more effective than large unstructured hammer and nail group rides.
To get better at cycling and to the next level, I had to learn to HTFU and then stay in that mode during training and racing. I need an in person coach to inspire / lead me to a place I cannot take myself.
I find having a coach and a group to work out with a lot of fun. And having training partners of similar ability and goals to train with more effective than large unstructured hammer and nail group rides.
To get better at cycling and to the next level, I had to learn to HTFU and then stay in that mode during training and racing. I need an in person coach to inspire / lead me to a place I cannot take myself.