Training is usually 1-1.5 hours a day Tues to Friday, Saturday and Sunday are usually races or long rides. Go on and try it out! Your first quarter is free.

Thanks Jill! Got further into the webinar and I think I get it now – didn't realize that we just do them on our own – perfect!

Hey All - Posting plans today!  Just rest and chill today, great recovery day!

How do I sign up again Tim?  sorry....yacks

@twoyacks there was an email back in March, but here's the link:  https://kissenacycling.wufoo.com/forms/peaks-coaching-q2-starting-march-28th-2016/

Hi Tim,

How happy are you with the accuracy of the various devices with respect to capturing HRV?

I saw this post and am intrigued. Last time I checked there was some concern about retail HRM's having fine enough resolution to do a good job.

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/how-to-track-your-heart-rate-variability-using-trainingpeaks

@TimCusick I've got a couple of hilly road races coming up on May 7 & 8 and I was wondering if you have any recommendations to supplement my workouts for the next 3 weeks? Thanks!

JillSink said:

@TimCusick I've got a couple of hilly road races coming up on May 7 & 8 and I was wondering if you have any recommendations to supplement my workouts for the next 3 weeks? Thanks!

@TimCusick, likewise to Jill's comment.  I have similar races coming up (relatively same schedule), and a number of us (at least 6, most likely more) are doing Tour of the Battenkill on May 21.  Any recommendations would be great.

Specificity trumps!  What type of "Hilly"?  How long, how steep?  Let me know and can suggest some tweaks.  You can also tell me the races...

Jules - HRV measurements pretty solid.  It is a a good tool and the tool bag of training but can be effected by too many outside factors.  To me you have 4 types of training load:

1. Under training - too little / too easy to force adaptation
2. Functional Overreaching - appropriate load that results in overreaching while not creating too much fatigue, allowing the body to adapt
3. Non-functional Overreaching - too much/too hard load that results in overreaching but creates too much fatigue, not allowing the body to adapt (training plateau) 
4. Over training - more rare then people think, but way too much, too hard, body shuts down as defense mechanism, long term recovery needed.

HRV is good for keeping you in 2 and 3 but can be misleading in the transition from 2 to 3 so need to carefully understand the process and ensure accuracy of data and how it applies to your UNIQUE physiology.  You goal, stay in #2 but you only learn the limits of that when you hit #3, the goal of HRV data is to help you know when but still struggles to deal with uniqueness, IMHO. 

May 7th is Women's Woodstock Grand Prix:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11474355
May 8th is Bear Mtn Classic: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/408731654/

JillSink said:

May 7th is Women's Woodstock Grand Prix:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11474355
May 8th is Bear Mtn Classic: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/408731654/

May 21 is Tour of the Battenkill: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/6079638

Thanks Tim. I looked into HRV a couple of years ago but the apps seemed strangely closed and built as experiments or proofs of concept. I hadn't circled back until I saw this article.

I used to watch waking HR pretty closely; basically it told me when I was getting sick. Now I have small kids who do that for me

Hi Tim, (or anyone else that might have thoughts)

I recently developed tendinosis in my Achilles, right at the end of last week's block of training. It came on suddenly - fine one day, sore the next. I was off the bike all this week and I'm seeing a doctor about it, recovering per doctors orders (sadly, no racing or hard training for 2-3 weeks) I wonder a couple things about what might have caused it, that perhaps you have thoughts regarding.

1. I've been riding since high school, racing consistently for a couple years in college then stopped at 21, but got back into racing / training a year ago, currently 29. I've never had this issue before. I started the Cat4/5 training plan about a month ago, after being in decent shape already. One thought is I may have just overdone it and increased intensity too quickly? Maybe I should have completed the winter strength training to avoid this type of thing.

2. There were a number of times, on the trainer and outdoors, where I did focus on my pedal stroke, using an old piece of time-trialing training advice about "scraping the gum off the tip of your shoe" through the bottom of your pedal stroke, in order to not burn out quads. I've since been told this is outdated and bad training advice. I felt strain in the back of my leg when focusing on this, although I didn't focus on this a lot, by any means. But maybe there was an instance of letting the backs of my leg do too much of the work and straining the tendon?

3. I doubt it's bike fit because I've had the same fit since October, after getting a proper bike fitting done, which I've been happy with. But this is the first time I've done intense sprinting / short intervals since the fit change.

I should say that I know this isn't a place to come for diagnosis or professional medical advice but curious what Tim or others think, given the years of collective experience. Thanks.

-Brian

JillSink said:

May 7th is Women's Woodstock Grand Prix:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11474355
May 8th is Bear Mtn Classic: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/408731654/

Jill - sorry for slow reply.  I looked at both races.  Woodstock has a long (14 mile) slow burn to a steep 2 mile climb.  Bear Mtn is a circuit with one climb of about 3 miles and not as steep.

Roughing out some pacing math (general, do not know your power numbers) lets assume the Woodstock climb is 2 miles and you will average about 10 mph to climb, that is about 10-15 minutes minutes.  It comes after the long low grade climb so might be a tad slower. The Bear mtn climb is longer but grade is less so bet in the same general time frame, 12-15 minutes.

So, the specific focus for each can be a dose of strong intervals (climbing if can) in that time range to prepare.  The best training for this is to take an intensive and extensive approach.  This means train some workouts at slightly less time duration and slightly higher intensity (Intensive to build power for the target) and some at longer time period at slightly lower intensity (Extensive to build endurance).  Simple examples below:

Intensive:
Warm-up 15 minutes

MS:  10 minute intervals with 7 min rest at 105% of FTP.  Try starting at 4 x 10 and progress to more as your fitness improves.

Cool down

Extensive:
Warm-up 15 minutes

MS: 15-20 minute intervals with 5 minutes rest at 100% of FTP.  Try to get 1 hour of these in a workout (build up to).  So 4 x 15 or 3 x 20 min.

Cool down

Now for climbing, strength/ force is also a need.  For training, two simple things you can add to the above workouts to build are:

1. Wind-ups:  After warm-up, get in big gear, slow to a track stand then EXPLODE and grind the cadence up till over 90 rpm.  Do like 4 of these with 3-4 mi rest as part of endurance days or before workouts above if fit enough (not rest days).  Try to build to 5-6 per workout.

2. Big Gear Intervals: On a hill of 3-5 minutes, target cadence of 55-65 rpm and climb at 105% of FTP.  Rest same amount of time as the interval.  Maybe do 3 - 5 o these.

For Woodstock, some specific work might benefit.  On a longer Saturday or Sunday ride, try doing a specific progressive ride that mimics the course:

Warm up for 15 - 20 minutes

MS:  Ride following
30 minutes at Zone 2 Endurance
45 minutes at Zone 3 Tempo
12 Minutes MAX EFFORT (for 12 minutes...track power if can)
Endurance zone rest of ride.

Cool Down

***As you get more fit make the tempo longer and the max effort harder....

Simple answer but simple is good, focus on the specific demands of the event

Brian Miele said:

Hi Tim, (or anyone else that might have thoughts)

I recently developed tendinosis in my Achilles, right at the end of last week's block of training. It came on suddenly - fine one day, sore the next. I was off the bike all this week and I'm seeing a doctor about it, recovering per doctors orders (sadly, no racing or hard training for 2-3 weeks) I wonder a couple things about what might have caused it, that perhaps you have thoughts regarding.

1. I've been riding since high school, racing consistently for a couple years in college then stopped at 21, but got back into racing / training a year ago, currently 29. I've never had this issue before. I started the Cat4/5 training plan about a month ago, after being in decent shape already. One thought is I may have just overdone it and increased intensity too quickly? Maybe I should have completed the winter strength training to avoid this type of thing.

2. There were a number of times, on the trainer and outdoors, where I did focus on my pedal stroke, using an old piece of time-trialing training advice about "scraping the gum off the tip of your shoe" through the bottom of your pedal stroke, in order to not burn out quads. I've since been told this is outdated and bad training advice. I felt strain in the back of my leg when focusing on this, although I didn't focus on this a lot, by any means. But maybe there was an instance of letting the backs of my leg do too much of the work and straining the tendon?

3. I doubt it's bike fit because I've had the same fit since October, after getting a proper bike fitting done, which I've been happy with. But this is the first time I've done intense sprinting / short intervals since the fit change.

I should say that I know this isn't a place to come for diagnosis or professional medical advice but curious what Tim or others think, given the years of collective experience. Thanks.

-Brian

Hard to say.  There is a relationship between your Achilles and the way you work through the pedal stroke, it sounds like you introduced a focus (change) so could be related but you never know.  Best bet, is to see someone....

Thanks @TimCusick
Would you recommend doing the intensive workout instead of the anerobic stuff tomorrow?  

Yes, do the intensive when fresher, the extensive when more "loaded"

@TimCusick
Not sure where the legs were this am, but I tried doing the 4 x 10 mins at 105% FTP and got through only one.  The second one I couldn't keep my numbers up, so I switched back to the original anaerobic plan that was scheduled and got through that workout.  Ugh.

Did the 1/23 4,5,6 workout today.

I mis-read the directions and did 2m on/2m off four times.  then 1m on/1m off five times, and 30s on/30s off six times.  I was wondering why my power was getting lower and lower.  With two minutes rest in between, it would have been much easier.  

I think.

I hope.

well the 2 minutes, which are for the me the harder of the set, don't get any easier

Doing the workouts using TrainerRoad is so much easier!  You just pedal, no mental anguish involved.

A question for @TimCusick and other, more experienced racers: how should I train the week before an important race? I'm on the Cat 4/5 TrainingPeaks plan and I'm racing Bear Mountain Spring Classic this Sunday. (My question also applies to racing Battenkill later this month.) How should I alter my plan, if at all?

Max,
Do a hard work out on Wednesday ( 2X20 TT for example) and don't touch your bike until Saturday when you can do some openers ( 5X1 minute VO2 max) 5 minutes in between efforts ( 60-90 minutes riding your bike max) and that's it.  Don't forget doing some core work ( planks) and stretching and get ready for the race on Sunday.

MaxThorn said:

A question for @TimCusick and other, more experienced racers: how should I train the week before an important race? I'm on the Cat 4/5 TrainingPeaks plan and I'm racing Bear Mountain Spring Classic this Sunday. (My question also applies to racing Battenkill later this month.) How should I alter my plan, if at all?

Max,
    I think we have several takes on tapering around this site.  Maybe in the "Faster, Stronger, Awesomer" thread.  or just look up "taper" in the search box.

Thanks @ThierryBonnaire. I figured this discussion must exist somewhere on the site, but I didn't have the right keyword to search. Now I do. Thanks @mugwump.

@TimCusick
What is an ideal pre race warm up for a crit?

Tim,

What is the purpose of a warmup?

More specifically, what is the evidence that one is warmed up enough? I understand it to be when my HR is able to react and then recover quickly from hard (30 sec-3 minute) efforts but I'm curious to hear your take on it.

My thoughts:

Warm up importance is directly related to intensity.  The more intense the upcoming performance (neuro muscular, power, anaerobic demand) the more important and specific the warm up needs to be, the inverse is also true, the lower the intensity, the less important warming up is.

Warming up has been linked (proven?  hard to every use that word in a forum) to performance improvement in short and medium efforts of intensity, mainly two reason;

1. Elevated or increased oxygen (VO2max) due to increased demand.  Basically you increase the demand for oxygen during warm-ups and the body responds by elevating levels.  This is important in higher intensity racing like crits. 
2. Energy - improvements have been demonstrated in glycolytic pathway (ing?) during warm-up, allowing for better access once performance demand is present (you can fuel it when needed).

Note:  both these are related to temperature-related mechanisms, when tissues temps rise there are also a few other benefits like muscle suppleness increase, improved rate coding (brain sends faster signals) and increase in lactate buffering. Just be careful not to get too hot or the cost of the warm-up will out weigh the benefits. 

Other lose benefits are:

1. Injury prevention both muscle and joint
2. Muscle memory activation - there has been some studies kicked around on this somewhere but suggestion is by triggering the muscle memory, better efficiency.
3. Mental - warm-up periods prepared the mind (and mind set) for the efforts and increase focus. 

Warm-ups, like so many things are specific to the rider.  I do start in a general spot so for a crit, depending on race length, will do escalating efforts with recovery.  When learning what works for you, for short more intense events, experiment with a longer warm-up first and then skinny it down to the shortest you can and still feel and race well (the goal is best warm-up for least fatigue).

Starting point example:

5-10 min easy spinning
3 min Tempo
3 min spin
3 min LT
3 min spin
3 min L5 ish (just over FTP)
3 min spin
1 minute fast pedal L5+
3 min spin
1 minute fast pedal L5+
3 min spin
1 minute fast pedal L5+
3 min spin, head to start 

For longer events like long one day, might just do the first 15 minutes of that and if I need more, add as I learn to make a warm-up work for you. 

My 2 cents. 

Thanks, Tim, that is awesome. Will give it a shot this weekend.

Most plan workouts have a very usual and easy WU protocol of 15 minutes, with 3x1minx1min quick spins to warm up the legs.

That appeared to work and warm me up well enough, also found that mentally, it really got me ready to go. So I carried that thru most races and 2015 CX season.

I assumed that simply following the same easy to remember protocol any time before going hard..., well, got me ready to go hard. That is, my mind and body got used that after that little routine, we will go hard!!

#ymwv