Mug,

Good thoughts.

When it comes to forums I always only push back / explain once as I always avoid the arguments as it tend to make things more productive.  Here is my reply:

1.  The water bottles thing...fine, really meant it more as nomenclature that scientific fact but it is an old trick that works.  Camelback works well, keep on inside of jacket as tube tends to freeze.

2. Training in the cold:  Be careful here when using research that specifically relates to linear comparisons.  The way you present your response, you are right but there are a few things you should consider about cold weather (sub-freezing) exercise:

• You body will utilize carbs more than normally (and less fats) for energy.  This has been demonstrated in many studies but can vary pretty widely.
• Cold weather increases the production of lactate for a given intensity (tempo particularly).  This could suggest higher oxygen consumption rate in colder temps (not really related to energy but effects metabolic rate somewhat)
• Cold weather slows your muscles and increases demand of fast twitch fibers (hence the higher lactate).  Fast twitch is less efficient 
• Gross efficiency of cycling goes down in cold temperature so the same "pace" and effort has increased metabolic demand (mainly do to the increased recruitment of fast twitch muscle)

Of these items, it is really point one that is the issue that I could have explained better. Over the course of 90-120 minutes of exercise this should not change anything from your normal workout calorie intact (which most peoples is too low, another argument) but as you go longer, it will have effect. 

As far as shiver, yep that is the only areas that specifically increases energy "drain" but also note that shivering not only increases metabolic demand, it actually can be the end result of increasing metabolic demand (body producing hormones) but this is really just being looked at now.

Here is a copy of a key study in this area, it is old (1991) but until proven wrong, still true:

In general your facts are correct.  I was just giving some off-hand advice and avoiding "exactness" as it can often lead to over-scrutiny and back and forth.  I will be more careful in the future.

Ha! Tim you are clear cutting through years of accumulated questions that we've struggled with on our own.

If you're ever bored here are a few more in no particular order

• is lactate fuel, byproduct or both?
• do fast-pedal drills really matter
• what's your take on why CTS mostly ignores 75-90% FTP range for threshold training?
• and of course... #dressgate

Wow, nice list

Just to clarify my reply to Mug, is is mostly correct (actually he was correct as I wrote it) and my first post was being lazy.

Those are hot topics, a few of which I will need to put on my Flame Retardant Suit to deal with so maybe i will tackle them slowly over time.

Tim,
     I missed Wednesday's 3X15 interval day...since it's snowing today I decided to get those intervals in.  When I did my 5 min. 20 min power test last week I used very high cadence.  Today I kept my cadence at about 93 and my power #'s went WAY up.  I also took yesterday off from the bike, took an epsom salt bath and slept in today = wicked fresh.
     My avg power for those 15 min intervals looks like 305 watts.  
    Any insight into this self-imposed blood letting would be appreciated.

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/athlete/workout/ODSRFFQS3A6GXHSNYIMEHH6AGQ

Twoyacks,

Sweet workout!  Yes, your FTP is too low.  Your 305w 3rd interval looks strong. Check it out below.  My note on the PW;HR result suggest you need some additional aerobic work BUT this should be watched over a few files as comparing HR to Power numbers is tricky as HR can have a lot of variables:

Yes Tim...I zero reset the meter before interval work and the power meter was correct...I do intervals on my computrainer so I use those power numbers as a reference as well and those #'s were high too.  Sunday power tends to be my best day as I have not worked for 2 days and am therefore usually very rested and habe fresh legs.  This brings me to my question...if I historically produce more power on weekends...should I use slightly lower #'s for my power zones during the week?
Chris

Tim,
     I'm looking at the next three cat 1-3 workouts.  You have two hours of endurance on Wednesday, the hour of power thursday, and openers Friday.  Questions about all

1. endurance.  If people are stuck inside, is there a shorter workout that could achieve the same goal?

2. hour o power.  Any recommendation in terms of  how to ride it if stuck on the trainer? I figure start on the low end of the FTP zone, vary cadence every so often, and try to increase power as the time goes along.

3. openers.  The three efforts, should they be spaced out evenly over the course of the ride?  Should the rest of the ride be in the endurance zone?

Team,

1. For the endurance work you could do Tempo work for an hour, but read next point. IF you keep it endurance, really need at least 2 hours to even get solid “maintenance” work.
2. Hour of Power - this is a great trainer workout but hard! I would start in high TEMPO and look to ramp up by feel. Most people have a lower ability to put out power on a trainer (10-20watts) so you need to find that point.
3. Openers - Oddly, this is one of the hardest workouts to write. In custom coaching I use specific protocols for openers but that is designed around that specific person. I have some athletes that respond to 3 minute efforts well and others that need longer. For short races, I like shorter hard efforts and 3 minutes really seems to do the trick, not to hard to get muscles screaming but really get you breathing. All other time in lite endurance pace with 5 minutes rest between intervals. I will go in and clean that workout up tonight and add an alt to give some choice.


Timothy Cusick
President | Peaks Coaching Group
O. 717.467.5078 C. 717.515.5382
tim@peakscoachinggroup.com
www.peakscoachinggroup.com

Stuck it!

http://tpks.ws/a2Vb

Anyone else?

Not me. That's some sweet numbers Vlad, not too much drift on HR. What's up with the RPM switch at 20mins? It's weird how it correlates with a larger spread in W's from there on. 

At 20 min I went into a heavier gear as I found that holding consistent watts at the higher cadence was getting more challenging. I wanted to ease into it and let the effort 'find me' so I started off with a higher cadence and perceptibly easier spin. I'm pretty pumped about the negative split.

Guy my program called for an hour in Zone #3 tempo (202-240 watts)...I got noting on what you just did...I can't make #'s like that unless I was actually in a race with the shame of getting dropped propelling me.   Hey my account says basic...should we have the premium setting?  thanks

Team,

Nice workout Vlad!  Hour of Power is killer!  Keep building the efforts!  All accounts should be basic accounts in TrainingPeaks but I am working to get you a discount on upgrading, will see about getting code for you guys on Monday.

Giddy Up !!!!

vlad said:

holding consistent watts at the higher cadence was getting more challenging.

Perception says more challenging, data says you were less consistent at the lower cadence. A matter of training at the higher cadence? 

Interesting point. When I train, I stare at my Kickr app on the iPad fixated on power, cadence, and of course, elapsed time.

I've generally noticed that my power at higher cadence starts to drift after about 20-30 minutes, but because it's a higher cadence, the variances in power are smaller. Spinning back up to 295W gets increasingly more challenging. The legs want to go slower and the power delivery becomes less consistent. The entire situation feels dire. Could all be perception.

When I drop it into a heavier gear, the power output goes up considerably and, as my cadence slows by about 10rpm, it gets back to the number I'm trying to put out (in this case 295). Now that I'm at a lower cadence, power variances are larger when I ease up on the spin and that's in line with the data.

It's also important to note that form eventually suffers on these efforts. After about 15 minutes in the saddle, I start shifting around, sitting up, and even out of the saddle to give myself a little relief from the constant grind on the saddle. That's harder to see in the data, but trust that some of those power dips are from me doing just that. That sip of water just cost me 15W. Closing my eyes just cost me 10W. Thinking about the girls at Perelandra for 5 seconds just cost me 30W, wtf?!

The tedium of doing these efforts on the saddle combined with the physical strain, make longer FTP periods much harder ones to maintain focus on. I feel confident that I can lock in super smooth power delivery for shorter efforts, but after about 20minutes, the mind wants out and I have to fight that along with everything else that follows (i.e. legs, heart, taint). There's a pretty killer zen to the art of trainer efforts.

And for what it's worth, I've found that focusing on cadence is the best way to ensure consistent power output. For example, I know that on my Kickr at the default resistance setting, when I'm in the 53-21 at 100rpm I'm putting out about 295W. If I can hold that spin, it's locked. Now, getting my taint to cooperate with that line of thinking is something I have yet to master.

Tim,
     Looking at tomorrow's VO2 max workout.  8 x 3m on 3m off.  Should we do it as one 48-minute block or break it up in some fashion?  Do you also recommend starting at the low end of our V02 range and then seeing if we can increase over time?  Or is this one of those workouts where you should hit the high target until you can't and then shut it down?

The 8 x 3 min efforts with 3 minutes off is one consecutive set. The one/off time is important as you will not “fully” recover between each interval (your heart rate will go down nicely but other systems will not recover). I always encourage doing the first interval on the low side and building “up” through the sets. IF you cannot hit your FTP power for an interval, pull the plug.




Timothy Cusick
President | Peaks Coaching Group
O. 717.467.5078 C. 717.515.5382
tim@peakscoachinggroup.com
www.peakscoachinggroup.com

I'm barely thinking about, let alone following, the on-ramp plan for us non fit guys and now wondering how we should plan for weeks off due to vacations or work travel that won't include a bike. Should we alter the week leading up to the vacation and tax ourselves more since we know there will be a recovery week of sorts or do we just follow the plan and resume where we left off after returning? While away, do we run, lift or ride a gym exercise bike in lieu of actual riding? Any suggestions? I'll have travel in April and May and just thinking about how to adjust things in anticipation.

whatever Craig... who else got down tonight?

I got 6 in...but then again I signed up for the Cat IV plan that stipulated 6...why the cat IV plan you ask???  Cause the 1/2/3 plan is a debaser....it would debase my dignity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVyS9JwtFoQ

mine ran like this... verbatim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAk_ZKSaAU4

WEBINAR ON RACE TACTICS!

Wed, April 8th, at 8pm EST.

 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/70681370516233985

OUCH!

Kitchen sync

I can't believe I made it through this one. Looking forward to the rest week.

Was that indoors?

Indeed. 

#Kickr

That is a tough one!!



Timothy Cusick
President | Peaks Coaching Group
O. 717.467.5078 C. 717.515.5382
tim@peakscoachinggroup.com
www.peakscoachinggroup.com

#barnburner

Tim,
     A question about determining ftp.  Can utilizing 95% of 20m normalized power suffice?

     I'm not good at doing FTP tests indoors, it's been too cold, mostly, to do them outdoors, and now racing season is starting.  Last Sunday, I put in a 20m two-up TT effort at the end of a four-hour ride that, if I take 95% of the NP I produced, pretty much hits what I estimated my current FTP to be.  Should I take this effort as proof that I've been using the correct FTP?

JP - what do you mean by "two-up" TT effort?