FTP and cycle racing.

joey100

I'd say it's important enough to take some time off the bike during the year and with the road racing season finishing up now probably makes the most sense. I'd come at it more from a mental side rather than the physical side. It's hard to stay 100% motivated during the year, a little break can give you the mental break you need from the training and following a plan. Doesn't have to be all completely off the bike but maybe a week or so completely off then another one or two of just doing what you want, when you want. Few coffee spins, few easy spins with friends, just some spins with no purpose rather than getting out on the bike. If you have been training most of the year there would have been sacrifices made, could be family time, time with mates, now's the time to make up for that before you start the training again. I know it works really well for me, I take around 2/3 weeks completely off with another 2 or so of taking it easy and for me it's the mental break from the constant pushing myself and getting all the sessions done rather than the physical break that I find sets me up best for the next season.

Harrybelafonte

CramCycle wrote: »

I agree with Sullzz. Coaches overcome those issues with focus many of us have, you can get decent plans rather than one on one for a lot less. If you can follow them, they can be just as good. If your focused,well read and not quick to buy into fads, then there is probably no need in one but for many of us, if money is no issue, it will do no harm.

If you do go down that road, research well who your getting, I'd have my own recommendations but as someone commented at the weekend, you see lads winning two races and becoming coaches. You also see lads who have one loads of races but have learned how to twist BS like Matthew Syed and think they know best.

There is also the cost benefit ratio to consider, and this is cheap skate me. I am never going to be much more than an A4 racer, at a stretch A3. I won't ever be A2 without going down a very different pathway. I am fine with that, I love racing. Putting money into coaches is beneficial if winning A4 races is worth that cash to me but honestly, nope. If I wanted A2 glory I started racing 10 years too late thanks to genetics.

I am having almost as much craic racing e bikes on the commute home.

You're totally A3 material... Were you not A3 before?

If I can warble on a bit here re coaching. A good coach is someone who can understand you as well. The biggest challenge for some in racing is mental, having confidence in our abilities. You coach should be able to give you just enough of a push so that you can understand where you're going and how much you've improved. I've been around and had multiple coaches and that was something they fell short on. It's nice to have people around you give you some positive feedback, even constructive negative feedback, but those statements need to come from people you ultimately trust to understand your capabilities and have a vested interest in your future achievements, e.g not someone who makes a positive comment to simply make you feel better or so that they can give the impression of having knowledge. Not sure that makes sense, but I've seen coaches destroy people's confidence just before a race by referring to how well someone else is doing at the moment or by telling them they did something wrong when that person is already berating themselves. We all think and process things differently, a really good coach can recognise that and work with that rather than try and get you to work like them.

Tibulus

Have had a very successful year since I first undertook by initial FTP test.

Went from an FTP of 252 to 293 but has not progressed since April, had been maintaining average 1.5 hours per week on the turbo from April but my primary focus was endurance.

Great race at IM Copenhagen.

Now that I’m finished with the endurance I want to crunch up that FTP number over the winter.

Thinking a 70.3 in May so probably on a race specific plan from February.
Between now and the plan is two trainer road sessions per week, but don’t know which plan to go with, could do with some advice?

For the moment, I have selected a medium duration Olympic triathlon plan, using my weekend cycle as the third set (the weekend I do get out)

dahat

Is there a benefit to get lactate testing done before winter training?

I train using power with regular ish ftp assessments but get bogged down on whether to use max hr zones or lthr zones for outdoor low zone work.

JimmiesRustled

dahat wrote: »

Is there a benefit to get lactate testing done before winter training?

I train using power with regular ish ftp assessments but get bogged down on whether to use max hr zones or lthr zones for outdoor low zone work.

If you enjoy pain then yeah go for it. Think they draw blood differently depending on where you get it done but I swear getting a needle through the top of my finger cost me a step or two. At least that's what I like to tell myself.

I thought it was worthwhill as it showed me just how little fat I burned sub threshold. Literally burned carbs only through every zone so it gave me a better picture of my ovemail fitness.

As for winter training I use the zones I've calculated through a standard ftp test or similar. Have had too much variance on longer 6 hour spins with hr. Same power after 5 hours might see me close to active recovery when it's endurance power.

ba

Long time lurker on this thread. Really would like to race next year.

Got back on the bike in February after some time off with wedding last year. I’ve brought my FTP of 233 to most recently 283 in August, but have since achieved 302w for 20min on the road as opposed to turbo trainer.

My power to weight is roughly 3.2 and I’m wondering at this figure would I survive in A4 if I can carry fitness into next season?

dahat

3.2 is perfectly fine just learn some race craft through league races or fast paced club spins with fellow racers in your club.

thekooman

ba wrote: »

Long time lurker on this thread. Really would like to race next year.

Got back on the bike in February after some time off with wedding last year. I’ve brought my FTP of 233 to most recently 283 in August, but have since achieved 302w for 20min on the road as opposed to turbo trainer.

My power to weight is roughly 3.2 and I’m wondering at this figure would I survive in A4 if I can carry fitness into next season?

You are 94kg? what height?

I'd give it a go... its fantastic training as well. you'll hit limits youll never hit out by yourself or even in a club spin. its all about positioning as well... so get out with a race group in the club and learn the race craft.

CramCycle

For A4 you'll be competitive if you have any race craft at all, in fact I imagine A3 would be alright as well.

harringtonp

ba wrote: »

My power to weight is roughly 3.2 and I’m wondering at this figure would I survive in A4 if I can carry fitness into next season?

You'll be fine with that, my FTP has been consistently at 3.6-3.7 W/KG the past few years and it gets me around most A3 races fine. Was even enough last year to stay away in two long range breaks and get placed.

delynet

ba wrote: »

Long time lurker on this thread. Really would like to race next year.

Got back on the bike in February after some time off with wedding last year. I’ve brought my FTP of 233 to most recently 283 in August, but have since achieved 302w for 20min on the road as opposed to turbo trainer.

My power to weight is roughly 3.2 and I’m wondering at this figure would I survive in A4 if I can carry fitness into next season?

Definitely, have the engine. Problem is A4 is full of good engines. As previous posters mentioned it is about race craft and getting your positioning right. Fast group spins or the front of sportives is a good place to learn what your strengths are.

harringtonp

dahat wrote: »

Is there a benefit to get lactate testing done before winter training?

I train using power with regular ish ftp assessments but get bogged down on whether to use max hr zones or lthr zones for outdoor low zone work.

The lower the zone the more you can rely on heartrate. If I'm doing 2-3 hours at Z2 I'll either bring the power meter and aim for 190-200W average at the end of it or just use a heart rate monitor and look for an average in the 130s. Its actually more enjoyable without the PM for these spins.

I reckon also that down in Z2 the range can be much bigger than targeting something like sub threshold where you need to be quite precise and a PM is definitely very useful.

ba

thekooman wrote: »

You are 94kg? what height?

I'd give it a go... its fantastic training as well. you'll hit limits youll never hit out by yourself or even in a club spin. its all about positioning as well... so get out with a race group in the club and learn the race craft.

Thanks for the encouragement. I’m about 87-88kg and 6’. I used to race back in 2009-10, so have some craft.

But after years of cycling solo and the advance of power just doubted I could get by if I refurned to competition. Cheers lads.