Base training

[L CC]

My diet is worse stuck indoors. I'm too good a baker, much more bored, and doing lots fewer steps.

I'm now going to have to make a big effort diet wise, winning all my races in the lowest cat has inevitably bumped me into the next category where I doubt very much I will feature on the podium. Not without significant weightloss, anyway. I'm putting out the same watts as the highest cat ladies, but they aren't carrying 30kg of lard around.

We've got a date for one of the cancelled events so that is something to aim for, (even if I don't really think it will happen) and the team race director has big plans for an indoor summer. It's enough to keep me going, I think.

[simonp]

I'm nearly at the end of SSB I. I've not failed anything yet despite bumping my FTP by 10W after two weeks. Last two workouts, McAdie +1 and Galena at the weekend, look tough.

I've been doing VO2max on Tuesdays instead of sweet-spot. Nicking the Tuesdays from SSBII. Last couple of Tuesdays have been brutal after the bump, but I clung on.

[rob]

I’ve had a good few weeks.  Volume is steady but not much hard work of top end.  I went round the club sportive route with a 14 minute PB yesterday. 

Of course I then failed on today’s turbo session.  My phone went off and interrupted the warm up.  My HR wouldn’t come up as I increased the effort and I just couldn’t be arsed to thrash myself.  I then thought I had broken the resistance handle on the turbo but a bit of WD40 resolved that.

Back at it next week without much resolution on what event(s) I am targeting.

[simonp]

I’ve completed the 5 week block now onto a recovery week. Hardest workout of the block was yesterday with 4x12m over-unders. It was easier than expected. I think I’m outrunning the increase in difficulty at the moment. Today could have been 3x20 sweet spot but I went out for 3 hours in the drizzle. Legs felt fine despite yesterday’s work.

[DuncanM]

Today's workout was my 6th in a fortnight. Prior to that I've not even managed 3 rides in a week this year! Only been doing short rides (Volunteer and Carter), but will bump up to doing 3 hours a week and then get back on the horse of base. Not decided if I want to do trad base or sweet spot. I don't think there's going to be any CX racing this autumn (Central and Scottish leagues have cancelled already, Wessex have said they are keeping going at the moment), so Plan Builder is going to be odd...

[simonp]

My plan is set to finish in July.

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2021.

[S2L]

Did a mock 10 mile TT yesterday afternoon... bit of a lumpy course with about 10 mt of climbing every km, B roads and a couple of lanes... all left turns, so no need to slow down much...

Quite pleased with 3.5 Watt/kg average (apparently works out 3.6 when weighted) over 28 minutes... I've also finished quite strong with the last climb at 6 Watt/kg for just over a minute

[L CC]

I'm now going to have to make a big effort diet wise, winning all my races in the lowest cat has inevitably bumped me into the next category where I doubt very much I will feature on the podium.

Bronze.

Another theoretical ftp bump - if you thrash yourself for an hour I guess that's inevitable... Tempo+ workout at 236 didn't feel like death.
Another 3 weeks of this build plan, a week off then a 12 week build will keep me occupied till the autumn. I had wanted this year to be a bit more outdoor than last. Pah.

[rob]

My plan is set to finish in July.

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2021.

At the moment at the end of Aug I could potentially do :-

National 12hr
RAtN on the rescheduled date
ACME Grand 1000

I have no idea whether these will happen.   TT riders are anti social buggers anyway so if you can't find a way to run a 12hr I'd be surprised.   RAtN may happen but I many not be able to get there if border controls are up.   I would like to do the ACME Grand again but we'll see what AUK come up with.   There is also the 24hr world champs early Oct in the US, but I suspect flying won't be on the cards for a long while.

If I can get myself into a good place by the Autumn, and I'm not really far off now, then I can back off a little and then carry through to the Spring.

[DuncanM]

My plan is set to finish in July.

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2021.

Is it like Base, Build, Base, Build, Specialty, repeat?
In January I set mine up to peak on Dec 8th, and it was like that. But I have an ongoing hip issue so want to take it slow, and I can't do the gym exercises I was doing to try to mitigate it (or see the consultant). I also managed to hurt my ribs with my posture at the laptop, which made me avoid intensity. While I have a new desk and my chair should arrive soon, I figure traditional base probably works OK given those limitations.

[simonp]

My plan is set to finish in July.

(click to show/hide)

2021.

Is it like Base, Build, Base, Build, Specialty, repeat?
In January I set mine up to peak on Dec 8th, and it was like that. But I have an ongoing hip issue so want to take it slow, and I can't do the gym exercises I was doing to try to mitigate it (or see the consultant). I also managed to hurt my ribs with my posture at the laptop, which made me avoid intensity. While I have a new desk and my chair should arrive soon, I figure traditional base probably works OK given those limitations.

Three cycles - Base I, II, Build, Speciality in the first two cycles and then the final cycle is Base II, Build, Speciality.

The "good" news is there's plenty time to get fit and resolve your injury problems.

[DrMekon]

I'm trying to do cycles of microintervals or up to 1m30 in z5 / recovery / Z2 endurance / Z2 endurance

Having done nothing for over a year, 3mins at 190w was hard at the beginning of January, when I was about 86kg. FTP in the last ramp test was 244w, which is good for me. Weight is still coming off, but I'm down to 75kg. Want to get back around 71kg (I'm 6'2).

Trying not to be obsessive. I'm trying to keep to less than 7hrs a week.

[rob]

Tried myself out a bit recently on 2 local lumpy routes.

Hell of the Ashdown course - 67m 6,700ft.

28th March - 4h38m ave HR 139
2nd May - 4h24m ave HR 136

Invicta Grimpeur course - 62m 6,200ft

21st March - 4h38m ave HR 140
8th May - 4h07m ave HR 132

Same bike but new lighter wheels for the recent rides.   I’m about half a stone lighter.

I’ve never been a hilly 100k/sportive sort of rider but this might be tempting me to do something different.

[Pedal Castro]

I've gone back to base for a bit since racing has been cancelled , 14h so far this week. Bitten by a dog yesterday but 45 miles @19mph today was encouraging.

[S2L]

Tried myself out a bit recently on 2 local lumpy routes.

Hell of the Ashdown course - 67m 6,700ft.

28th March - 4h38m ave HR 139
2nd May - 4h24m ave HR 136

Invicta Grimpeur course - 62m 6,200ft

21st March - 4h38m ave HR 140
8th May - 4h07m ave HR 132

Same bike but new lighter wheels for the recent rides.   I’m about half a stone lighter.

I’ve never been a hilly 100k/sportive sort of rider but this might be tempting me to do something different.

If you've never done the Fred Whitton Challenge, it's probably the best day out on a bike in the country. You also get spectators with cow bells cheering you on your way up Hardknott pass. I also "enjoyed" the Etape du Dales... they're both around 175 k with 3000-3500 mt of climibng

[DuncanM]

Today was 3 weeks straight of 3 rides a week. Time to get back into the TR plans (traditional base to start with). I've not Ramp tested in ages, so Tuesday (or Wednesday) will be the moment of truth. My FTP is currently set to 236 - anything over 215 would probably be a good result given how little (riding or consistency) I've had this year.

[S2L]

I took advantage of the new rules to drive down to Honeybourne and go out in the hills... did two reps of Saintbury, at about 8 minute each, so looking at the power and applying the 2 x 8 min FTP method, I get a 258 W, or 3.8 W/kg, which is just a tad higher than I thought (I had worked out I was around 250), but broadly in the ball park... 

[DuncanM]

Ramp test about an hour ago.  Went pretty deep, but not quite
231W (it said 232 on the screen straight afterwards so must have rounded down), down from 236W (in December).

I've barely done any riding this year, averaging at most 1 ride a week from January to mid-April (and those rides all 1 hour or less and low IF), so that's quite pleasing. Dunno if it says my last 3 weeks have been productive, or if that's just my baseline so long as I keep things ticking. Either way, it's above 3W/kg, so it's a good point to start my base season again. I quite like Traditional Base as it means I can watch Youtube/TV, so I'll do that for the next 3 weeks and see how I go after that. So long as I don't pig out it might also help drop just a little more fat.

[simonp]

I did mine last night. 238W, up from 219W 6 weeks ago.

[DuncanM]

20W up is a nice bump.  6 weeks - Sweet Spot Base? I or II?  I find II really hard - it's like the build plan but with 5 weeks before rest week instead of 3!

[simonp]

I. I expect this will make II feel much harder.

[rob]

Crap week due to real life stuff.  No turbo since last Sunday.

Forced myself out on the road for 4hrs this morning.   Felt better for the rest.  Will try to get back on it next week.

[DuncanM]

I find SSB II like a slightly lower intensity build that lasts longer. I can see why, if you've just put your FTP up 20W it might hurt. You'll be faster by the end of it though.

4 hours is a pretty serious start! I did 1.25 hours on the turbo yesterday and it sucked. Longest ride this year! Must do stretching today - same again tomorrow!

[simonp]

I find SSB II like a slightly lower intensity build that lasts longer. I can see why, if you've just put your FTP up 20W it might hurt. You'll be faster by the end of it though.

4 hours is a pretty serious start! I did 1.25 hours on the turbo yesterday and it sucked. Longest ride this year! Must do stretching today - same again tomorrow!

So far so good, 99% FTP on Kaweah felt ok yesterday, that's a 90m PB for this year. Today is Geiger +2, and assuming I complete that, that will further increase it, despite being an easier workout.

[Frank9755]

Tried myself out a bit recently on 2 local lumpy routes.

Hell of the Ashdown course - 67m 6,700ft.

28th March - 4h38m ave HR 139
2nd May - 4h24m ave HR 136

Invicta Grimpeur course - 62m 6,200ft

21st March - 4h38m ave HR 140
8th May - 4h07m ave HR 132

Same bike but new lighter wheels for the recent rides.   I’m about half a stone lighter.

I’ve never been a hilly 100k/sportive sort of rider but this might be tempting me to do something different.

That's pretty impressive. 
Without doing the maths, I'd expect that most of those gains would be from power and strength increase rather than weight loss.
Actually, just plugged some numbers into Bike Calculator and it suggests you might get 10-15 minutes from losing half a stone.  Your Invicta Grimpeur improvement must have had more power (unless they lifted the roadworks!)