Training for power ?

[simonp]

thanks for the feedback, inc

Best I've done for 1h average power was 198W.  This was silly as I was in the first stage of a very hilly 300.  Anyway, the "normalized power" for this was 217W which suggests I should be able to maintain a constant 217W for an hour (rather than a highly variable power averaging 198W).  AIUI, FT is 1h power, LT is about 5% higher.  All these numbers seem pretty consistent with me.  I was probably more highly trained in June when I did that ride than I was when doing the LT test; at some point I should get a repeat test and evaluate my progress.

I'm targeting events of 200-1600km in length; the vast majority of my training is concentrated around zone 2, and should ideally be for rides of at least 3h.  Hence I am tending to already ride 2-3h on the way home from work instead of the usual 25 minutes.   I did 3 hours in zone 2 yesterday, and was on the bike for 6h today in zones 1 & 2 (probably - no HR or power data tody).  Intervals are a relatively small part of the training.  I wasn't advised to increase my muscle mass, I was advised to lose body fat whilst trying to maintain the peak instantaneous power I already have.  Intervals should be in zone 4, and that's where they will be (250W+) but not whilst I have a sore hip from falling off the bike a couple of weeks ago.  I also cross train with a swimming club on Thursdays; I was doing lots of rowing until I picked up an injury, but I'll be starting that again. 

I've already done more miles on the bike this year than in the first 4 months of last year.

[nmcgann]

inc is right about the L2/tempo work's importance - the 2h L2 ride is the staple of my training program and I plug away at it all year round (mostly as my saturday morning session). Long endurance rides and various types of threshold and interval work come and go as part of the training program built around the TT season, but the hard 2h tempo ride persists.

[Rich753]

Inc is very confused.

For example,

"you should be able to ride at your AT for an hour at least"

that's pretty much the definition of At is what you can ride at for an hour, doh!!

And the corollary offered to "how you are going to achieve continuous power" as " without increasing strength" is just wrong - not need to increase strength, need to increase the ability to apply it, ie muscular endurance.

[simonp]

Inc is very confused.

For example,

"you should be able to ride at your AT for an hour at least"

that's pretty much the definition of At is what you can ride at for an hour, doh!!

And the corollary offered to "how you are going to achieve continuous power" as " without increasing strength" is just wrong - not need to increase strength, need to increase the ability to apply it, ie muscular endurance.

I think inc's point was that 5 minute intervals should be above AT, not at it.