I’m sure those VO2 blessed folks probably don’t think this workout is that bad, but I’ve been wrestling with this one for a few weeks. I’d say today I finally did it well enough to feel good about it, but man this workout really sucks the life out of you. I’ve done it 3 times in 4 weeks. The first time was a massive failure. Pulled the plug and zone 2’ed it for the remainder. The week after I completed the first set as prescribed, but lowered the remaining two by 5%. Today kept everything 100. i took a couple 15-45 second pauses, but generally survived it. Usually I’m okay with VO2 stuff, not stellar, but not terrible. This progression to 125% with only 1 minute rest though is another level. Oddly, I completed it fine a couple times in previous seasons. I think my FTP may have been a bit underestimated at the time so probably was more in the VO2 system.
No good reason. Just kind of messing around with my fitness. Was feeling fatigued the week I did it the first time. Took 3 full days off the bike after that for the first time this year. Then tried it again the following week just as a bit of a heat-check. Felt much better. Then I decided I was going to stack up all the workouts I’ve had difficulty with in the past training block and give them all another go just because I don’t have anything better to do.
The entire Bashful series is challenging. Bashful +6 was my first failed workout. I bombed it so badly that, combined with life stress, I switched from General Build to Sustained Power Build, which is more suited to my natural tendencies.
Anyway, glad you “fought” through it to complete it. That’s a lot of VO2 work in one week, though, so be sensitive to how you’re feeling and don’t dig a hole too deep to recover from.
Did Bashful +2 outdoors last evening. Mainly because it was already on my Garmin from doing it last week and I needed a more intense workout. I certainly got that…
Having said that, I’m probably due for a ramp update because it didn’t feel too horrible. Outdoors the biggest issues for me are 1) working toward steady effort on slight downgrades 2) intersections [even though my training takes me to rural roads pretty quickly with cornfields etc I can’t just blast through intersections, and the occasional stop signs] and 3) starting too hard and and trying not to die at the end of the interval. Those issues are exacerbated with lots of shorter repeats. I’m also still learning to really back off on the rest portion between efforts, although I am getting better at that.
Not quite as hard as I thought it was going to be.
Didn’t expect so much zone 6 power work. These sorts of intervals are my weak point and the first couple felt unduly hard so I half expected to have to bail at some point. By the last interval of the first set I didn’t feel so bad so kept going. The last two of each set certainly started to feel hard and I was definitely clock watching on the last two!
However Bashful+1 is a different matter 30 seconds recovery between intervals - whoof! I ended up skipping a couple of intervals near the end. And I’ve got it again in three weeks !!!
There seem to be a lot of 3 min interval workouts, I heard an @empiricalcycling podcast a while ago where they were jokingly mocking anyone who prescribed 3 minute intervals. They are a very unpleasant duration I must say.
I have completed it twice, last time this morning. V02max stuff is not my strongest suit and I’ve failed other V02max workouts, but somehow I managed to complete this one both times. Tbh I still don’t know how.
It’s one of those workouts when during the first set you think no way I am bringing it home today. Ok, one more set and let’s call it a day. Then: well, now just one left, mmmm… The sense of accomplishment in this situations is huge.
According to my notes, the first time I got off the bike light-headed. Today I was also thrashed after the last set.
Last week I did Bashful +6, also a very nasty one. Totally agree with @Cory.Rood, the last Z2 interval hurt.
I’ve seen that there are a number of these vo2/endurance combination workouts in the catalogue, but on the ride description it doesn’t actually explain the methodology behind including the final z2 interval after the vo2 work.
In the ride, do the notes explain why that extra interval is added in there? I’d be very curious to know what adaptations it targets. Have tried searching the forum but couldn’t find anything anywhere.
30 seconds recovery between intervals - whoof! I ended up skipping a couple of intervals near the end. And I’ve got it again in three weeks !!!
