Legs giving out way before my lungs. Looking for training tips

Training
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Hello,

So I did San Pedro today (4x8min @ FTP) and failed miserably. Had to lower my difficulty to 87% at the end of the first interval to complete. The problem is the only thing that is taxed is my legs, I could carry on a conversation and feel cardiovascularly fine (HR in the 160’s during the intervals). My legs are on fire and just can’t match. I do train in the gym 3x a week and also run 2x a week so there’s always some pre fatigue but not sure how to get to a point where my legs can match.

Currently just started Polarized base mid volume after a couple weeks of sweetspot base low volume. The endurance rides feel fine, my legs are somewhat tired but I can complete them with ease.

I’ve only been back cycling for just over a month now, but have been running regularly for the past year and strength training ~3 years.

Not sure what the best approach is right now. Is it focusing on more Z2 to build a better base?

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It’s the gym work most likely. It’s your glycogen budget, spend it wisely and all that….

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Ah ya probably. Did some heavier deadlifts yesterday and I’m also currently in a caloric deficit. Not the most ideal scenario for performance.

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As someone lifting heavy 3 times a week right now, I fully commiserate. The legs have nothing above z2 right now.

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Haha, sometimes you just have to write it out to see it, but yeah that’s most likely it. Very hard to manage lifting, biking, and running in a deficit without seeing performance consequences.

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Why are you training in the gym 3 times a week? If the goal is to make your legs very tired so you can’t ride then it’s clearly a success. Try cutting back on the leg work and see if that helps.

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yeah, it would be interesting to know what your goals are. if gym and run are a priority, then cycling likely isn’t. If that’s the case, that’s okay. Just expect your workouts are going to need to be easier.

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That is still a cardiovascular failure….cycling is an aerobic sport, even when doing threshold and VO2 intervals.

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Good question regarding goals…it feels like I’m shifting them every week. I’ve been a powerlifter/casual strongman for a few years now who decided to trim down and start biking and running again after many years off. So when I first started biking last month I was all in on biking and now I’m finally settling on a more hybrid approach since I realize lifting weights is still my #1.

I have no desire to compete in any sport (aerobic or strength), it’s all just for fun and to give myself an outlet away from busy family life when I can.

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You said “legs are on fire”…as in burning? Could just be your muscles buring off the lactic acid buildup?

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if you are that new to cycling then one thing to consider is your fitness level is pretty basic. You may be strong and you may be otherwise healthy and fit, but your cycling fitness is still an embryo relatively speaking. It could take time, years even, to develop the kind of durability that those of us that have been cycling as a primary sport for years. You may just need patience and to lower your expectations a bit. Since you are strong, you may test well, but you may not have that aerobic capacity that lets you go long.

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you are simply doing too much. lifting, running, cycling. back it off, and build it up over months (years actually)

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Do less running and weight lifting, and allow for recovery following heavy sessions (i.e. an easy endurance day or a day off after a heavy lift).

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Just wanted to follow up for anyone who cares. I’ve cut my high intensity training for now and only doing endurance workouts and my overall recovery of all the running, weight lifting, cycling combined is way more manageable. My endurance PL is shooting up a lot too. Completed Andrews this morning easily so got bumped to 5.4.

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