Dear TR forum members,
After a hiatus of basically any sport of about 9-10 years, I started training again fall 2019 with the purchase of a Wahoo Kickr.
Since January, I use TR to get some structure going forward.
My FTP has increased since October from about 220 to a bit below 300 now, which is a nice improvement. For a better understaing of the below images/results: my max HR is around 184 and I always calibrate my quarq and Kickr.
I have used 291 W as my FTP to base my training on over the last month, and this was very much manageable (VO2max work was very, very tough, but sub-treshold work was relatively easy). On recent endurance rides I typically can maintain around 220-230 W without my heart rate going above 130-135, while a month ago my heart rate would easily be 150 at that output. So I feel I improved a lot over the last weeks. Which was confirmed by the first outdoor groupride where I felt good all day and the numbers were encouraging.
Howver, the TR Ramp test yesterday turned out very poorly. I failed the test a lot sooner as expected, and the FTP turned out lower as my previous tests (I am now after Build phase 1, starting Build phase 2).
I know outside and inside are not really comparable, but the difference in being able to sustain 350 W outside (see image), measured with a Quarq, as well as being able to sustain 310 W 3h in the ride for over 20 minutes with relative ease, and the TR Ramp test giving me an FTP of 279 is way too much.
Especially since my previous FTP tests indoor (both 20 minutes and ramp, same set-up, same cooling, but without TR powermatch feature, as I didn’t own a Quarq yet), gave me an FTP of around 290 W.
Now I am feeling very much unsure on how to proceed. I have manually adjusted my FTP in TR to 300 as that is what I feel should be in the right region based on my recent training performances. But it could also be that my training last month based on an FTP of 291 W, was too high due to the previous tests overestimating. I am very much afraid that VO2max work will be too intensive now, while if I keep my FTP at 280 as per the last Ramp test, I am not training hard enough. Ofcourse I can manually adjust every time, but at that point I do not see much benefit in doing any FTP testing going forward.
Ofcourse I can retest, but to get a decent estimate, I need to be well rested, which forces me to skip planned training, just to do the test.
I assume I am not the first, neither the last to face the issue of tests being off (or not going as expected). Thus I assume there are people who have dealt with this issue and now how to best proceed.
What would be the wise decision?
Below some pictures of tests and a VO2 max training for reference of HR/power output.