Hey, you got 2 sets done, and actually thought for a moment you might do the third. The ramp-up to the “under” level of the 2nd set was sufficient for all the breakers in the panel to blow at the same time for me.
I don’t have to say that after these two back-to-back beauties (Keith and McAdie +2), AT intervened and turned it down a couple of notches. I had nailed Leconte and Emerson +2 in the 2 weeks prior, both PL of 5,9, but that step up to Keith (6,4) just broke me. Palisade (5.3) the following week was ok, McAdie +2 (5,9) the week after was a losing battle, and that’s how I ended base training…
There was always a pair of active threads on this forum - one complaining about how Taylor -2 was too easy, and the other one about how brutal the VO2Max workout progression was. Half the responses to the first one pointed to the second one. “Enjoy it while you can”.
I also “knew” that Carpathian Peak +2 was harder than Mary Austin -1 and Leconte, even though it showed up earlier in the progression due to lower TSS. Progression levels finally proved me right…. barely.
That Prickly Threshold shape gets me too. I went back to look at failed workouts, and had to go back 9 months, which shows that I only get on the trainer when fully prepared and ready. So good on you bunch for giving it a go, even when things aren’t all lined up
Coach Chad’s drink breaks! They remind me of a comment he made once about fueling during over/unders. Something along the lines of “You get 95% percent breaks for drinking. What more do you want”.
I realize that this doesn’t answer your question re: failures, but looking at your progression levels chart, it is not a surprise to me that a workout like this, while tough for anyone, might be especially difficult given your PL profile . . .
IF your goal is century riding, then to the extent that your PLs represent progressive Time-in-Zone for each category (I don’t know TR’s algorithm), then the lower zones, including endurance, tempo and sweet spot should be much higher before you spending as much time as your chart seems to be implying in VO2max (and above) type efforts. “If I were you”, I’d go off plan and load up on some more progressive tempo and sweet spot efforts [with endurance in between] before redoing a lengthy LT effort like Nelson.
FWIW: If you look at @mcneese.chad PL profile in the links he provides above (clicking on his TR user name), even though it indicates he is training for BMX, and excepting his lack of time in tempo, his PL profile is more of what I would expect to see from someone nearing the end of a century plan. And perhaps in a bit of irony, based on your PL profile, I wouldn’t be surprised if you would crush an MTB course with 3-8min short steep hills or on a BMX course that Chad seems to be training for.
Another ramp test fail! Two days in a row, I got so far in then the trainer threw a wobble and stopped increasing the resistance. First day happened a bit before crossing threshold. The second day it was the step after. No fun at all. My trainer doesn’t work in resistance mode with TR so I couldn’t even quickly switch over.
Thanks for your analysis. It think it’s spot on. Yes, my PL’s in Endurance and Tempo are relatively low. But there’s only so much TR can cram into a LV-plan. I’m aiming to complete a big century in 6 weeks and I’m fully aware that I need to make an extra effort in the endurance-range.
Perhaps my struggle with Nelson - and the insights of fellow TR members like yourself - are just the reality-check I needed to re-evaluate my plan.
And perhaps I just put too much faith in the LV-plans as they are? I’ve never adapted my plans, I just followed the familiar base/build/specialty-routine without much added efforts and put all my eggs in the AT-basket. I never aimed to ‘forcefully’ up some of my PL’s. Perhaps I should have done so.
This is by no means a critique regarding the LV-plans and AT. In order to make a breakthrough, I guess there’s no other way than to add extra endurance on top of a LV-plan. So it’s Big Mountain coming up next
My first VO2 max ride post covid, went better than expected but still had to pull the plug.
Have been taking nice and slow when increasing my workouts the last 3 weeks, with a small 5% FTP drop.
If you’re looking at my PLs and comparing to my planned BMX events (maximal power short races), keep in mind that I am just completing Sweet Spot Base 2 right now. My A races aren’t until mid July, so it doesn’t make sense to be doing the short & sharp work now, that I only need months from now.
My PL’s will look a whole lot different once I get into Short Power Build and Short Track Specialty that align with my BMX racing plans. I do have a weekend of B races coming up in the middle of my Build. I will sprinkle in a few more sprint efforts just to dust off that part of the knife, but will not be hitting it hard like I will when the A races are in sight.
I’ve always had a hard time getting through the Build Phase… I’ve no doubt it’s in large part due to poor sleep and poor / inadequate nutrition, but this time it was the result of about 5 hours of snow clearing off my roof the day before trying Spanish Needle -2! Was pretty sore and depleted… briefly considered moving my workouts by a day (which I probably should have done)… decided to give it a go anyhow. By the second set of intervals it felt like a Ramp Test-level effort, and mentally trying to accept three more sets was just too discouraging. I probably should have adjusted down to 130% of threshold, but the ego got in the way.
Oh well… trusting AT and looking forward to a recovery week soon!
Thank you for providing links to your training rides above. I was impressed with your notes, such that, out of curiosity, I took a look at your PL chart and noticed the shape. As it was generally reflective of what I would expect to see (and hope for myself) of someone training for a century, out of convenience only, I made reference to the OP. In no way were my comments meant to be a critique of your actual vs plan, and I am sorry if they came across as such.
No, I didn’t take it as any type of critique at all about my plan or direction. Not an issue there for me and I don’t mind people looking at my work. That’s why I keep my stuff public and share if I think it’s helpful.
I wanted to provide more context with respect to my long term plan related to the present PL state, since they seem opposed at the moment. All good here
Another of your fans here . . . I find the info you provide on your training helpful, such as above and the FTP estimation info (separate post).
FWIW: Pre-knee injury, I took copious notes on my rides (which I log in Training Peaks), but they differ slightly on topics I monitor so I was curious as to what you do.
Curiously, given that you are in early phase of your plan, why is there little tempo work relative to endurance and sweet spot? Are you using a polarized approach?
