I did it with new FTP. First 2 interval was perfect that I started fading. Last 3 was disaster. I had to take 10sec extra stop in the middle
I just went through this last week. The new ramp test led me to a new +11% FTP, which made me happy, however, I didn’t see the pain coming next with Kaweah. It was quite challenging, I thought it was going to get better after the first block, but it didn’t. The last 10min effort left me pretty empty, all I could do afterwards was to shower, eat and sleep 
Nailing down Geiger +2 yesterday was the same story.
I guess it takes some time for your body to adjust to the new level. I am looking forward to what this new week brings, but right now I just want to enjoy my rest day.
1 Like
Did this yesterday as first week of SSB LV 2.
As always like @Nate_Pearson and the others have said at many times on the podcast, sweetspot is haaaard but doable. At the end of each interval I was looking forward to the 5 minutes rest.
One absolutely huge change I’ve made going into this next block in light of the two @ambermalika podcasts and discussions on nutrition has been my pre and in-ride nutrition. Previously I’ve trained fasted at 5.30 with just espresso. Now I’m having white bread and honey 15 minutes before jumping on the bike and then a gel 10 minutes into the workout. For a 90 minute workout like yesterday’s I’m having to two in-ride gels. What a difference. It doesn’t take away discomfort but for some reason you just feel fuelled and I know I’ve got it in me to finish.
A tweak in nutrition has single handedly been a step change in my training so thanks @Nate_Pearson @ambermalika chad and Jonathan.
4 Likes
I came into SSB1MV relatively untrained - went from 3.35w/kg to 3.7w/kg, so a ~10% bump in FTP. Completed every workout as prescribed with no backpedals or reductions in intensity.
Now in my first week of SSB2MV, I tried Kaweah and Geiger +2 this weekend and got destroyed by Kaweah. First 3 intervals went ok but they were very, very hard. HR near 180 so I know I was working. Last two intervals of Kaweah were a disaster, backpedals and reduced the intensity to 95% and then 90%. Geiger +2 was a similar story.
I could name all the excuses in the book, but I do think coming into these workouts after a big jump in FTP leaves you particularly exposed. You’re not used to training at higher power outputs. Hoping with the right rest, nutrition, and continued training and I can get myself to work up to this new FTP. Definitely wanting to plug these workouts into my plan in a few weeks and see how I do. Just my experience FYI
1 Like
Reading through thread this I think I might have under tested. I had to drop to Kaweah -1 (4*10, same intensity) due to time constraints, but raised to 102% and still had some kick in my legs for the last interval. It felt hard, but not the post-reassessment suffering I was expecting. Maybe it’s time to test again later this week.
I had a 15% jump (noob gains) in ftp going into SSB2 and had some really tough workouts. I wasn’t worrying about nutrition much either so that was a recipe for disaster. Been tracking my food the last 3 weeks and I’ve nailed all my workouts since. Figured out I wasn’t getting nearly enough protein.
Very glad to hear! Keep up the great work!
2 Likes
I second all the posts about adding more carbs before and during rides like this. I did this same plan last year and remember it being much more difficult. This year, after listening to the TR podcast and doing some of my own research, I realized that I really wasn’t taking in enough carbs. I think everyone has to experiment to figure out what works best for them. Fortunately, I’d been playing around with different pre-ride/in-ride food choices for a few weeks before Kaweah. I shoot for about 60g of carbohydrates during the ride (for me, a banana eaten a bit at a time during the rests and a simple breakfast bar).
1 Like
Going to try the banana as a real food substitute for gels.
2 Likes
I’m in a similar spot, FTP way up in the past few months once I kicked that low carb crap. Now if I could only see the same weight loss as you…
1 Like
I’ve averaged a bit over 13hrs/wk since Jan 1st (all on the trainer .76IF overall) so I’m working hard to eat enough a lot of days;)
1 Like
I have failed Kaweah every time I tried it. Last time I managed a TSS of 94 when it shold have been 110. The VO2 max sessions and sprint sessions that come later in SSB2 are easy in comparision. In those I easily overshoot the short high power intervals by 50% to 100% and still complete the workout. What is wrong?
(I use a dumb trainer and a powermeter so it is my legs and manual settings with trainer and gears that determine the power.)
It’s the only workout that had me back-pedal so far. I did the -1 version a few weeks back (4x10 over 75mins), it was borderline, but the 5x10 full version yesterday was a real challenge. I normally train fasted, I had a couple of dried figs before + during this one.
By far the hardest workout I’ve done. I did ssb1 ftp went from 184 to 206. Heart rate was 180bpm in the intervals. I made it but dropping my ftp to 196!
1 Like
Looking at my notes for Kaweah I think it was the first indication that my massive increase of 1W (one Watt!) from SSBLV1 was probably incorrect 
My notes state:
The threshold intervals felt surprisingly “easy” (relative term), I was typically 6 Watts over the target power with no great difficulty. My breathing was steady and not laboured, I didn’t even sweat that much. 30secs after each interval and I was breathing pretty much as normal.
The last interval just felt slightly tougher than the rest but only slightly.
Again, I could probably raise my FTP by somewhere between 5-8W and still find workouts such as this relatively easy. Have got the first of the VO2 max short interval workouts next so will see how that goes.
From those notes it’s obvious I’ve doubts about how I tested prior to this. I eventually raised my FTP by 8W to 250W and the rest of SSBLV2 was hard but doable. That new FTP was pure guestimate, when I got to Lamarck, the notes suggest that the average of the four intervals in that workout are your FTP, that gave me 252W so my guess was only 2W out. But …
My over target power of 6W during the intervals in Kaweah would probably have not been enough to meet target power had I done Kaweah with an FTP of 250W though it’s likely I would have pushed a little harder. Again suggesting that 250W not 242W was my correct FTP.
At this point in the plan (including all of SSBLV1) I hadn’t started in-workout nutrition, that was another week away.
I can definitely see Kaweah being a problem if your FTP showed a big increase from SSBLV1, you are being asked to push hard in the first long workout of the plan.
It’s times like that when I think the plans can be mean. But I forgive them.
Just finished but absolutely brutal. First time I asked myself why I am doing this.
Did you also experienced your cadence went down during the intervals? Normally I have a relative high cadence 96-100+ and the higher the watts get the higher my cadence. I was surprised to see that I was forced to put my cadence down to complete the workout. Perhaps a result of my step up in ftp at the start of base 2?
Last time I started SSB2 I swapped the Saturday workouts from week 1 and 2. Kaweah’s harder than a lot of what’s come before (assuming you progressed from SSB1), and you’re doing it probably with a higher FTP.
You’ll get used to the pain soon enough!
2 Likes
I had to watch a race to get through last interval. Very hard but loved it.
Glad to hear I’m not alone feeling pretty tired after Kaweah. FTP increased from 289 to 332 so it was kind of brutal for the first week. Hopefully my body adjusts quickly 
2 Likes