Bailed early for no reason on the ramp, again, so I’m gonna just stop attempting tests to exhaustion and hope my apparently broken mental state sorts itself out by the time I hit Build. Taylor -2 was the plan I skipped today, so followed up the ramp with Gendarme -6 to try get some kind of similar work in:
Didn’t really feel like I actually hit VO2max breathing levels, so between that and the ramp, today was probably the equivalent of an hour’s worth of junk miles outside. THIS IS FINE.
I decided to stop worrying about nailing a load of threshold and do something totally different that still might help my FTP: Trad base HV(ish) here I come!
I couldn’t bear HV1 (looks very dull, and TSS is a little lower than I’d want). I figured throwing in HV2 & 3 without the rest week would suit me just fine. I can’t realistically do 3 hour sessions mid-week due to work, so have replaced some workouts with slightly higher IF 2/2:15 sessions. I didn’t feel like I needed a ramp test, so got started today with Gibbs +1. I will also be incorporating some strength stuff - am a total noob on that front, so starting with planks and single leg squats and will start adding weights in weeks to come. Hopefully 6 weeks will be long enough, but could always add more…
Any of you seasoned Z2 kings and queens feel free to chip in with any advice or changes 
I’m on course to hit my goal of 1x90mins at 90% this weekend. I don’t have enough time during the workweek to complete that, so decided to start moving into threshold work on weekdays. Today’s plan was 4x10 at 96%. I did 2x10 at 96%, then 1x25 at 99% (it would have turned into a Kolie Moore test if I had more time to continue ramping 
) I think I am truly finding what FTP feels like using resistance mode now. It’s rewarding in its own way.
I was thinking of doing Tue/Thu threshold and endurance on Wednesday, but based on how today went, I’m thinking I may do back to back threshold and see what the legs feel like doing on Thursday. Man, I’ve never been so excited for a training block before. Even if I have to get up at 5am to get it in!
Mills - 2min VO2 efforts.
Handled this better than I thought I would.
I said I wouldn’t bother with 3 min efforts again but never say never.
I’m on holiday for a week next weekend so I’ll see how I feel when I get back. The wife won’t let me take the bike and rollers🤣
Bear Creek
Looking for some over/unders to fill the time, two minute switches, three per interval.
Am I just a weak mental rider? Is my FTP just way off? I honestly cannot figure out what is going on right now. Feel lost. Been up and down with completing or not completing workouts since the last two weeks of build.
Any advice out there? Is it worth ramp testing with the next 2 weeks being the final two of specialty? Like I said, I feel lost right now.
I blew my build recently, got a couple of weeks into it and was failing it… I put it down to a build up of fatigue over the weeks before with base, which I was crushing and my lack of ability to recover like I once did (Age). Suddenly different types of workouts questioning other systems. I took a rest, binned the build and did other “enjoyable” stuff like zwift racing and outdoor stuff. It kept my fitness but also made me appreciate the rest periods in workouts again. A 50 minute race at full gas makes you desire a workouts because they have lovely breaks!
Racing also allowed me to take more days off to recover, believe I deserved it after a tough race. If your FTP worked for you in base then it can’t be far off. I find fatigue can suddenly makes you fall off a cliff and reducing intensity for further intervals doesn’t help as you’ve already gone over that edge. Nothing wrong with reducing intensity, but in my experience (n=1) if it’s due to fatigue then it’s not going to help and make you question everything.
Personally I’m now waiting for the Zwift academy and just filling in with random workouts as I’ve had enough of racing for now, it hurts! Looking forward to some big group suffering and then I’ll probably look doing a build cycle and see how it goes.
IMO I would put good money on it you were fresh, physically and mentally and attempted the build you’d get through them with your current FTP. That’s another thing I judge for myself, some times I love doing a FTP ramp test, can’t wait to suffer, see how far I get…when I don’t fancy doing one I know I’ve probably done too much, not just physically but mentally too and its time to rest & recharge, you have to do that in your own way before hitting it again.
Sorry for long post, just my thoughts and maybe some of it will help.
A little bit gentler start of the training block - 4x20@92%. Colder outside although humidity is 75%. Overall workout easy and pleasant.
This definitely does help. My FTP in base was 212 or so, and it grew to 240 according to the last ramp test, but I feel like isn’t actually representative of my current level right now considering every other workout seems to be a failure in compliance. I’ve not done ANY steady state efforts with this new FTP, so I don’t really know how correct or incorrect it is. My suspicious is that my FTP is more likely around 225 given recent performances.
I came into this workout super rested (didn’t ride since my failed workout on Saturday and spent my time horizontal as much as possible Sunday) and well fueled. And that’s particularly why I feel like something is wrong here. The workouts last week, although I felt good, never actually complied with the power prescribed once it got over FTP, and that trend has continued into this week.
I’m thinking I may can the rest of specialty for the year and just spend time having fun on the bike instead. Flex the fitness I have with friends, take time off and hit the base training again in November after disconnecting for a bit. This is the longest and most consistently I have ever trained before, so I may just chalk it up to the body not being used to this many weeks of structure in a row.
Galena. Pretty tough especially after the Galena +3 yesterday. Had the same annoying last interval coaching telling me I should stop. Not a fan of this @chad
How do I turn that off? Is it possible to do within the workout?
It’s in the settings option. I agree with you on the text like that, and have turned it off myself. Another one that gets me is “if this is easy…” during workouts like VO2 when I’m dyyyyying.
Build literally killed me, I also canned it after 4 weeks. I’m no expert and probably haven’t trained as long as you, but you sound fatigued, take that break and I’m sure you’ll come back stronger than ever! I’ve never felt fitter and put it down to absorbing the stress💪
Yeah, I just deleted the rest of specialty (only 8 workouts left in total). Those efforts are just so sharp, and I do not have the capacity to repeat those efforts like that. That said, now I understand how it helps you peak for races. That mental toughness and ability to repeat 150% efforts would be a huge get.
Build was certainly tough, but I managed to do all but one workout in the last week with perfect compliance (last year I could not make it through the whole phase). The most consistent lack of compliance with power targets has been in specialty the past 2-3 weeks when the power targets started to regularly include 130 to 150% efforts. Totally leg breaker.
Same here. Puts a whole new perspective on doing indoor training.
Meant to post yesterday, but got busy and forgot.
Basin -4: comments in the ride notes, which will help me remember not to do this one again.
Baird +6 for me tonight. I managed to stay on the TT poles until the 2nd last over when I psychologically needed to take a break my mind wondered and I fell into the ERG spiral of death which made the last interval back on the TT poles hard so after 30-40s of that interval I turned ERG off for about 30 or 40s so I could get my cadence back up to finish the session relatively comfortably 
Listened to the Roadman podcast throughout or that last zone 2 section for 33mins would have been mind numbing 
@BCrossen & @TonyLPowell - glad I’m not the only one who struggles with Basin and variants. They are like multiple Ramp Tests one after the other. Only “managed” one of the intervals in Basin+1 but somehow got through Basin and Basin-4.
Dude. I didn’t realize what I was in for until I was in it. It literally feels like the final 3 minutes of a ramp test, but then take a 5 minute rest and do it again and again and again. Literal death and resurrection every 10 minutes. Idk how others are so compliant with that workout based on my experience. It seemed literally impossible.
One of the benefits of resistance mode is that you only have to “chase” the target and do your best with whatever the target wattage is set on. 130% and above is too much for this old man; can’t imagine doing that in ERG mode.
I always get the gloves @runriderandi. So much so that I have actually opened up my own glove shop at the base of AdZ. I’m overstocked.
I feel you on this one mate. Generally speaking, nap time doesn’t fare well on the days that I choose to ride up AdZ during the nap! I’ve had to swap things around so that I cycle first thing in the morning now. Up at 4:50am and on the bike at 5am before everyone else wakes up. That way, come nap time, Dad also uses the time to have a nap
