Knighthood Training Week 1

So here we go, another batch of posts that are training week roundups, I like these posts as it gives me the opportunity to look back on some of my comments that I write and try and make sense of what I was trying to put down on paper. As a reminder I am training for Sufferlandrian Knighthood using the TrainerRoad Advanced Build 1 plan.

This week comprised of 5 rides here’s how it shook out, the links will take you to my TrainerRoad Ride data, Garmin Connect Data is also linked

Monday; off. Mission accomplished!

Tuesday; 20 Minute Test FTP Test. The ride is basically a 30 minute warm up followed by the 20 minute test. my FTP increased marginally since the Tour of Sufferlandria to 206 from 205; told you it was marginal! New 30 minute power record 198 watts. GC data

Wednesday; Black. Bit of a leg flush after yesterday’s FTP Test, 80-90rpm, with a bit of climbing just to get out the saddle. Power zone 2-3. I have ridden Black several times and it’s a good one to follow a tough day with. GC data

Thursday; Smith. First of 3 90 minute rides this week. 6x10min sets very close to FTP; 3 minutes rest between intervals. First 2 at 90+rpm, next 3 at 85rpm last one at 55-60rpm standing. I mixed up the cadences as suggested just to make it a little different and get me out of the saddle. New 60 minute power record; 176 watts. GC data

Friday; off. Friday night after a long week, not the best time to get on a trainer!

Saturday; Centennial. 6 intervals ranging from 6-8 minutes at 100% FTP where as much time as possible is spent out-of-the-saddle. Recoveries range from 3-5 minutes between each interval. Aimed for 70rpm on the climbs. I spent a lot of times on the drops but out of the saddle climbing as I couldn’t quite get the right power riding on the hoods. Added my weighted flywheel to this. GC data

Views from the back and front!

Sunday; Emerson Phew that was nothing but plain hard work! Weighted flywheel on trainer added to the fun! 5x10min intervals spent slightly above or slightly below FT (3U/2O); with 5 minutes rest between intervals (RBI). 5x10-minute Over-Under intervals alternating between 3 minutes @ 95% FTP & 2 minutes @ 105% FTP with 5-minute recoveries between intervals. Wk1 is in the bank! GC data

Here is the overall week;So a week completed and spent on the Trainer, how was it? Well the workouts make you work, there is no coasting, if you stop pedaling you stop moving! The one caveat to that is the added flywheel which provides a longer coast down but if you stop pedaling and coast there is no power output being measured! Overall the workouts are well structured and while at first glance similar; an interval is an interval, the durations and intensities based around your FTP make them all the more interesting. Having having “Micro Intervals” significantly adds to the intensity. One bonus is that TrainerRoad allows you to layer the application over another screen on your pc so I was able to catch up on a couple of movies on Netflix…when I wasn’t chewing on my stem!

How does this compare to training on the road? I was searching around for a ratio of trainer time vs. road time and I came up with an old thread on SlowTwitch which says the Trainer adds 50%, a thread on RoadBikeReview said that Chris Carmichael said 50 minutes Trainer = 60 minutes Road. Overall it’s subjective, there is some ratio as on the road you can coast and there are downhill’s and so on whereas on the Trainer, as mentioned, if you stop pedaling you stop moving. The biggest qualitative comment I can make it that these keep you honest, your output has a direct correlation to your input! Put simply work hard and get results!

It’s early days but based on this week I would say that there is a very similar approach  in this Training Plan to the FIRST plans used for running which I have had a lot of success with in the past, (10k Review, Half Marathon Review) which are based around Intervals and Temp work, time will tell more, and this is only a first impression…no pun intended!

So Week 1 is in the bag 8 more to go!