TR coaches,
Just started trainer road around Christmas, doing the Half Distance Triathlon Low Volume Base plan.
Today was my first repeat 20m test, and I upped my FTP from 189 to 235 which sounds great... except... I switched from virtual power to a Quarq, and previous comparisons have showed that my Quarq reads about 45-50 watts higher than VP with my setup. So accounting for the difference in power measurement, I basically didn't budge my FTP.
Some possible issues:
1) I'm 51 and a recovering from obesity and a previously sedentary lifestyle - started triathlons in 2011 and slowly progressing, losing weight, but not a strong athletic background
2) It's taking me about 9+ days to complete a trainerroad "week" - partly when I need more recovery, partly when I bike commute to work or go mountain biking with friends or do "praise and spin" with my wife in the am (her favorite workout) or do other "off plan" efforts, partly when I work a night shift or otherwise life gets in the way of my workout schedule
3) Perhaps the main point of a base program is not to increase FTP? I went on a 50 mile outdoor ride on my tri bike earlier this week, and was feeling good about my endurance fitness level. Used to be 50 miles would leave me pretty toasted and I'd finish draggy, but this time I was able to keep summoning another effort and another and another. Felt like I finished strong and was expecting a breakthrough FTP test. So this was a bit disappointing.
4) Testing low? I rather doubt it because the difficulty level of recent workouts has felt about right - difficult but not crushing.
Just wondering what to make of this and what I should be thinking as I move on into the build phase.
Just started trainer road around Christmas, doing the Half Distance Triathlon Low Volume Base plan.
Today was my first repeat 20m test, and I upped my FTP from 189 to 235 which sounds great... except... I switched from virtual power to a Quarq, and previous comparisons have showed that my Quarq reads about 45-50 watts higher than VP with my setup. So accounting for the difference in power measurement, I basically didn't budge my FTP.
Some possible issues:
1) I'm 51 and a recovering from obesity and a previously sedentary lifestyle - started triathlons in 2011 and slowly progressing, losing weight, but not a strong athletic background
2) It's taking me about 9+ days to complete a trainerroad "week" - partly when I need more recovery, partly when I bike commute to work or go mountain biking with friends or do "praise and spin" with my wife in the am (her favorite workout) or do other "off plan" efforts, partly when I work a night shift or otherwise life gets in the way of my workout schedule
3) Perhaps the main point of a base program is not to increase FTP? I went on a 50 mile outdoor ride on my tri bike earlier this week, and was feeling good about my endurance fitness level. Used to be 50 miles would leave me pretty toasted and I'd finish draggy, but this time I was able to keep summoning another effort and another and another. Felt like I finished strong and was expecting a breakthrough FTP test. So this was a bit disappointing.
4) Testing low? I rather doubt it because the difficulty level of recent workouts has felt about right - difficult but not crushing.
Just wondering what to make of this and what I should be thinking as I move on into the build phase.