alien wrote:
Don't lose motivation seeing people with big watts. Watts/kg aka FTP/kg if comparing to other people, is a better measurement. IMO, don't test higher and change your FPT in the middle of a training plan. If you feel stronger then bump up your workout % or just push yourself harder. Your new FTP will raise the workout bars and with progressively longer/harder rides it can be a bit much (learned the hard way). I follow the Full triathlon Base plan but do the weekend rides outside, longer and harder. Tuesdays are my favorite workouts. After the Base phase I will go into the Full Build phase then into Full Specialty ending for my Ironman race. I followed the half high volume specialty in jan-feb and did very well at a 70.3 a couple months ago.
First FTP was around 200 in Jan this year when I started. Retested at 230 (3.25 watt/kg) in March. I can tell I am ready to test up now but I am going to wait another 4-5 weeks until I am done with the Base Build.
Awesome tool to use!!!!
Yeah. I have to remind myself that there are many things that go into these numbers. I have followed trainerroad HIM base->build->specialty plans. I started base at 200 I believe. Start of build ftp test was 220. Hit a fatigue wall week 6 of build program. Specialty ftp test at beginning was 209. Stuck with that and it seemed accurate since workouts were tough and I could just barely get through intervals. Did an Olympic distance recently and bike leg was much improved over anything I've done in the past. So even though I still want to raise my ftp, I know I've improved even if I'm not seeing, currently, huge jumps like other people.