I literally had this up in my browser from an earlier search today.

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/...-meter-in-an-ironman

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I do the same thing as them, just slower

I have that chart but that wasn't the question

Are you sure your FTP has been set correctly? 0.67 shouldn't feel like much, I'd say.

200kcal/hr seems pretty low. If you started on an empty stomach (no breakfast), it would be really low. Also, how was your hydration given the heat (how much weight did you lose on the ride?).

I ask since it's possible what you are feeling has more to do with nutrition/hydration than pace.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

While after a ride done at that intensity factor with a temperature of 75*F, lower humidity and some scattered clouds and you'd most likely be saying " my ride seemed way too easy";) What conditions will the race you're training for most likely take place in? The peak heat index for Kona is typically in the mid-eighties to very low 90s. so you're seeing way tougher conditions on your ride than there.


Cheers,

Hugh,

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

How did your run go at your last IM with the "easy" ride? Why not do your ride based on RPE? Hell, if you end up riding too easy you can make it up on the run.

I would say my FTP is accurate. Been doing trainer road for 2 years now. Although my current FTP is only 4 weeks old which was a 15W jump from previous one.

I know the nutrition wasn't quite high but I am trying to shed some weight for the IMWI hills. It will be higher on race day.

The previous IM I did, my brother bonked on the bike so I stayed with him through the rest of the bike and run. My fitness was never tested.

I wouldn't say that I am totally crushed after these rides at 0.65-0.7, but I wouldn't say they are easy either. The last hour of the rides requires focus to maintain power. I am just wondering if you guys feel the same? And whether I need to go even more conservative on race day.

Had a coffee, bagel and cream cheese for breakfast.

I hydrated a lot but in this heat you can never keep up.

This screams bonk to me....

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

I dont quite agree with this. If riding on "feel" alone I think that an IM bike leg goes like this:

first hour: focus to calm down and pedal softer.
second-fourht hour: pedal what feels like your long-ride pace. Comfortably pedaling at a fairly easy pace (I guess this one is different for the studs pushing 4:45 and below bike-splits..)
fith hour: focus to keep power within range. Should not be hard but requires that you concentrate to keep power within range - no longer feels like very easy pedaling.

Really? That would be awesome since it would be easiest to correct.

I was thinking the same thing. Depending on power output I would expect at least twice as many kcal.

I agree, there is no way OP is only burning 900 calories after 4 hours. I don't think he is eating enough during the ride.

.65 - .70IF should feel more than manageable on a long training ride. Your issue is nutrition/hydration or the lack of it on the bike.

What weight are you?

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https://ascentsportscoaching.com

1) How accurate do you think your FTP is?
2) With the heat index, 0.68, is probably more like 0.70-0.72 in terms of metabolic impact, cooling requires overhead, just like running the AC in your car consumes power from the engine. This is what everyone fails to understand in hot races. The impact is just as acute or worse running. How much of an impact depends on your speed, heat adaptation, what your wearing and cooling methods. Dumping a cold bottle of water on you every 20-25 minutes helps in a hot race for example. It reduces the energy required to generate sweat.
3) What was you VI? A 0.68 ride that 1.02, is different than 1.10.
4) 900 calories is a little light for 4h15m. I'd consume closer to 1200-1400, but mostly liquid because of the heat and depending on your size. depending on how fat adapted you are, energy levels may have impacted your output and it makes you feel more fatigued when your done.

IF takes a couple long rides to obtain that fitness for the longer duration. My 1st 5 hour ride sucks. The 2nd is better an by the 3rd I can put in some harder efforts and get closer to 0.75-0.78.

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TrainingBible Coaching
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But the OP wasn't riding by feel alone...obviously he/she was using a powermeter to know that the ride was at .68 IF

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

1. Not always but often, yes.
2. Yes

I would be careful though if you've just increased your FTP based purely on a short indoor test for 2 reasons (I'm assuming you did using one of the TR options). Personally I've yet to be able to actually hold what should in theory be my FTP according to shorter tests in reality and secondly that 15W increase may well be a real increase over that shorter duration but theres no guarantee that it translates to a longer ride.

With a 15W increase in FTP it probably means that you are looking at (give or take) a 10W increase in power over a 4hr ride which will likely feel significantly harder. Obviously abilities over longer distances are related to FTP but just because your FTP has risen doesn't mean the the 0.7 IF ride of a few weeks ago will feel the same as todays 0.7 IF ride if there is a 10W increase in power for the duration.

I weigh 167 lbs.
NP for the ride was 174W. FTP of 256.
Cal burnt was 2500.

This is exactly how my ride felt.

I don't know how accurate the FTP is. I haven't done an all out 1 HR TT. I do the 8 min FTP test on TR always. I do the workouts that follow based on that and usually I complete all of them.

I can try in 2 weeks with more nutrition. I have a 4.5 HR ride in a couple weeks.

Pavg was 172 and NP was 174. So VI very close to 1.0

Any reason you're not doing the 20 minute FTP test on TR? I'm just assuming a longer test would be more likely to give you a more accurate measurement of your FTP

I agree. I put more faith in a 20' effort than 8 minutes.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

I'll start doing the 20min test? I always thought they were the same. Just did the 8 to keep things consistent since the first one was the 8 min test. I have an FTP test coming up in 3 weeks.