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Re: Increasing FTP and Building IM Bike Distance [jmaley]
jmaley wrote:
80-85% of FTP! If that is where you are working or at least some of the time then the base required to go the distance will be getting formed. My concern was simply that Rich was advocating FTP work (95-105% FTP) without hardly a mention of some lower intensity endurance(muscular) type trg. If EN is advocating some trg in the 80-85% range then that covers off my concern with the endurance trg as that is essentially trg at your HIM race intensity.


Below is cut and paste from our 20wk advanced IM plan, week 13 Saturday long ride of 4.5hrs. Definitions:
  • WU = Warmup
  • MS = Main Set
  • ' = minutes
  • (x') = rest interval, in minutes
  • 95-100%/Z4/Hard = ride at 95-100% of FTP, or at a Z4 heart rate, or Hard, depending on whether you have power, heart rate, or nothing at all.
  • WD: Warmdown

Bike 4:30 WU: 20-30' @ 65-70%/Z1-2/Easy

MS:
8' (3') @ 95-100%/Z4/Hard

10' (3') @ 95-100%/Z4/Hard

12' (3') @ 95-100%/Z4/Hard

12' (4') @ 95-100%/Z4/Hard

10' (4') @ 95-100%/Z4/Hard

8' (4') @ 95-100%/Z4/Hard

6 x 12' (2') @ 80-85%/Z3/Mod-Hard

For each interval include 2' standing WITHOUT spiking watts or effort, ie, standing for position change only.

Remainder of ride time is @75-80%/Z2, in the aerobars, practicing steady riding: no surges, constant power, etc.

WD: 10' Easy spin.

As a frame of reference, and because we are talking power-speak, a well-paced Ironman bike leg will generally accrue 275-~300 TSS points from about 5:15 to 6hrs. Athletes riding longer than 6hrs will generally put up 300-330 TSS points. We can use these numbers as a frame of reference for our training rides: "If I expect to put up ~285 TSS on race day, and on my Saturday ride I just racked up ~275 TSS, I've basically introduced an Ironman-ride's worth of training stress to my body, even though I did so in 4.5hrs vs the 6hrs that my friends say I need to be doing.

Guarantee that that ride above will net you north of 275 TSS, maybe close to 300 in 4.5hrs vs 6hrs.
  • 95-100%: we include this so the athlete continues to lift their FTP
  • 80-85%: we've found we can dramatically increase the TSS/hr of a ride by having them spend a lot of time at this intensity.
  • 75-80%: a tick higher than IM intensity, so they get used to riding in the bars, fueling themselves, etc at just higher than IM intensity.
  • The standing, steady riding, no surging stuff: I want them to develop the skill of riding steady. To stand...without spiking watts; to ride hills...without spiking watts, focusing on their efforts on the crest and into the downhill, etc
  • Around this workout, we've also told them they are stapled into the aerobars from Week X through race day.
  • These last two bullets reflect, for me, the requirement for race specific training.
The ride is followed by a 30' brick run, as Easy out, Marathon Pace (per Jack Daniels) back.

Next is the same week, Sunday ride:

Bike 3:00 WU: 20-30' @ 65-70%/Z1/Easy

MS: Spend as much time @ 80-85%/Z3/Mod-Hard as possible. Take short recoveries as needed (eat, drink, etc),

WD: 10' Easy spin.

"But what about aerobic base, race specific intensity, how can you ride 6hrs on race day if you've only ridden 4.5hrs in training."
  • The plan will include 2 x race sims of 112 mile ride followed by a 6mi run.
  • Plan includes 1-2 "big days:" ~1hr swim, 4hr bike, 1hr run.
  • We encourage folks to schedule a high volume bike or tri week if they want and have the resources.
Finally, there's what you read in a book, there's what you learn by coaching a handful of IM athletes...then there's what you learn in 15+yrs of IM-only coaching and thousands of athletes. Those workouts above reflect the experience of the later. Just sayin'.

--------------------------------

Rich Strauss
Endurance Nation Ironman 2013 and 2014 World Champion TriClub, Div I
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Last edited by: Rich Strauss: Dec 29, 10 9:11

Edit Log:

  • Post edited by Rich Strauss (Lightning Ridge) on Dec 29, 10 9:11