Power13 wrote:
NeverEnough wrote:
xtrpickels wrote:
Power13 wrote:
NeverEnough wrote:
Alright, thanks for all of the responses....perhaps I should add some clarification.
I am 6'1" 156 lbs on race day, 159/160 during training. My BF is 8.5% (calipers) 12-13% (BF Scale).
I looked back at my last race data (Haines City 70.3). 2:39, 207 average power, 21.0 MPH, IMFL was 20.4 mph, I did not have a power meter for that race.
I have been working with a coach for the last 16 months. I am very pleased with my race performance improvements...he has done a hell of a job...and I have trained my ass off.
We train off of heart rate (bike/run)...and those zones were set 16 months ago, and I have seen definite improvement. I am faster at lower hear rates.
My coach (trust him completely) told me that some of my concern about not being able to push to higher heart rates during training can be due to training fatigue. I am sure that is the case.
My speed on the bike has improved also.....it just seems like the effort I have put in should be yielding more than a 207 avg watts for a race. Really, I don't care what the watts are....just using that as a gauge, as people on ST throw that number around. My goal is to be able to avg 22+ MPH for a 70.3 and 21+ for a full....since speed translates to lower times.
Lastly, i know there are a lot of factors to take in, but for me to hit those speed, what sort of wattage would I need to push (average). Does it just take longer to build up to higher wattage/faster speed on the bike vs run?
Why are you training off HR for the bike if you have a power meter? And why haven't you reset your zones in 16 months?
Honestly, those two points would make me question what your coach is doing.
This bears repeating.
My coach uses HR primarily, I happen to have a power meter and I see watts when I am on the CT, we also use watts for intervals but primarily training is HR based.
I hear what you are saying about 16 months...I have definitely improved in this area but I sort of feel like if I am killing myself trying to get my HR up to Z3, why re-test and not push as hard as I would to get my HR that high? I have not asked about re-testing, he knows what he is doing....I keep having a PR (knock on wood) at every race so something is working...and I am very pleased. My question is really about understanding how you get to the point of operating at higher wattage (aka go faster), what is a realistic gain, is it a time thing, leg strength, etc. I guess I just feel like I should be faster on the bike by now.
You are equating two things that are not necessarily related.....your results and your belief that your coach knows what he is doing.
I could pull together a half-assed training plan and as long as you followed it, you would improve (especially as a newbie). That is not hard to do. The question needs to be are you maximizing your potential?
To be brutally honest, based on the two points noted above, I honestly don't think your coach knows what he is doing. Training by HR when power is available is simply mind-blowing. Over 16 months, your fitness has improved. If you are retesting to find out what your new levels are, you are not training efficiently.
I get that you have improved with your coach....but as shown above, it doesn't necessarily mean what you think it means.
I would recommend looking for a new coach. Seriously.
I hope this horse has been beaten to death, but lets be real here.
You train with power, I train with power. So far, so good.
I occasionally look at things like speed & HR, because those are outputs. It goes something like this:
watts -> other factors (elevation, hydration, temperature, fatigue) = speed, HR.
And to answer your question, 300w is easy (upcoming nothumblebrag alert). Get a real coach.
My FTP in 2 years of triathlons:
Winter 2013: 318
Summer 2013: 335
Fall 2013: 353
Spring 2014: 368
Weight has been consistent enough, ~80kg.
Get a real coach.
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@adamwfurlong