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Training on 'Virtual' race course
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Pathlete
Jun 3, 19 8:15
Post #1 of 9 (1209 views)
I'm doing Boulder 70.3 (August) and have the bike course file downloaded into Trainer Road. I've done the course in two halves (in erg mode) and it defaulted to a 2.5 hr total ride. It kicked my ass and I'm certain if I'd done the real course at 100% FTP, I'd be finishing completely wasted but in far less than <2.5 hours.

Obviously I want to get an idea of the course and what time I can reasonably expect while leaving something for the run.

My question is, when doing a virtual course on a trainer, should I...
1. set the trainer to 100% intensity in erg mode,
2. set the trainer to 80% (or some other %) intensity in erg mode,
3. not set the trainer to erg mode and just ride the course.

Thanks
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Re: Training on 'Virtual' race course [Pathlete] [ In reply to ]
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JasoninHalifax
Jun 3, 19 8:17
Post #2 of 9 (1200 views)
not an expert, but my understanding is that FTP is the maximal wattage you can maintain for approximately 1 hour. Why do you think you can maintain that intensity for 2.5 hours?
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Re: Training on 'Virtual' race course [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Pathlete
Jun 3, 19 8:23
Post #3 of 9 (1192 views)
I can't. And the program doesn't ask for that. It's an intensity thing with TR. On the virtual course, it has you going up/down/flat as if you're riding at 100% intensity (100% of FTP). You'll go beyond FTP at several points and below (the down hills aren't realistic as it has you pedaling at ~%of FTP).

To your point, though: if you can do the route at FTP, then your FTP is too low. Sort of a circular argument.
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Re: Training on 'Virtual' race course [Pathlete] [ In reply to ]
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JasoninHalifax
Jun 3, 19 8:29
Post #4 of 9 (1178 views)
Pathlete wrote:
I can't. And the program doesn't ask for that. It's an intensity thing with TR. On the virtual course, it has you going up/down/flat as if you're riding at 100% intensity (100% of FTP). You'll go beyond FTP at several points and below (the down hills aren't realistic as it has you pedaling at ~%of FTP).

To your point, though: if you can do the route at FTP, then your FTP is too low. Sort of a circular argument.

It sounds like you're saying that the course is set so that it has you riding at 100% of FTP on the flat, above FTP on the uphills, and below ftp on the downhills. if the course profile were perfectly flat, you'd be riding at 100% FTP for 2.5 hours....
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Re: Training on 'Virtual' race course [Pathlete] [ In reply to ]
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gmh39
Jun 3, 19 8:32
Post #5 of 9 (1169 views)
You should set the trainer to the FTP% you want to hold for the course.

Or just turn off ERG and pace on your own. This is probably a better way to do it since you won't have ERG in the race.
Strava
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Re: Training on 'Virtual' race course [Pathlete] [ In reply to ]
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wintershade
Jun 3, 19 11:03
Post #6 of 9 (1093 views)
Pathlete wrote:
I can't. And the program doesn't ask for that. It's an intensity thing with TR. On the virtual course, it has you going up/down/flat as if you're riding at 100% intensity (100% of FTP). You'll go beyond FTP at several points and below (the down hills aren't realistic as it has you pedaling at ~%of FTP).

To your point, though: if you can do the route at FTP, then your FTP is too low. Sort of a circular argument.

I find this rather confusing. It seems like you'd want to ride this not in erg mode, but in slope mode, where the trainer simulates the actually grades on the course so you can figure out how hard you want to go and where, what gearing to expect to need, etc.

The notion of riding your entire race at some perfectly flat % of FTP rather unrealistic for a course like Boulder where you will under-perform if you try to "flatten" the course...
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Re: Training on 'Virtual' race course [Pathlete] [ In reply to ]
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wachman
Jun 4, 19 8:52
Post #7 of 9 (972 views)
Use BestBikeSplit to create a race plan. You can export the plan as a TrainerRoad file and create a workout with the file. BestBikeSplit will take care of determining the correct FTP %'s for every section of the course.
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Re: Training on 'Virtual' race course [wachman] [ In reply to ]
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Pathlete
Jun 5, 19 7:37
Post #8 of 9 (868 views)
That's exactly what I did and the result was brutally difficult and not practical if I wanted to run after. My FTP is correct (after a 12 week sufferfest training program and 4DP test before and after).
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Re: Training on 'Virtual' race course [Pathlete] [ In reply to ]
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wachman
Jun 5, 19 7:56
Post #9 of 9 (856 views)
What IF (Intensity Factor) did you use for the race plan?
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