Trainer Road v Sufferfest: The Hunted

Top session today on the turbo trainer. It hurt. A great deal.

Long tempo

Good session today. I earn't my Sunday dinner today.


TSS - 228
IF - 0.824

Serious Tempo

90 min Tempo ride with 30sec seated stomps every 5 mins. This little baby gets tough towards the end. 


TSS- 176
IF - 1.00

Indoors with Guyat - from Trainer Road

I just love this session - although it is harder at 6.00am compared to 6.00pm!

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PMQs Cycle Safe - David Cameron response

It's good to see the safety of us cyclists finally being raised in Parliament. Here you can watch the whole of Julian Huppert's  cycle questions and David Cameron's answer, supporting The Times Cities Fit For Cycling Campaign.





"I think that if we want to encourage the growth in cycling that we have seen in recent years, we need to get behind campaigns like this" David Cameron, PMQs, 22.02.12


You can also listen to an audio recording of David Cameron's response to Julian Huppert's question during today's PMQs here.


According to The Times more than 27,000 cyclists have been killed or seriously injured on British roads in the past 10 years and have launched an 8-point manifesto calling for cities to be made fit for cyclists. Please sign the petition here and spread the word by tweeting #cyclesafe.


Thank you to Julian Huppert for putting the question forward. You can follow him on Twitter at @julianhuppert.

Geiger counter

Tuesday's are always busy with work, so it's indoor trainer time, something I am far more motivated for having found TrainerRoad. If you have an ANT+ wireless unit for heart rate or power and a laptop then it will transform your turbo trainer sessions.


I try and use my Tuesday and Wednesday indoor session to get in an hour of  quality work just below threshold in the sweet spot. The principle of sweet spot training is a balanced amount of intensity and volume that produces a maximal increase in functional threshold power (FTP). The “sweet spot” is found between the top end of zone 3 and low end of zone 4. It is within these ranges that cyclist will build their base the most and simultaneously increase power at threshold, giving the most bang for your buck, and thus the nickname, “sweet spot”.


Tuesday's serving from the TrainerRoad selection of sweet spot sessions was GEIGER: 60 minutes comprising 3 x 12 minute efforts in the sweet spot (target 237W) with only 3 minutes rest between intervals. Target TSS -67 with IF at 0.82 for the whole session.


Hitting the numbers:

I hit all the numbers prescribed for the session which is very satisfying - getting in over 30 minutes just below threshold power. I am already looking forward to my next FTP test in a couple of weeks time, I'm positive it will be higher after several weeks of quality sweet-spot efforts.


You can access the ride file on TrainerRoad here.

To climb like Jonathan Tiernan-Locke

I hope to be able to climb up the mountains of Corsica like Johnathan Tiernan-Locke come the big week in May. Awesome result winning stage 2 and the overall at Tour du Haut Var following his win earlier this month in the Tour of the Med.

Watch the last few minutes of this video – the finishing climb is seriously steep. That’s hitting the numbers!

Good work fella. 

Garmin Vector Power Meter Release Delayed Again

What a pain - I was hoping to pre-order the Garmin Vector from the guy's at Cycle Powermeters so that I could use my nice climbing wheels for the Raid Corsica rather the PowerTap combined with Mavic Open Pro I have been using.

Garmin Vector

However, rather than seeing my glass as being half empty, I decided to upgrade my PowerTap rental from Cycle Powermeters to a gorgeous FSA K-Force Light Pro SRM system. 


This way I can can now use a matching set of climbing wheels, and the K-Force system allows me to change the chain rings from standard 53/42 to a compact 50/34 when I head out to the mountains of Corsica in May. Result.


Mavic R-Sys Wheels

You can read an update on the Garmin Vector delay via the link below. 
Come on Garmin, no more delays please!

Garmin Vector Power Meter Release Delayed Again - BikeRadar:


'via Blog this'

Session with the lads

Despite the cold weather and several mechanical issues over the weekend I managed to finally get a good turbo session ticked off on Saturday evening to test out my lovely new power meter - SRM on FSA cranks followed on Sunday by an early morning rise to be greeted by freezing conditions for steady endurance ride with ride with some of my Raid Corsica buddies, Tony and Paul.


First up on Saturday was GUYAT, a great 1 hour TrainerRoad tempo and sweet spot session. 


Here's the low down
4x10 minute intervals with 2 minutes rest between intervals. Each one increases in intensity starting at tempo and ending at sweet spot.

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/rides/29001

This is one of my favourite indoor sessions - not hard but you know you've had a workout!


Here's the Guyat ride on STRAVA.


Next up on Sunday was a very early start - heading out at first light to rendezvous with Tony and Paul for a 50 miler in the frost. I wasn't expecting a  puncture repair in the middle of a blizzard - something I doubt we'll encounter in Corsica on the Raid!


It was good to get out in the fresh air and ride in company - I managed a couple of good efforts, including getting 6th place on the Pounden Hill SRAVA segment. Cool.



I was a bit pasted towards the end. Jet lag and a late night was taking it's toll; I was hoping to hit a TSS of 250 for the ride, but only managed 200.


Another quality week in the bag. 


More detail of the full ride can be found on STRAVA.

Back in Blighty

After an eight hour flight I managed to get straight out on the road for a quick sweet spot session. When I left the UK last week it was -3 degrees, but riding today made it My Powertap needs a service, so I headed out with just my Garmin 800 and heart rate monitor, the plan was to blast an hour in my sweet spot - or between 150 and 160 bpm. 

Hitting the Numbers

My recent FTP test, which put my power at threshold at a pleasing 261W, also predicted my threshold heart rate at 156 bpm - sometimes called lactate threshold heart rate or LTHR. This number provides a rather helpful insight for when I am not using a power meter for measuring the intensity of each interval or session, as it is a much better guide than using training zones based on maximum heart rate.

So I was pleased to average 155 bpm for the session and 160 bpm for the 1 hour sweet spot effort. Getting a puncture just as I was warming up was a bit frustrating thought!  


I am starting to look forward to the Raid Corsica now. Bring it on!

The details of the training ride are on STRAVA:

Suffering in Paradise

This is my last day in Dubai after a great week with the family on the beach. Now it's back to the UK to get wrapped up for a weekly diet of Sufferfest and TrainerRoad combos mixed with a couple of longer tempo rides on the road laced with a shot or two of low cadence stomps.


I managed another session in the luxurious gym at the Atlantis Palm today. No messing about; 30 minutes of FTP work. 5 minutes tempo to warm up then 165 bpm for 25 minutes. The guy on the bike next to me was reading cycling weekly while I was totally soaked in in sweat. When I finished we had a brief chat - he thought I was mad - I just winked and said 'IWBMATTKYT'.


Back to Blighty and proper riding on Thursday. 

Life is a beach

After a week in Dubai eating and drinking in the luxury of the Atlantis Palm I am going to need some serious Sufferfest and TrainerRoad sessions in my chamber of pain (the garage - where my turbo trainer is located).

I heard today one of my fellow raiders has dropped out of the Raid Corsica due to work commitments - we will miss you Fletch! However, that means we have a spare place - are you up for it? Drop me a line if you are.

I have managed a session in the gym on the concept 2 rowing machine followed by a spin on the indoor bike. I was quite pleased to knock out 5k in 20 minutes - on the rower that is! I am not a great fan of gyms, but it was great entertainment watching others working out - without breaking into a sweat. Everyone was bemused to see me soaked after an hours 'proper' training.

I'll be back #hittingthenumbers again on Thursday evening with 3 long tempo rides back to back Friday through to Sunday to get my weekly TSS up to a reasonable level. Back on the wagon too - I've not got long left to get down to 80kg! No more Mojitos.

Eclipsed by dragon slayers and my sweet spot

Thank's once again to the guy's at TrainerRoad (@trainerroad) for this great session and 'on screen' motivation when it was -10 outside and snowing. I can't remember the last time I did a turbo session for more than an hour, let alone 90 minutes! 

Eclipsed: here's the gig

3 x long, Sweet Spot efforts (SST) - 20 minutes each - with 5 minute recoveries between each. Added, optional emphasis on cadence with one interval spent over-spinning and another spent under-spinning. (+15/-15 rpm).  

That's 90 minutes to produce TSS 90 at an IF of 0.84. 

For added entertainment, Reign of Fire on Sky Go Desktop - 97 minutes long, so just the right length for this 90 minute sufferfest. Pretty entertaining (while I could see during the first two intervals) with a story line about modern day dragon slayers that didn't take much following, particularly by the time I got round to the 3rd 20 minute SST interval. No Oscar nominations for Christian Bale in this movie!

What actually happened (with the session rather than the film)

The chart below is automatically produced by the TrainerRoad software that sits on your laptop. Ride data is synchronized with the TrainerRoad website at the end of the session, where you can compare yourself with the TrainerRoad community of riders that have completed the same session. Nothing wrong with a bit of competition.

The good news is that I managed to hit my target av. power (236W) in all three intervals, despite the lactic build up in the final effort. Gritty as my friend Simon Jones (@jonessimon2000) would describe it. I just know this kind of session is banking me some credit for those long climbs on the Raid Corsica come May. (Keep talking positive Steve).

The full data file is available on TrainerRoad here.

Not long now until some winter sun in Dubai. I'll need to nail a couple of solid sessions on Monday and Tuesday. I checked out the hotel and they have a good gym with Armstrong spinning bikes so I can sneak a couple of sessions in while away.

Alberto Contador banned after clenbuterol positive | Latest News | Cycling Weekly

Alberto Contador banned after clenbuterol positive:

The decision took too long, I don't know if it is a good or bad thing for cycling, but if one thing is for sure the UCI have been made to look incompetent by not closing this case sooner.


Should Andy Schleck now be crowned winner of the 2010 Tour? Personally, I don't think so.


'via Blog this'

Gieger Sweet Spot Session - TrainerRoad

This is a great indoor session when you only have an hour to ride, or in my case it's snowing outside! 


This is what I had to do - following the session on my laptop via TrainerRoad 


Geiger Session 


3x12min efforts spent in the Sweet Spot - a little harder than tempo work but not as exhausting as threshold work - to improve aerobic fitness (both power & endurance) in minimal time. Recovery between efforts is brief, just 3 minutes.


The session includes on screen instructions and included a focus on pedal technique - 'kick and pull' with a smattering of high/low cadence work for variation. I can't believe how quick an hour went by - turbo training has never been such fun.


You can see the ride data here on TrainerRoad
Rides - TrainerRoad:


All my sessions are available on Strava.

Dropped on Alpe d'Huez

If you haven't yet tried it, give The Sufferfest a go - in conjunction with your power meter and Trainer Road it is an awesome training tool.


Today I went for the Angels session - this is what the guy's at The Sufferfest dished up in a tasty hours session*:

• 6:30 warm-up, featuring footage from track racing in San Diego
• 10:00 of over/under intervals, with 1:00 just above your threshold, and 1:00 just below threshold, repeated 5x. Featuring footage from the 2009 Paris-Nice when Alberto Contador got, gasp, dropped by just about everyone!
• 3:00 rest, featuring some beautiful descending footage from cyclefilm.com, effort level 4/10.
• 8:00 climbing, while you try to stay with Andy Schleck in the 2009 Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Effort level starts at about 7/10, attacks take you up near 9/10, until setting down to 7/10 for most of the rest.
• 4:00 rest with more descending, effort level 4/10.
• 8:00 climbing, with a gradually increasing pace up the famous Col d’Eze in the 2010 Paris-Nice, featuring Vockler, Contador, Sanchez…yeah, all the big boys. You do the first two minutes at 6/10, next two at 7/10, next two at 8/10 and the last two at 8.5/10. There are a few accelerations in the group that ask you to increase cadence without increasing effort….which can be a little tricky, as you’ll find out.
• 4:00 rest with more descending, effort 4/10.
• 8:00 climbing, with the freaking mother of all climbs: Alpe d’Huez…can you stay with Contador in the 2010 Dauphine-Libere? You start the climb bridging up to the break with an effort level of 8/10. Then you pretty much do 8/10 the whole way up. Oh, wait, I forgot about the bajillion attacks that push you so far into the red that you’d swear your eyes are bleeding.
• 4:00 warm down featuring a sort of motley arrangement of things to keep you entertained. Including the first Sufferfest xtranormal video. Oh boy.

Here's a little taster:

* Cribbed from their website (hope you don't mind guy's?)

Having been dropped on the final climb of the session - Alpe d'Huez - where there are lots of accelerations at the top end of my VO2max and anaerobic capacity power zones it looks like this might be an area for me to focus on during March and April. 


You can see the training file from today's session online at STRAVA or Trainer Road.

Trainer Road - Angels 01.02.12

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