Sunday, January 30, 2011

An hour at tempo - inside


here's an hour at tempo (202w average). I was hoping to make it to a higher part of tempo, but indoors is tough. If I go by my old FTP (which I am still using) then it's 85%, which is right in there. If I go by my new FTP, then it's 81%.

The cadences are all in line with John Coltrane's Live at the Village Vanguard session. Obviously my favorite tune is Impressions, where I get to hit at climbing cadence. Some of the earlier stuff was exceeding 110 and that hurts when I am above endurance pace.

I figure outdoors would make it possible to add at least ten watts to this (or more) at the same RPE.


Friday, January 28, 2011

What it feels like when your threshold power goes up.

What it feels like when your threshold power goes up.

I have to admit, I pay too much attention to the stupid power number. That is a good thing sometimes but can be a bad one when it keeps me from improving. For instance, if I keep focusing on a certain number that I call my “FTP” and try to hit it or try to base a workout around it, then what happens when my form gets better? Huh? Hmmmmmm?

So, the other day, I am starting an interval. (for those of you who are…..wait…forget that. ….

For ALL of you…)

-when I do intervals inside I do them in rhythm to music. It’s because I am a musician. It’s because I am a bass player. It’s because music is always on in my head anyway. It’s because music makes the world go round. It’s because I dig music. It’s because I need something to help me stay sane… wait, strike that….

Keep from going further into insanity

Yeah. That’s it.

So..

The Other Day, I am starting an interval. Two versions of Straight, No Chaser, total time 21 minutes, tempo to create a cadence between 92 and 79 rpm, depending on the version. Perfect.

I get about 5 minutes into it and feel good, so I click up a gear…

Me: “wait a minute”

Myself: “what?”

Me: “my HR is too low”

Myself: “no it isn’t”

Me: “yes it is”

Myself: “but I feel fine…”

Me: “ok then it’s not too low, so how about I click up another gear?”

Myself: “fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. You know whata happa whena you burn it all out early, Mr. Start-too-hard.”

Me: “but I feel good too!”

Myself: “Ok, I’m outa here.”

(so I click up another gear and wait for the blowup)

….

(no blowup yet and we hit the halfway mark. Ten minutes and I am still alive and kicking….)

Me: “Self? Yo!!! Self!!!...hey!! come back here…. I need you!”

Myself: “quit bothering me, I’m avoiding you.”

Me: “but I still feel fine and I am OVER threshold”

Myself: “you’re dreaming, kid. You screwed up the zero on your PM.”

Me: “nope. Zeroed it right before this workout.”

(very interesting)

(another few minutes pass and I am wondering WTF)

Myself: “um.. I don’t like this. It’s too unfamiliar”

Me: “well get used to it, Self! Hey! Quit looking at the stupid meter! Find something else to look at will ya?”

Myself: “but this does not compute”

Me: “yes it does you ninny! You are just unwilling to accept change. Now I command you to ignore everything but RPE from now until the end of the interval.”

Myself: “humpf”.

(I do. I stare at the fan from this point on until the music stops)

(one last gear, 53x12, top gear. Never been here before this late in a 20)

Me: “told you.”

PR

-end