To TT or not TT...

amjon · 12-12-2009 1:46pm #1

As the title suggests I'm basing my primary goals on time trials this coming season, namely the RTTC 10 champs here in the UK in May and the Irish TT champs in the Autumn.
Training started 4 weeks ago when I did poorly paced 20 minute power test(334 watts). After this I did a 3 week block of base training. This block of training was based on basic endurance (ie no threshold) and strength/core training in the gym. I averaged about 12 to 14 hours a week, with about 10 hours done on the bike with the remainder in the gym.
I tested again this morning and finished with 367watts for the 20 minutes. I reckon with proper training, rest and luck I will be able to push 400 watts for the 20 minute test by the summer. I'll update this every other week, Deo volante.

amjon · 10-01-2010 3:16pm

I was supposed to have done another 20 minute power test this weekend, unfortunately circumstances have conspired against my training over the last 2 weeks. After dragging my bike and turbo back to Ireland for Christmas I did 2 sessions and promptly fell ill. I got back last Monday only to find that I had left my cycling shoes behind. Not so bad as they were at least 2 sizes too big for me so at least now I won’t have to wear 2 or 3 pairs of socks while cycling in the future. Anyways the last week has been reasonably ok training wise but my power is skewed due to using my gym shoes with my Look Deltas so I can't really tell how my current power compares to my pre-Christmas power. I feel reasonably strong on the bike and have started doing a few "easy-ish" sweet spot sessions. I'm going to finish this 3 week block then do a power test after an easy week so will report back then, DV.

Lumen · 10-01-2010 5:35pm

amjon wrote: »

I did a 3 week block of base training...about 12 to 14 hours a week, with about 10 hours done on the bike...

...for Christmas I did 2 sessions and promptly fell ill.

Do you think the training volume contributed to the illness, or is 10 hours on the bike per week normal for you?

amjon · 10-01-2010 9:16pm

10 hours is normal but I only managed 8 that week, its hard to do more (effective) training with a full time job. The week leading up to my illness involved alot of travel and distrupted sleep so I'd say thats what pushed me over the edge.

amjon. · 30-01-2010 4:14pm

Did my third power test today. I reckoned I could hold between 380 and 390 watts from my previous sessions. I intended on going for 385 for the first 15 minutes then seeing what happened from there. In the end I went out at 390 and tried to hold it and I did for 13:20; what happened over the next 20 minutes is a bit of a mystery. I hit a wall but somehow managed to hold 350ish for the last 7 minutes according to WKO. I can't really remember any of this except for trying to keep every part of my body relaxed except for my legs, next thing I remember I was leaning against my bike drooling, half crying half shouting, unable to move. I felt like my eyes were about to explode and that fireworks were going off in my ears. I really wanted to lie on the floor but couldn't move. I felt like I was losing my mind and that I'd lost control of my body. Just as I was beginning to get scared I began to think clearer or something and got back onto my bike for a few minutes and eventually felt ok enough to do the last 10 minutes of my warm down on the rollers. I've felt bad after tests before but this was unbelievable. I'm still struggling to get my head around what exactly happened.
Anyways I finished at 376 watts, a 9 watt improvement. Not great but I know I'm capable of 382ish if I pace myself better so will be using this value to estimate my FTP for my next 3 week block of training. For the next block I will be starting some seated hill reps at 70-80rpm instead of one of my 3 weight sessions. I'll also be doing some short workout at my FTP with and aim of doing 2x20 min sessions at FTP from mid March onwards. At the moment I'm begining to look into getting my TT bike sorted. I reckon it will cost the guts of 4k but have found myself wondering should I just get a decent road bike and concentrate on RR's as I won't be living in the UK next year so won't have the oppportunity to TT up to twice a week. Either way I'm happy with my progress so far and think I'm doing a good job of coaching myself. Hopefully I'll have more good news in 4 weeks time, DV.

amjon. · 15-05-2010 11:07pm

Haven't updated this in ages. After my last post I endured a pretty awful 2 months training wise: 2 colds, 2 route canals, 4 kilos gained and a week of sciatica left most of Febuary and March bady distrupted. I managed to limit losses but missed out on alot of base miles. April was far better with the stretch in the evenings allowing me to catch up. My FTP is at about 370 watts at the moment.
As a result of the distruption I couldn't get a qualifying time for the 10 or 25 mile champs here so I've had to shift focus to later in the season. I haven't done any tests on the turbo since the last one but have done a few club time trials after work. The first one was a well paced 14.2 mile tt which I did a 32.54 in with an average of 382 watts. Last thursday I did a 10 mile in 23.37 with an average of 382 watts, this time I blasted out in the first 5 minutes at 430-odd watts and died towards the end so ended up with the same time to the 10 mile mark as I did the previous week but on the up side I registed a PB of 390 watts for the first 20 minutes.
Over the next block of training I'm going to start doing alot more work around threshold and some VO2max intervals. Hopefully I'll be able to push my FTP as far towards 400 as possible. Weight wise I'm triming down quite well and should be hitting 77kg by mid July. Finally I'm in the process of building up my TT bike, I should be taking deilvery of a p3c in the next week or so and am keeping my eyes open for some decent wheels and an SRM on ebay.

amjon. · 05-06-2010 10:31am

Well got a major kick in the balls this morning. Have couple weeks holidays coming up before some exams so was thinking of heading back to Ireland to do a couple of races. So I was looking through the CI calender and noticed the national TT champs are on on the 24th of June. I'd assumed they were on in the autumn like last year ect. Well it will be impossible for me to compete as I've got to be in Liverpool for an exam the next morning. I'll just have to readjust my training and look at doing some fast 25 courses over here in the UK.
Anyways I've got the guts of my TT bike sorted: a P3C frame, 999 wheelset, and SRM pro-all second hand bargains. I'm going to try cobble together a groupset and some handel bars and get it built up sharpish. Will be good to race on a proper TT bike rather than my 500 quid training hack.
Training/racing wise things have been going well. I've been hitting 380-odd watts for my 30 min FTP intervals. I've been maintaining 390 watts for 10's in my TT position which is a decent power/aero trade off. Will be looking at doing more work at VO2 max over the next couple of weeks and eventually will build into some anaerobic work in 2/3 weeks then taper off for the individual pursuit at nat champs.

amjon. · 26-06-2010 12:19pm

Did my first 25 in over a year last Saturday. Took almost 4 mins off my time from last year with pretty much the exact same kit( had an areo lid and powertap on this time). Managed to hold 382 watts all the way around, only 10 less than my best 10 wattage of the year. Hopefully once I get going on my P3C I'll be able to get closer to my road position wattage.
I've been responding well to the increased intensity in training so far. My half hour power in my road position hit 410 watts last Tuesday at the local chaingang. I think moving my saddle forward a bit has allowed me to maintain a higher power.
Anyways over the next 3 weeks or so I'll be concentrating on much shorter and sharper efforts in preparation for the IP.

Diarmuid · 26-06-2010 3:07pm

Those are pretty amazing figures! What weight are you?

amjon. · 26-06-2010 7:56pm

50kg:D I'm 79kg at the mo, could lose another 2kg or so but the risk of getting sick or burnt out while stressing myself to lose the extra bit isn't worth it imo. Plus I like ice cream and cheese too much.

amjon. · 23-07-2010 11:00pm

Well I did the 4k pursuit tonight in Sundrive: 5:11.x. Was riding to a 5:00 schedule, in theory at least. I never got on schedule even from the first lap. On the up side I managed to pace it very consistently. I had my brother there walking the line, so even knew as I was going around that my pace was down on what it should have been. I’m not really sure how to explain it. From training pieces on the road I should have been hitting 500ish watts for the effort but obviously didn’t get that out tonight. I think my gear might have been too high, was running a 50x13 and just never seemed to be able to get on top of it- or maybe I just didn’t have it in the legs on the night, probably the latter. Was the first outing for my new bike, seems pretty decent, think I fit it quite well. On the night there was some fast racing, with Martin Irvine taking the track record with a 4:50ish and a great final heat between last years silver and gold medallists (can’t remember their names.)
Apart from this minor disaster training has been going reasonably well. I finally broke the 400 watt barrier in the local club 10, held 407 watts for a 22:23-a new time pb aswell. Will be interesting to see how much faster my tt set up makes me on the local 10 course, will also be interesting to see if the SRM I bought off ebay actually works! As the season winds up I’m going to try nail a few 25’s and 10’s, then when I return from the UK in August I’ll join a club here and do a few RR’s.

To TT or not TT...

Comments