Goals / Results

Last post I wrote a bit about inspiration, and nothing is more inspiring than seeing results. Since I don't race I can't point to spots on a podium, or personal-best time-trial efforts, to demonstrate results. Thankfully, my cycling efforts don't require that I get a sponsor's name in front of a camera!

Instead, every few weeks I ride the ErgVideo Threshold Test to track my progress. My most recent test put me at an FTP of 207 watts, up from 198 watts a month earlier, which was up from 192 watts on my first test. So in about three months I am up 15 watts, which is tracking perfectly with my personal goal of getting my FTP to 225 watts by the Etape du Tour.

Along with increasing my wattage, I am also attempting to bring down my weight to achieve a higher power to weight ratio. I started in November of 2008 at 165 lbs. Currently, I am hovering at about 150. My target weight for July is 140-145. There was a very revealing article on the Team Astana website that talks about weight its correlation to the energy required to move it on a bike (link below).

As much as I appreciate the technology of the CompuTrainer, nothing beats just getting outside and riding. With weather hovering in the mid 60s it was a perfect weekend for riding. A small group I ride with on Sundays headed up into the local mountains along the same route taken by the Tour of California as they went from Santa Clarita into Pasadena. It's hard to believe that this view is just a 30 minute ride from Pasadena, CA.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who has donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation in support of my ride. We have broken $1,000! Your contributions are truly appreciated. And of course if you would like to donate, just click on the link on the right column to go the my LAF fundraising page.

Ken

Watts per Kg Article

http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/fresh_brew/watts.html

Inspiration

Yesterday I was listening to an interview with Phil Keoghan on TheFredCast cycling podcast. Phil is riding across America and raising money for the MS Society. He rides a century every day as he works his way across the country. That interview started me thinking about what inspires and motivates cyclists to train and ride hard.

As a fairly self-motivated person, it doesn't take much to get me to jump on my bike and go for a ride. But going for a ride, and training, are very different. Jumping on my trainer at 10pm when I would really just like to chill out in front of the TV or go to bed takes a little extra motivation.

I've found that a few things can provide that little push:

1) Expectations. I know that my coach is expecting to see a file the next day. I hate to let other people down. If I know someone is showing up at 6am to ride I can drag myself out of bed and be ready to go. Knowing that my coach has worked to prepare a training plan, and is expecting to see the results of a workout is a motivating factor for me.

2) Work towards a goal. Training with a mind towards achieving long term and short term goals keeps me focused on the big picture. As I see myself achieving the short term goals (weight loss, increased wattage, etc.), I know that I am progressing towards the long term goal.

3) Work for a Cause. Riding to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation has put my efforts into a larger context. Now it is not just for me. People are spending their money to support me, and that adds a level of responsibility on my part to commit and follow through.

What inspires you?

Ken

Training Theory

I always like to understand the why of things, so I asked Rich Wharton of onlinebikecoach.com to go into a greater depth explanation of the training plan he devised for my Etape du Tour ride in July. Below is his quite detailed explanation. I take comfort in knowing that as I sweat through one more set of intervals, Rich has a reason for making me suffer!

Take it away, Rich:

Ken,

Knowing that we were roughly 17 weeks out from the Etape and the Mont Ventoux climb in July, I decided to count backwards and run you through multiple 6-week blocks of specific training, so that we could build upon systems that are necessary for the Four "S" 's.

• Stamina
• Strength
• Speed
• Skill

You've already been through several months of off-season preparation, so the goal right now is to get you ready for your Spring campaign with some Speed and Strength optimization intervals.

Weeks 17 through 12 are mostly MAP intervals - that means "Maximal Aerobic Power", or "Vo2max" style intervals. They're short (<6>

Vo2max intervals are designed to do what their definition implies - Maximize your ability to process oxygen and purge CO2, or, "Develop Maximal Aerobic Power". These are NOT the systems you'd use for Mont Ventoux - instead, they're what you'd use for your local hills in LA or San Diego. 3 to 6 minute hills in the middle of a ride that require power but also require that you recover in time for the next one. So - you're in the middle of a 5-6 week block that will attempt to do this.

Why six weeks? Well, if we base things on a 48 week year (time off for family vacations, holidays, etc.), It allows for good "Mesocycles" of progression in intensity, and periodization, which is the actual time spent recovering adequately so you can perform better. Also - there's some evidence, and it's kind of broad, though accepted, that you really can't train one system for more than about 8 weeks before you flatline on your performance in that category or energy system, and you need to change training so that your body can adapt to do something else. I call changing modes of training, "Juggling water with one hand." You try to keep one drop from hitting the ground, and another drop will fall while you pay attention to that drop. Nothing's ever perfect, though with steady training and practice, you can raise the entire level of your performance or fitness. It's the single-channel optimization that always yields relative drops in other areas.

The next block is a six-week block of AC intervals (levels 6 and 7 on a scale of 1 to 7), with a follow up workout of Threshold intervals (zone 4). This will do two things. It'll absolutely hammer your Anaerobic energy systems, giving you some needed Speed to 'attack' or 'counter-attack', and it'll also rejoin the aerobic workouts that optimize your stamina. This will take us well in to summer. Notice that in this 6 week block, we'll be completely bypassing Vo2max. Why? Well, look at most of your outdoor ride files. They spend a lot of time in the aerobic areas of Tempo and Threshold, and then bypass Vo2max to hammer high periods of accumulated time in the Anaerobic and Neuro-muscular energy systems. Vo2 is still used, but it's on the low part of the overall wattage trough, behind everything else. You still need to develop it, but as my own recent experience will dictate - climbing at Vo2 max usually means getting dropped... You'll need to spend time above and below that zone when climbing in a pack, so you can eke out the climb.

Finally, the last six weeks, we'll revisit Vo2max intervals, but we'll combine them with Threshold efforts as well. Again - you can't hammer out AC Intervals in to perpetuity and continue to think that you'll be able to make gains. Your neural pathways will be fried. I sometimes wonder if AC efforts shouldn't focus more on the AMPERAGE you're sending to the muscles, rather than the actual WATTAGE that the muscles are generating, in AC interval efforts. Returning to Vo2 efforts will allow those systems to recover while still holding on to the gains made from the previous 6 week effort. The Threshold efforts will almost be rote by now, but since this is all about a LONG Etappe, and a LONG climb up Ventoux, well, you'll still need to be able to perform steady climbs.

We'll taper you down on your volume starting at least two weeks out, but you'll be in France by then, anyway, and you'll be able to enjoy your rides that much more.

Sincerely,

Richard Wharton

USA Cycling Level 1 Coach

Author, Watts per Kilogram

Get your exclusive "Watts per Kilogram" CompuTrainer or ErgVideo(TM) Training Plan at

www.onlinebikecoach.com!