This Week's Training

Coach Wharton (www.onlinebikecoach.com) sent me the next block of training workouts. I am on a 4-day-a-week plan, plus Sunday's open to do my local morning 3 hour group ride. The plan starts out with lots of short interval work, then transitions to longer intervals, and then to longer high intensity rides.

I thought I would post my workouts this week, to give everyone an idea of a typical week:

MODAY: This is my rest day, and more importantly, the day I watch "24."

TUESDAY: Did a 60 minute workout on the CompuTrainer. Tonight was 27 60x60 intervals at 120% of FTP using the ErgVideo MAP Intervals DVD. Since my FTP is currently 198 watts, the intervals were in the 230-240 watt range for 60 seconds, followed by 60 seconds at recovery, or about 90-100 watts (which is essentially the rolling resistance of the trainer). I am noticing definite improvement over the last time I did these.

WEDNESDAY: Tonight's workout was a 90 minute "Spirited Club Ride" from the ErgVideo DVD set. Coach Wharton inched up my FTP to 200 watts. This ride starts out rather mellow for the forst 20 minutes, then picks up the pace a bit. At about an hour in the guys kick it up and start breaking away and chasing each other down, so there are a number of 2 to 5 minute intervals of hard riding. It mellows out again over the final 10 minutes. Finished at midnight.

THURSDAY: More intervals today--these a little longer. 8 x 90 seconds and 4 x 2 minutes, all at the 120+% FTP range. 60 minutes total.

FRIDAY: Rest day.

SATURDAY: This was scheduled as a group ride day, but I had to do some calibration rides to dial in my power meter. It was my daughter's birthday and I ran out of time to get a full ride in.

SUNDAY: Group ride outside. 3 hour ride that included a 9 mile climb. Fun ride and a good hard workout.

So that's a typical week on the bike. Three nights on the CompuTrainer, and the weekend rides outside, Saturday ride optional as an ErgVideo ride or outside ride--my choice.

Coming soon: Coach Rich describes the plan behind the plan...how does all this training stuff prepare me for a 172 km ride?

Ken