Cycling Fitness / Training Advice

To the pub?

Thanks, but I had my fill last night. #allthebeers

TR Ramp Test, didn't cheat it at all. Its actually the first test I've done that I quite enjoyed

See how you go taking a rest first, but my experience with TRs ramp test has been mixed at best. For three consecutive months last year I had improved results on the ramp test, while my sustained power abilities remained completely static. The result was that doing TR workouts around threshold became very taxing. I was basically too good at doing the ramp test. Unsurprisingly fairly common...

https://forum.trainerroad.com/t/harsh-reality-you-over-test-on-ftps-support-group/10342

I've switched to Kolie Moores testing protocols to set a value for threshold and sub-threshold work...

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the-physiology-of-ftp-and-new-testing-protocols/

I did read that thread after I retested, but will check the other one out. Genuinely think I was just tired, have had 3 days off and feeling like I want to get back on it now, so perhaps just residual fatigue from increasing my training load from zero to fucking lots

It also sounds like you have actually been doing the last six weeks a little too easy, a 30w jump in ftp is pretty big so likely your 230w guess was low.

Now you are trying to do the workouts correctly and the seem too hard. I would personally rest, then do the next one at 90%, building up to 100% progressively.

a 30w jump in ftp is pretty big so likely your 230w guess was low

That would suggest I'd not lost any fitness in 3 months though

Either way, rested all weekend and decided to ride outside instead today. The first hour my legs felt exactly the same, weak and anything in Z4 hurt like hell. Then bizarrely after an hour, felt amazing. I know it's not a great assessment as riding outside is very different to indoors, but I'm thinking that maybe my legs just need a decent hours warmup before hammering any workouts on the turbo

Or I should only ride outside 🤷🏼‍♂️

I did a morning session today. It sucked but I got through it. I much prefer doing them at lunch or after a commute home.

I'm not a morning person either. Usually try and do sessions late morning or lunchtime. Gives the morning coffee time to work it's magic

I can only do mornings now and probably going forward. Means a 0530 wake-up, porridge and caffeine straightaway for a 0615 start. The warm up is horrible every time but actually got used to the sessions now it's a routine.

How long are your sessions? I don't eat before any of mine, unless it's a lunch session in which case 3hrs+ beforehand. I mean, if you can stomach porridge 45min before a turbo workout all power to you, but I wouldn't be doing it.

Something that gets in your bloodstream faster might make it feel better?

Digesting oats for the full workout has got to pull lots of resources/blood away from your legs and lungs?

Of course grand tour riders eat on the bike, but tend to go for gels when the effort ramps up.

Large Coffee with about 25-30g sugar/carbs about 5:40 for a 6am turbo works ok for me, followed by porridge or ham, eggs, toast.

Good point both, I'm not doing anything over 90 mins or 105% at the moment so whilst I can hit the numbers it's fine.

As duration increases I'll probably start experimenting with liquid carb options. Shame that Maurten is so expensive.

Shame that Maurten is so expensive.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2404405/maurten-sports-drink-research
https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/training/does-maurten-really-work/

Its only maltodextrin and fructose with some salt.

Buy them bulk from myprotein, that's what I do. But I dont use fructose much.

So one study wasn't an endurance test and the other showed normal sports drinks in that quantity caused more stomach problems.

I'm not defending Maurten or ever going to buy it btw.

@skinny yeah was thinking something without fructose if possible.

3 studies.

Hutchinson concludes: “Taken together, these studies aren’t encouraging for Maurten fans. Whether it’s cycling or running, steady pace or intervals, low volume or high volume of drinking, there’s no apparent advantage to the hydrogel.” Admittedly, the sample sizes were small, and there are other possibly mitigating factors. Still, Hutchinson says he’s still open to persuasion, if and when some meaningful data come to light. In the meantime, that’s one powerful placebo.

I understood the whole point of the product was to be able to take on lots of carbs without having an upset stomach. He's missed the point.

Along with performance they rated things GI distress, which was found to be the same between maurten and the control in both studies. So, if there's no performance advantage and there's no difference in GI discomfort then there is no advantage to using this stuff.

If I was a person who struggled with fueling, then sure, I'd try this and see if it worked for me, because these are only small studies, but given what I've read I don't see any point. I can ingest plenty of carbs, using cheaper fuel than this stuff.

Buy a 5kg bag malto from my protein. And some electrolyte.

How I've fueled for years.

As long as it's not linked to a limited number of running studies, I'll give it a try.

In conclusion, ingestion of a maltodextrin/fructose hydrogel beverage during high-intensity cycling does not improve gastrointestinal comfort or performance compared to MF or MD beverages.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31598781

Any of you lot using Vitargo? I've been trying it instead/combined with maltodextrin. Doesn't make me feel quite as sick as malto on its own, and feels like it's delivering energy consistently rather than the peaks and troughs.

Any of you lot using Vitargo?

Not with a pseudoscience blurb like this:
https://www.bodybuilding.com/store/vitargo-global-sciences/vitargo-s2.html

Just sip a carb drink instead of porridge. Mouth rinse of carbs will have more effect within the hour you are exercising.

What's best for training plans? TrainingPeaks or TrainerRoad?