Cycling Fitness / Training Advice

My test was meant to be yesterday, sacked it off due to feeling shit. Haven't ridden for two weeks.

Felt a touch better this morning, gave it a go. Somehow added +14W!

Yeah, I don't care what I feel like I generally do it anyway. Often anticipation of a test makes you feel like shit leading up to it but when you put your head down, game on.

I'm just not sure many people are interested in mine

Ha likewise, it seems odd to me that people talk about their gains or losses but far fewer the raw number. I'm at about 250 for around 75kg I'll be testing soon, maybe I can lead the revolution :)

This is a training thread. The idea of training is to improve. Posting a +- value indicates whether or not current methods are working. What use could anyone have for my absolute value, other than dick swinging contests? I certainly don't care about anyone else's. Also, flipping it around, what do I gain by telling people what it is?

Yeah I get that but as someone who'd never used a turbo/ PM until last year, I personally found it slightly beneficial knowing others scores amongst other things gives the improvements context along with the schedule etc also something to aim for.
There is that BC chart which also shows FTP and Wpkg but no idea of sort of numbers at the various sections.

I'm not sure my 800W FTP and 2W/kg values are going to help you.

The idea isn't to look at other people, it's to ride and test and collect data to create a profile and then improve your power profile based on the events you're targeting and their requirements, addressing weaknesses, building strengths, etc.

Of course but I can see how someone new to cycling/ training/ a particular type of cycling could benefit from knowing what others are already doing in that area.
Besides most the time people post how many W they have gained not the percentage so the swinging is just slightly relocated :)

What's your PPM* though?

*pies per minute

I'm old and somehow managed 30 years without knowing mine or anyone else's power values - Gen Insta can share away.

I am happy with the tested increase. It's hardly dick swinging if no one can compare anything to it. I'd have been happy with any increase. If I tested -10W I'd have posted that and then posed questions about why training wasn't improving power.

More than everyone on here.

#dickswung

Ramp tonight, FTP +20W, I'll take that

That’s a significant increase. Nice one.

Have you done anything differently? Or is it more a product of the time of year and natural gains as you transition from winter to spring?

More turbo training, less of everything else, hence the "Problem I see is - training on turbo makes me faster on turbo - will this actually translate to races, especially races that are 12hrs long and in 6 months time?"

If you are interested, specific to a user group who are actively training and other caveats, TR publish this data by gender and age.. it's all buried in this thread I think

https://forum.trainerroad.com/t/the-bell-curve-of-cylists-how-fast-are-the-average-tr-users/5840/51

Interesting that Nate thinks >4w/kg is ROUGHLY Kona territory... my lifetime peak (a decade ago) was about 4.1–4.2w/kg and I was nowhere near Kona quality. Iirc I’d have needed another 30 minutes on the bike plus some run gains to even get close to the rolldown.

I don’t have data but my aeros were probably at least equivalent, if not better than close competitors too.

Testing on Thursday and definitely feel like I’ve been improving at riding on the turbo)

Before TCR last year I was about 403w @76kg now I'm heavier at 86kg and ftp @386w. At 76kg I have very little fat to burn so I would feel constantly desperate for food while cycling. Now I'm a bit heavier I don't constantly feel drained and have reserves to burn through.

How hilly is the Kona course?

You being 76kg is mad. Wonder if it contributed to issues...
I am 78kg now before a race and so much better for it.

5.3w/kg!

I'm a parasail in the wind so I still don't go anywhere very quickly!

A bit lumpy but not too bad. The climb to Hawi is supposed to be the only big climb. The main problem is that it’s basically 180km of crosswinds*, hence why no disc wheels allowed.

Also when I say run gains I mean probably ~15mins which is pretty hard to find.

*well... hairdryer temperature crosswinds...

Interesting. Few weeks out I was a little over 300 at 77-78Kgs. Last couple of weeks I tried to eat a lot to put on weight, it worked as I wasn’t doing too much but was under 80kg I’d imagine.
Came back at around 75kgs. I’m 6ft 3 for reference currently weigh 76kgs at about 250w.

I'm 6ft7 so at 76kg you can see all the veins in my legs, abdomen etc

I think somewhere in between where I was and where I am is optimal but I get obsessive and struggle.

Do any other 40-somethings find TrainerRoad Vo2 workouts involving 2-2.5 minutes at 120% impossible? Are they a young mans game?