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Sounds like I’m the opposite to you. I rarely get out the saddle on long (30-60 mins) climbs. I can do sweet spot all week and always around 100 rpm. I’m not good at really short HCs, preferring around 4 mins. I really like the even longer ones, there are a few 10+ mins in Wales that were great last year.
Not sure about the 3 min max then sweet spot but I guess so. I don't think I’ve done an interval in that format but I’m sure I’ve overcooked the start of a Col then had to settle down for the next 25 mins.
Thanks doctor Acliff, no lactate test needed, I just have aerobic legs. Lactate sounds gross, glad I don’t have to deal with it! Also glad I don’t have to compete against Callum Brown on 1:30 climbs.
National HC is probably 2:45 for me this year so I’m not expecting much.
dbr-
Lactate sounds gross, glad I don’t have to deal with it!
My mind is boggling at the idea that you don't. Even the term "threshold" is derived from/related to lactate threshold isn't it?
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I think it would be interesting to test your lactate levels at some point.
Maybe you have pro level legs in respect to lactate generation and tolerance, and your possible limiting factor is lungs/heart and oxygen delivery.
And if your V02Max goes up, your legs will just produce more power until it gets to the point of lactate burn.That would be nice!
yoshy
Acliff
Maybe its fast twitch vs slow twitch fibre composition?
My legs are a bit odd, short, very fast twitchy and I struggle with medium to long sweetspot/FTP intervals due to leg pain rather than CV. My legs feel better climbing out the saddle at slower cadence (maybe slower lactate generation), recently did Ventoux on Zwift completely out the saddle at 50-60rpm.
Fast twitch afaik generates much more waste products, so if your legs are very aerobically efficient, your legs might just run out of oxygen rather than boiling in lactate.
Can you do a 3m max effort, and then settle into sweetspot and keep going as your HR recovers? (other than any pursuiter's coughing fits etc). If I do, I genuinely can't move my legs properly for at least 5 minutes.