Sub 5 hour HIM

B_Kins wrote (see)

Av. power for the 20 mins = 105% of ftp.
ftp/weight = power to weight.

That comes out at 3.421W/Kg.. I'm not sure what to do with this number now..

Absolutely nothing.  What you might use if you have a power meter is your ftp to calculate a range of training zones - different intensities - for different durations.

What was the 20 minute test procedure?

Preparation:

Warm up – 10mins easy spinning
4 x 1min max effort @ 105+ RPM with 3min RI.

Instructions:

Start the test at a strong sustainable pace
Build for the first 5minutes then hold for the duration of the test
With 3mins to go give it everything
Warm down – 5mins easy spinning
Record average power and heart rate for the 20 minutes

I started a bit too hard and faded a little after about 12 minutes.. it was just a case of hanging on and trying not to throw up for the last 3 minutes rather than picking it up! 

Nice on. Much like popsider says, you can use the FTP to give yourself training zones. So for a 40kmTT you'd typically train in the Threshold zone. Top end of same zone for 10mi TTs or sprint tris. IM would be endurance zone.

Coggan and Allen's book Training and Racing with a power meter is a good background/base for knowledge.

I hate the 20 minute test with a passion. The one I do has a 5min all-out after the 1min reps and before the 20 minutes. I gather it is to ensure there is no anaerobic component to the 20 minute AP.

20min power ! not sure I can measure that on my Penny Farthing.

CD - how about a return to the Swashbuckler in June ? if it doesnt clash with a S E Hants cricket festival then I'm probably going back to take on the tide !

I think the lack of racing has gone to my head a bit. I've signed up for about 10 races over the next 3 months. First up is a 10 mile run this weekend.. plan is to cycle about 40k to the start line and just aim to break an hour on the run. Really looking forward to a sprint tri at the start of May. I did the same race last year so it would be a good benchmark to see any improvements. Finished 16th in 1:06 last year and i reckon my swim, bike and run have all improved a lot since. Possibly enough for top 5 based on last years results. One main aim for this year is a top 3 finish in a national series race so this will be the first shot at it.

Picked up a small knee injury somewhere along the way in the last couple of weeks.. I'm seeing a physio and its IT band related. I figured i'd try do something worthwhile since i couldn't run so I had video analysis done in the pool. I was happy enough with how it looked but i was crossing over a little and not reaching far enough.. later the same day I did a 1k time trial and smashed my PB by a full minute, beating my 750m PB on the way. Great result!! Hopefully i'll manage a sub 6 minute 400m swim tonight. Just hope my knee is alright now. First test for it is a sprint duathlon this weekend.

Finally did a sub 6 minute 400m swim! Been wanting to hit that for months! 5:58 beats my old PB by 10 seconds

Great swimming B_Kins, I got my first sub 7 last week (6:45), I guess sub 6 is the next target

Cheers BrokeButTri'ng. 6:45 is smashing sub 7 - Nice one!

good enough run out today in the duathlon.. vicious winds didn't go well with my 80mm front wheel, neither did the front brake rubbing for the entire bike leg! worryingly my knee flared up for the 2nd run, enough to slow me down to a cautious pace but late enough on that i was still able to finish. 7th or 8th overall out of 150 was okay with plenty of room to improve!

Its the Irish champs in Westmeath in May. Tri an Mhi CXIII. I have done 4:55 already in last years national champs and won my age group. It was a long bike course by 3km and that was 1:47 I think. 31 minute swim and a 1:35 partially offroad run. Could have run better but very happy with sub 5 that race. Would love to hang onto the national age group title. It looks more competitive this year!

Swimming has improved a lot, biking is much the same but with new gear and i've done a 1:17 half marathon since then too.. hoping to go around 4:50 this time but based on last years results that will be very tough! On the right course i'd like to aim for 4:30 but this isn't that course 

Next task is to shake this knee injury.. i'm signed up for a 5k during the week but that looks like a bad idea now. Are you aiming for any big races this year?

Where and when are they on? Any hope of even getting a place in it? I'm considering doing the worlds in London in September but undecided for now. I have to decide by mid June if I want my place.

jamie tardi wrote (see)

British champs are in Milton Keynes, yes places are a liable and it's 120 quid, I was considering doing the worlds as I know the organiser, don't think I'm gonna cut it in my AG though (25-29) and now I have challenge Henley in September as well so kinda puts a lid on that idea

You're an old'un now JT. One of my clubmates is M20-24. There are 5 places available per AG at Bristol, and only 3 entered! Race closed too.

B_Kins wrote (see)

Finally did a sub 6 minute 400m swim! Been wanting to hit that for months! 5:58 beats my old PB by 10 seconds

You are the Man!!

Missed a good 5k race last night through injury. It was one I was targeting for a PB and a club race.. on the flipside I took 2.5 minutes off my 1,500m swim PB.. 24:47. Could easily have kept going at that pace until 1.9k. Can't wait to get into a wetsuit and see what kind of swim times I can hit in OW. Should be well under 30 minutes at this rate!

first sprint of the year was yesterday.. considering i haven't really cycled or ran in about 2 months it went quite well. swam a PB of 11:50 then a 34 minute bike and 18:30 run to finish 18th. the bike and run need to be better but that will come back when i get back into training again. looks like the injury has cleared anyway! 

the middle distance championships are in 2 weeks.. how do i get a bit of distance into my legs at this stage without overdoing it?? i think my bike needs the most work.. i guess i could just live on the bike for about 10 days then take a few days off before the race..