BCTTT Forum

As i dont have a power metre at the present and want to train on the bike a bit smarted so how do i go about it.

The main aim is about getting faster at a 10 mile on a sporting type course. I was looking at things lik sweet spot extra but how do i get that info with out having a power metre.

Thought greatefully received

This is a good starting point: http://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/six-thi ... UQHRLT5.97

FWIW my HR is typically in the 160s at sweetspot pace - high 160s if I'm fatigued, low 160s if I'm fresh. That roughly corresponds to 75-85% of my max HR, as mentioned in the article.

Remember that there is HR lag so don't try and get your HR up to goal in the first minute of an interval - it'll probably take 3-5 minutes. The more you do at SS pace, the more you'll have an idea of what it feels like, so you can pace the first few minutes accordingly.

Traditionally, people have just gone out on long rides, trying hard, hoping that the route is long enough with varied terrain to get something specific in it, amidst all the junk.

The basic principle(s) of smart training are:

1) Measure your current level
2) Do something to specifically target something you want to improve
3) Adapt
4) Measure again.

So it's basically measurement and specificity.

You have a number of measurement tools available:
1) Stop watch
2) HRM
3) RPE

If you have a garmin edge 500 or higher, then you also have an altimeter, so can measure total ascent as well as vertical climbing speed, so we can add

4) Altimeter

1,3 tend to be affected by weather, so you also have

5) Turbo

The easiest way to generate load is to go up hills. This is also less affected by weather. This is where another tool comes in:

6) Strava segments

So, you want a mix of interval sessions:

1) Maximum power - shortish , varying recovery (ranging from Tabata up to something longer)
2) Longer intervals a bit "over" your threshold (have to guess where the threshold is, but HR can help).
3) Recovery rides

That's probably about it.

For 1) I tend to do tabata (or turbo). But being lazy, I don't do this so much... (aka not actually training for anything)
For 2) I'm all about VAM. I try to plot a hilly ride, of, say about an hour, then try to do it > 500 m/h climbing speed (You can get the garmin edge to display this). The speed sounds quite low, but that's because most climbs are only around 100m-200m, so you spend a lot of the time going down hill to the next one. Depending on your terrain, you may come up with a different figure.
3) Is straight forward.

What you need is a benchmark climb, of about 5-10 mins (or even longer) if you can find it. Smash this, measure HR to get levels. Then come back to this. The reason for using a hill is that it is less affected by weather when you are using your stop watch.

Join the club!

I have found the good old turbo / Trainer Road combination really useful - their 40km TT programme was really helpful in giving me session to target. That way, you can use FTP as a measure of progress. I did try doing some more targeted sessions on the road, but to be honest, around here, there is so much traffic, and are so many inconveniences like road junctions / traffic lights that I found I could never really hold consistent efforts. I therefore use road rides for fun / endurance; evening 10s more for a measure of progress, and getting used to putting in some more consistent efforts on the bike, and the turbo for the real, measurable efforts.

Works for me anyway!

CCS wrote:Join the club!

I have found the good old turbo / Trainer Road combination really useful - their 40km TT programme was really helpful in giving me session to target. That way, you can use FTP as a measure of progress. I did try doing some more targeted sessions on the road, but to be honest, around here, there is so much traffic, and are so many inconveniences like road junctions / traffic lights that I found I could never really hold consistent efforts. I therefore use road rides for fun / endurance; evening 10s more for a measure of progress, and getting used to putting in some more consistent efforts on the bike, and the turbo for the real, measurable efforts.

Works for me anyway!

+1

This is where a good training log is useful.
You look back and see where you made the advances and where you plateaued.

Remember you are not an elite who can train whenever you want, so results are not shown in a perfect curve. After a lay off your body is like a rusty bike chain, it works but isn't efficient, you use the chain, oil and lube it and it becomes more efficient, stop for a bit and it lose its flexibility, so try not to expect miracles.
As mentioned, find a metric, hill, uphill, downhill, straight etc and take measurements.
I don't use power, I doubt I ever will TBH,

The saying practice makes perfect is wrong.
Imperfect practice makes imperfect permanent.
Try different techniques on the specific sections, and see where your results are better, it may mean a few sessions are spent experimenting, but, if it finds a better technique it is worth it.

Compare where you lose ground on your competition,, and that may be a good place to start, perhaps.