Feel the Burn...

Nearing the end of week 11 of the OS, with only 2 weeks before my next FTP test.  I am actually looking forward to that.  My first FTP test fell short because I have difficulty with AM workouts. Since then I have done all my workouts in the afternoon or evening.  The second test in week 8 went good.  An analysis of the test data indicate my HR was at or near my functional max for most of the test.  A second observation is that I didn’t have any big spikes in power, yet the tail end of the test fatigue is apparent by the slow downward drift in power. 

This portion of the OS is all about VO2 Max.   These are KILLER sets.  After 1 or 2, the second hand on the clock seems to stand still and it is excruciating to hang on till the interval ends.  Despite how hard these efforts are, I like them.  They make the 85% stuff seem easy!

Tuesday, Jan 11: Bike 5x2.5 (2.5) @ 120% on, 65% off; 25’ @ 85%; Run 25’ @ 70%

This one was a blast! It was a tough one but I really enjoyed it..... {{{Sick puppy}}} So, it was after 8PM before I started... put about 8 minutes in to warm-up then pulled the trigger.... target was 246 and hit them all and then some.

1) 120%, 68%   – feeling strong….
2) 120%, 65%   – hanging in there…
3) 123%, 55%   – too hot, suffering begins…
4) 120%, 58%   – struggle to hold on….
5) 123%, 50%   – final push and fry everything…..

then another 25' @ 178w (0.869) for a total bike at 1:01:44 @ 189w (0.922)

Quick change the shoes and onto the deadmill. First 4 miles around 8:30 or so, slowly speeding up. Last mile was 6:58 (5 secs. off my Z5 pace).   

Total run 40:04 @ 8:01, rTSS 47.6 and I feel great! The 15 miler on Sunday didn't set me back... love it!

Wednesday, Jan 12: Run 4x200, 2x800, 4x200, 2x400 all @ Z5 – 120%, 20’ @ Z1 – 65%

Wednesday was a blizzard so I took the easy way out and hit the deadmill in the pain cave. Started with a 2.5 mile warm-up then jumped into the intervals...... except instead of doing all the fancy short-long-short stuff, I decided to make it a set of Yasso 800's - my favorite speed session by doing 5x800 @ 6:53 with 400 recovery @ 8:34. Finished the run with 2 miles at 8:34.   No fade, all good.  Some days it just seems so easy!  

Total run 8.0 miles in 1:07:48 @ 8:28

Thursday, Jan 13: Bike 5x2.5 (2.5) @ 120% on, 65% off; 25’ @ 85%

Last night was another VO2 session on the bike.  Same as Tuesday but without the brick run at the end.  I think there is something wrong with me... I like these... yeah, they are tough but nothing like that week 10 Saturday killer workout with the 2x20 before the intervals... that sucked! These, not so much. Legs a little tender after my Yasso 800’s yesterday.....

That was a good ride, hit them all but definitely showed signs of fatigue:

124.4% 75.1%    – too hot but cant stop….
123.4% 68.8%    – feeling the burn but can’t give in…
122.0% 59.5%    – suffering starts to get big…..
122.0% 63.4%    – trying to push thru on shear will….
121.5% 66.8%    – I can do anything for 2.5 minutes……

Ended with 25' @ 180 (0.88) for a total bike 1:02:15 @ 192 (0.937)
 

Friday, January 14: Rest day – Hard rest, all day……

Tomorrow I’m looking forward to getting out to the University trail system for some cross country skiing with Carole.  Haven’t been out since last year.  Yeah, I know there has been some snow, but I have been a good boy and made sure I got all my training sessions in.  I know it takes a long time to build the kind of bike strength I need for IMLP.  But now with all the snow, how can I not go play?