This Weeks Training = Tough

Because of travel this coming weekend I had to make some alterations to my normal training schedule.  I just bracketed four straight THRESHOLD workouts with a 1hr trail run with the wife last Sunday and a nice Zone 3 45min tempo run today.  Looking to get in another run in the 8 mile range this weekend sometime.

I do not recommend 4 threshold workouts in a row without a break but it can be done thats for sure.  I got in a total of 54min @ threshold on the bike and 6 miles or threshold on the run over those 4 days.  

I am really enjoying my focused workouts and the mental toughness I am gaining for race day.

Offseason Training

Well the offseason training is going well.  I am hitting most of my key workouts and the mental toughness is building.  I imagine the FTP on both the bike and  the run are building as well.

Plan is to hit 3 FTP bikes per week and two FTP runs.  Secondary goals are the hit two more easier runs and one swim.

I have worked my way up since starting this focus on October 10th to 2x15min @ threshold and been doing 3miles of threshold running. Not looking forward to the 2x20min and the 2x2miles @ threshold.

I heard somewhere that you will pass out before you die and that is what I will tell myself during those workouts.

This is a picture of the IMTX swim finish area and I keep this around as a reminder of why I am putting in this work.

FTP Test Results and Offseason Goals

Well the FTP bike test was as hard as I thought it was going to be.

I did not achieve my goal going into the test but I am happy with my result.

Goals by May 2012 (ie Ironman Texas)
12.5% increase in FTP watts
3 point increase 6.3% increase in Vdot score for running

My focus over the next 20 weeks is on on increasing my threshold and VO2 max numbers.

I will be doing 3 bikes a week all with intervals, 4 runs per week with 2 of those being interval based and either 0 or 1 swims per week.

I will keep this updated with my tests along the way.

Functional Threshold Testing

The name Functional Threshold Testing (FTP) does not strike fear in the hearts of those outside of the endurance world but for me and others I know this is scary as it involves a lot of pain.

Earlier this week I did a step test using my known Lactate Threshold Heart Rate numbers to predict what my threshold is in terms of lactate accumulation.  Now tomorrow I am putting that to the test with Any Coggans threshold testing protocol.


WU:5min Z1-2
3x(1min on with 1min off) Z5
5min Z1
5min Z5
10min Z1
TT:20min all out effort TT
CD:10min

You take 95% of the average output of the 20min effort and you have your FTP.

I will then use this number during the offseason to get faster and work on my mental toughness by doing long interval after long interval at this level.


We will see how it goes.