BikeErg Workouts and Training

[Dutch]

Your 6x20 looks interesting, you are still doing 20 sec bursts but the 2min active recovery, that must allow a pretty good blast for each 20 secs?

The 5x8 mins seems hard going, what drag are you on doing that one?

[johnlvs2run]

The 5x8' were steady around 20k pace with 120df, and the sprints were flat out.

[Dutch]

Sunday I did a 35 min ride and covered 15601m in an average of 2.14.6, df 72, rpm 75, hr 104. I was surprised my hr was so low. My aim is to build this to a 20k maybe next time and keep going to the hour the next ride or two after the 20k.

Today I did some intervals, I decided to be a bit more generous with my recovery and follow an hiit routine I had seen on a documentary, this will be an active recovery. I think a lower rest period really just teach me to handle pain and I don't get the full physical benefit if the rest period is too short.

6x20sec 1min rest, 1289m, watts 434, rpm 102, ave 1.33.0, ave df 81, hr 136.

I started this on 92 df but after about 15 secs my legs were pumped up solid, Next round I lowered df by a fraction, prob 4 and still the same on quads, so the next round I lowered again was prob down to about 81. I went down to about 75 and then up again for the last 2 somewhere in the 81 region.
From the 3rd interval to the 6th I could go flat out to about 18 secs, but the first two my legs just lost power at about 16 secs. I think higher drags are not much usage for me. I must be wired with wrong type of muscle fibres for power lol.
I have briefly seen a record low of a 1.15 at an 81 df, anything over 100 I cant get below 1.20 ave per 1000.

[johnlvs2run]

Dutch, good for you keeping up with your training.
I like how you keep adjusting the drag to find which one is better for you.
That's quite impressive that you get down to 1:15 - wow.

[Dutch]

Yes John I am training cycling about twice a week combined with rowing twice a week, so 4 total.
The 1.15 was only very brief let me say, probably 2 secs at most, it soon dropped off lol

[johnlvs2run]

Due to the warmer summer weather, I've been doing 4x10k each morning for the last 11 days plus warm down to maintain my average of 100 minutes a day since May 1st. My plan is to keep doing these up to and after a possible 40k time trial in October or November, similar to a year ago except hopefully faster. So far my pace for the last 11 days has been somewhat faster than a year ago.

This morning I backed off a little to go an even pace, was curious about my heart rate and checked it on the 3rd repetition. Based on my last heart rate check 18 months ago and subsequent improvements, my estimate was for an average and final heart rate in the range of 165 to 170 beats per minute.

My heart rate at the start was 67 bpm. Surprisingly the 5' splits were 129 133 126 140 and 135 at the finish. The highest that I noticed was 144, which then went right back down into the 120s.

4x10k - 2:14.2 even pace - 120 drag - 63 rpm - 135 heart rate
+ 10' warm down at 2:36.0 pace (by time only with monitor covered) - 96 heart rate

[Dutch]

Do your quads not blow up with the drag that high john? My would go solid in about 3 mins.
What was your rest time between each 10k?

I did a 10k today and from some of the results I am getting back I am starting to think I am sprinter not a long distance rider, currently anyway.

10k, 21.32, watts 166, spm 78, av 2.08.1, df 68, hr 120.

[johnlvs2run]

Dutch,
No my quads don't blow up haha. I have tested through the full range of drag factors,
chose what felt like the best rate and drag for time trials, and use the same drag for everything.

I do the 4x10k with 30 minute starts, so the rest depends on the speed. A pace/time
of 2:09/21:30 has a rest time of 8:30, and a pace/time of 2:12/22:30 has a rest time of 7:30.

The pm5 can't handle these, so I start each one individually on just ride, and keep track of
the 30' starts with a watch that's taped to the top tube, plus a timer to use while walking around.

[johnlvs2run]

4x10k in 2:11.3 2:10.9 2:10.9 2:09.3 with 30' starts 120df 64rpm
The 5' heart rates on the 3rd one were 153 149 146 150 and 156 at the finish.
My heart rate has usually been in the 180s during longer time trials, so this is a good result for me.

[Dutch]

Nice results their john and your heart rate has dropped nicely.
You say you heart rate has been in the 180s, wow that's pretty high for your age, according to the take age from 220 your safe upper limit is 145, or do you work it out another way?
You are super fit though

[johnlvs2run]

Dutch, thank you.
I used the same Garmin heart rate monitor on longer time trials a couple of years ago, and my heart rate was usually in the low to mid 180s. For shorter time trials it's been up to 199 and 208 a few times. I haven't used it much the last couple of years, preferring to go by feel and to not have it influence what I'm doing. I don't use any formulas as they're generally not accurate.

[Dutch]

Have felt tired the last couple of days and it reflected in the training today. I went to do interval training, I was aiming for 6x20 secs with 2 min rest, df 68 and totally blew out on the 2nd round. I had been trying different high speeds at different drags prior.

Took a break and thought I would do a 500m tt, again df 68, my legs died at 400 meters lol. Far far to fast, it was basically a fly and die. I ended on 35.3 secs and something stupid like an average of 117 rpm.

All my low drag factor experiments have been to do with trying to cruise in training at the recommended 85 to 90 rpm as per the websites that give advice on cycling training. I have now decided to dump that philosophy and just cycle at the df I feel works for me.

I then thought it through wondering what I could do for training, by this point I was tired so I took the drag up to 84 and cruised a 5k.

I think warm ups are needed now for me as well, maybe a couple of ks, just to get the system moving prior to any event.

[johnlvs2run]

Nice reasoning, Dutch.
I agree, and feel that you're on the right track.

[johnlvs2run]

sep04: 2 sets of 5x 4k with 2' active recoveries
1st set: 2:09.0 2:07.9 2:07.3 2:06.8 2:06.0 / 120df 66rpm
2nd set: 2:06.0 2:05.1 2:04.7 2:04.2 2:03.6 / heart rates 158 166 165 167 160 / 68rpm

My heart rate went up to 170/171 a few times and came back down.
Interestingly it went lower over the last few minutes as the pace was going faster.
The overall pace was 2:06.0. That's about as hard as I want to go in training for that distance.

[Dutch]

Seems like you pushed slightly harder in the second lot john. Good overall average as well.
Do you wear a wrist or chest heart rate monitor ?