It's not going to be the optimum training for the Spring and Summer time trials however, it does add a bit of fun to the relentless and repetitive schedule of a standard training plan.
So the tour consists of 9 'stages' that utilise the Sufferfest training/workout videos. Just to make things more painful, on the four weekend days they have scheduled in two workouts per day.
Stage 1: Sat, 6 Feb: ISLAGIATT
Duration: 1hr 50mins
TSS: 160
Stage 2: Sun, 7 Feb: Revolver + Revolver
Duration: 1hr 40mins
TSS: 188
Stage 3: Mon, 8 Feb: The Best Thing in the World
Duration: 48mins
TSS: 69
Stage 4: Tue, 9 Feb: To Get to the Other Side
Duration: 1hr 30mins
TSS: 81
Stage 5: Wed, 10 Feb: The Rookie
Duration: 1hr
TSS: 75
Stage 6: Thu, 11 Feb: The Wretched
Duration: 48mins
TSS: 71
Stage 7: Fri, 12 Feb: Do As You're Told
Duration: 47mins
TSS: 64
Stage 8: Sat, 31 Jan: A Very Dark Place + Nine Hammers
Duration: 2hrs
TSS: 165
Stage 9: Sun, 1 Feb: Power Station* + Violator
Duration: 2hrs
TSS: 187
"There's no such thing as over training, just under recovery"
The tour itself has a total TSS of 1060... alongside a weeks commuting of about 150 I should hit a total of about 1200. To put that in perspective, my current training plans are about 600-800 TSS. This is basically going simulate a training camp. If I was to go straight from my current plan, into this and then back to plan again it would turn into a serious case of over training. However, with careful management of my recovery this will actually be a highly productive training principle of 'overreaching'. This is where you put your body under a high level of training load for a period of time whilst providing an appropriate duration of recovery. I read an interesting quote somewhere whilst researching various training theories... "There is no such thing as over training, just under recovery".
Using the Strava 'Fitness & Freshness' graph, I have completed a period of 'tapering'. Tapering is a term used for recovery before a big event. You reduce your training load to improve 'form'/'freshness' whilst minimising loss of 'fitness'.
As you can see, prior to the start of the tour I have increased my 'form' from -32 to 9 whilst only dropping from 60 to 54 on my fitness. Its was surprising how quickly the form increased... I probably over estimated how long this would have taken. Looking back, I could have got away with a 1 week taper. Unfortunately, the build plan finished 2 weeks ago, this incorporated a 'rest week', I had 1 week of the next plan and then took another weeks rest. Something I can learn from in the future :)
Race Diary (I will keep updating this as the tour unfolds)
So Stage 1 kicked off with ISLAGAITT
This was also my introduction to Sufferfest... seems like I broke my cherry on one of the hardest workouts.
150 mins of pain. There are 5 'climbs' in the video that hold you at various levels of your threshold with multiple 'attacks' that put you way over. I can't say I managed to hit all the power readings but I wasn't a million miles away. The constant change in pace isn't something I'm used to. Most of my training over the last few years has been steady state/sustained power for time trialing. This was more suited for circuit racers.
Stage 2 - Revolver + Revolver
I'm not entirely sure who came up with this ridiculous idea. Doing one on its own is bad enough let alone one after the other!
Holding the target power for a full 1 min was difficult right from the start... but it didn't stop me from trying. The second round was slightly lower in power but I was happy just to make it through alive... I was surprised I managed to hit the power (even if it wasn't for the full 1 min) right to the end. There was a moment after the 3rd interval on the first round when I started to doubt my own sanity.
There is a part of me that is anticipating an easier day tomorrow as its only 50mins long and about half the TSS of those already completed... I have a feeling my optimism isn't going to prevail.
Stage 3 - The Best Thing In The World
I could have done with a long warm up this morning. The legs were tight and sore. Doing stage 3 in the evening may have been a better idea... but that was too late. I was already on the bike trying to spin out the stiffness.
TBTITW is one of Sufferfests new videos... new footage with high quality rider cam recordings made it quite interesting... it nearly took the edge off the pain... nearly, but didn't... in fact, it was no where near.
This workout is split into two 'races'. Repeated change in pace and cadence... in the saddle, out the saddle... attack after attack. Again, I tried to hang in there but my inner Couchlandrian made a few appearances as I had to hold back the power.
The end was excellent. You're in the leading break... You're holding off the peloton and you're in a great position for a win when bang! You get a mechanical... You get a short recovery and then you realise whats coming. You have to chase them back down... at 115-120% of FTP its a real leg burner! But boy does it make you work hard.
Surprisingly the commute wasn't too bad. The weather was shocking but my legs felt surprisingly good... both in and back home. All in all... considering the abuse over the weekend, I feel surprisingly optimistic about the rest of the tour.
Bring on Stage 4 :)
Stage 4 - To Get To The Other Side
This is technically a rest day... more focus on skills and riding efficiency with lower intensity and longer duration. The video certainly broke up the 90min ride quite well although I did need to cut is short so missed the sprints at the end.
Even though it was a 'rest' day I wouldn't say it was easy... the legs were full of lactic. I felt quite good the day before so put in too much effort during the commute as well i think. I will take the next few days easy on the commuting or i'm going to be suffering badly by the weekend...
Stage 5 - The Wretched
I was expecting today to be easier than what it was. The Wretched is under an hour and most of it is under FTP. God was I wrong! I struggled massively. In the latter 3rd I had to do some back peddling and even when I did put the effort in there was just no power there. Not sure if it was mind or body giving up first but something just wasn't right. I'm going to shrug this off as a bad day.
Stage 6 - The Rookie
Nailed it! Really odd... still only a 50 odd minute workout with plenty above FTP. Plenty of over/under surges too. For what ever reason I manage to hit the power most of the time... probably one of the closest workouts i've done this tour. Just goes to show you have good and bad days... sometimes you've just got to keep with it with the faith you're doing things right.
Stage 7 - Do As You're Told
Fair play... this one looked brutal. 21 intervals between 150-200% FTP with various duration's and recovery's. It was making me sick just thinking about it. If it's one thing I have learnt this tour, short bursts, short recovery & repeated change in pace is not what I do best at. This was not going to end well.
Little did I know, my HTFU prescription was going to arrive early...
Looking at what is in store for me at the weekend though, I may find myself running out of tablets pretty dam quickly.
Stage 8 - A Very Dark Place & Nine Hammers
I wake up early every day. My alarm goes off at 4:00am and i'm normally on the bike by 4:30am doing my prescribed interval session. Finished by 5:30am and back on the bike by 6:00am to cycle to work. As a result of this I tend to go to bed about 8pm... naturally wake up on the weekend pretty early too.
Not this morning. Even once i have finally dragged my ass out of bed I procrastinated for as long as possible knowing the level of suffering that awaits me on the other room. It was only delaying the inevitable.
I was looking at the profiles of the pending stages and it was obvious this was going to hurt like nothing i've felt before. Nearly 170TSS with a total of 14 intervals at or above FTP. This was going to be a very dark place indeed.
Despite my fear and procrastination, I actually managed a really great performance. If anything, I would say I felt better today during these two workouts than I had all week. I managed to hit all the right power levels with the target still set at 100%. I was on fire.
Stage 9 - Power Station & Violator
Even after my great performance yesterday, I didn't wake up feeling hopeful. In fact it was pretty much a repeat of yesterday.
Looking at the profiles of the next two stages though, I wasn't expecting the level of pain to match that of yesterday. Power Station certainly looks tough but there is a fair bit at or below FTP so I knew it would be sustainable. Violator on the other hand looks like it will do exactly that! 64 sprints @ nearly 200% FTP.
Much as a repeat of yesterday, I flew though the first stage. I actually felt quite fresh afterward. Hitting all the power levels (and in some cases going over).
Violator was a strange one. To begin with it was easy. Hitting the power wasn't a problem and the rests in between it allowed more than enough time to replenish your glucose levels. The end of the stage however was a completely different story. The final sprints at the end felt like my legs had turned into rope... like I was pushing down and there was nothing there. I was basically using my body weight to throw the pedals around. Style and finesse was out the window... but it was over... my first Tour of Sufferlandria complete... and completed at 100% FTP.
Given how much stronger I felt at the end of the tour, I can help wonder how much my FTP has increased. It was 290W before... I'm hopeful I can break the 300W barrier!
My fitness/freshness graph has been interesting to watch. The intense training load has rapidly increased my fitness and absolutely ruined my form with an all time low on my fatigue level.
Not quite as low as I had expected. It was a good job I was fully recovered before the start of the tour as I think I would have been at breaking point!
All in all, it was been a great start to the season. Mixing the mundane, repetitive training regime with the ToS has really helped psychologically. I'm raring to get back into the swing of things... so much I have even signed up to Training Peaks. For endless performance management and training planning. Its like I have gone to heaven.
More on that shortly :)
Excellent write ups Russ, I only just found this. Needs sharing on the tour page I think!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nick :)
ReplyDelete