Hey, guess where I’m going this weekend? Hint: it’s not Nîmes.
Other than testing out a restaurant or two, seeing how their bike-rental system works, and looking for a place to live, Shoko and I will be at the finishing straight, with the ‘good camera’, for the last stage of Paris-Nice this Sunday.
In other news, I’ve just hacked and spit my way through my 2nd FTP Test and can report an improvement of 19 watts over January (243 watts). If I can maintain this level of increase I’ll be able to out-TT Tony Martin in 24 months or so. I’m already drooling like him, so I’m nearly there.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/459703089
The Vicious Cycle 
I am mystified but full of admiration for your FTP, though what Tony Martin is doing pushing files about I can’t imagine.
Being able to use acronyms nobody understands is one of the perks of forking out thousands on a power meter.
Worth every penny.
I’m sure you’re right.
Excellent improvement! (I am doing my 2nd FTP test later this month — will do one every two months, as suggested by Allen & Cohen. I used to do what you did (some warmup and then 20min) but in January for the first time I followed their test protocol — note that the 5min all-out makes it a harder test than “only” 20min. Not sure why the 5min is there: I definitely “opens up the legs” (but 5min is long) and perhaps it gives a closer estimate to FTP. To get a typical estimate of CP, you need a 3min number and a 20min number. What does coach Rob say?)
Allen & Cohen test (1hr10):
20min endurance
3 x 1min high cadence (I do 110rpm), 1min easy in between
5min easy
5min all-out
10min easy
20min FTP
Jan, funny you should mention that protocol because I actually thought that I had changed the one I did today to the one you wrote above. However, when I did the workout (I had it saved in my Garmin) it was the 1 hour version. To be honest, I’m glad. Another 5 min might have put me over the edge! I haven’t had the heart up that high since Bonette…
I did 5 sec, 1 min, and 5 min tests in January to get my ‘power profile’, which I may or may not do this week again. What’ ‘CP’? I’m not sure I remember that one…but there’s a lot to remember!
CP = critical power, theoretically what you can hold “forever”. FTP = CP60. There’s a cool
Simple relationship to predict your highest sustainable power over T units of time from your CP. (Conversely, you can predict your CP from two tests; that’s why one typically wants a 3 or 5min number and a 20or lager min number).
Any 20min test (on trainer or flat roads–perhaps better on a climb) is so painful, especially b/c I tend to be overly optimistic and hope for too high a number. I think key is to start below your FTP and then increase near end if you can (versus the reverse, which is demoralizing).
I remember ‘CP’ now, but probably was in overload mode at that point and ignored it! In Haute Route were you producing the numbers you normally did in training, by the way, or was the extra added pressure/excitement enough to allow you to push more?
I started off too high, too, and saw a dip in the middle, but tried to make up for it at the end. In my case it was the heart, not the legs, that stopped me from going any harder.
Gee, it’s kind of fun being the only voice so far going Nice!! That’s great!! Have fun, glad you can still get outside to enjoy that crazily lovely place you live.
And then I add “Looking for a place to live.” I take it that means you two have decided what’s next? When? Maybe by the summer if you’re looking now? How cool is that.
Oh, yes … though I have not the slightest idea what an FTP is, power meters are super excellent tools and I’m glad there is one in your world.
Nice catch, Suze! No, we haven’t decided at all. Lyon was the same kind of trip, actually. Just looking at cities with a different eye now to see where we might land in a year or two. We have to get Shoko out of school first!
To Jan:
BRF = SS+GC+GF-W x LW…thats the only equation that makes any difference in life.
(translation upon request)
I don’t know about Jan, but I’d sure like to know!
translation: BikeRidingFun= SunShine + GoodClimbs + GreatFriends – Wind x LightWheels
Nice is nice. My favourite. Not sure how easy it is to get out of town. If I recall, from HR, we coasted downhill for something like 150km into Nice. I had planned to do some riding after HR for the 10 days I was on holiday there but didn’t make it past the beach and wine. 😄
Remember the old guy in HR? He’s from Nice and he said the cycling is just fine. Like you, I think it’s just ‘vertical’ wherever you go, but maybe that explains why he was such an animal on the hills!