Anyone fancy joining up with Zwift “build me up”, to start 7th Feb…?

Great work guys, that looks a tough one!

Did a massive ride on Monday that nearly killed me so haven’t done anything tonight. Work looks busy for the rest of the week too so hopefully I’ll be able to fit a session in at least once, going away to Revolution Bike Park this weekend too so that will test the explosive power. Will definitely get one in on Sunday though, probably do a long and tough one to make up for the rest of the week.

I’m gonna give thew a go tomorrow am….

Got another half marathon on Sunday. So AGAIN, mixing up zwift and running!

Let me think about what days an 1830 works..maybe Thurs….

DrP

Good ride tonight!

I’m up for another 1830 on Thursday. Another hour ride?

Actually I can’t do Thursday sorry

Don’t think I can do Thursday either, think I’m going to get one of the 2hr workouts done tonight, probably Aspire, as I’ll have a rest day Thursday.

Jeesh…
Thew was VERY tough after a BH weekend of debauchery and booze!!!!
REALLY felt it in the legs..not sure if it’s cos I’m going backwards, or that jumping straight out of bed and into it was just too much!

Managed the first 2 at 100%, then dropped to 93% for the next 2, then about 85% for teh last 2!
Felt light headed and sick!!!

EEK!

DrP

Aspire.

Oh my god, that’s ******* disgusting.

3x 20min sets average 100% FTP.

Then, just as your legs have been finished off, a set of 1min OUs at 115% FTP. That last set was a case of ’head down, gurn, don’t look at the clock… SURVIVE…rest for 1 min…AND REPEAT ANOTHER 6 TIMES!’ 🥵🤢

1350kcal, >= 80% of FTP average for 2 sodding hours. 44 hours recovery required according to Garmin. 🤣

I tell you what, I’m really finding that missing a few of last week is VERY noticeable now… the programme really builds on the previous work, and if you haven’t done the work…well….!

I’m glad you can revisit old workouts, and there’s a few extra weeks to finish the plan..

TBH, given that I’m training for the half marathon on Sunday so adding in some runs, and then my legs will be knackered after that, I’m likely to use the 2 extra weeks, and extend the plan to do the FTP test in a few weeks!

DrP

Yeah the training load this week isn’t doable mixed with other training, realistically – after today’s rest day, I’ll do the 1hr workouts Fri/Sat, 2hr (Tenacity) Sun, rest on Mon, Renewal Tues, Alpha Weds, FTP test Thurs.

Couldn’t imagine trying to fit a half marathon in somewhere! 😆

Yeah, wouldn’t fancy running on top of this!

I’m struggling to find the time for both 2h ones this week, and I quite fancy riding a real bike outside for a change tonight. I’ve got four shorter workouts I skipped in previous weeks, think I’ll do some of those, do the long ones next week and FTP test the week after.

I’m gonna do breakfast returns tonight, if anyone else wants to make it a group ride let me know 👍

Ooh, go on then. 1830 again?

I’m planning on fitting in 2 long rides over the weekend – just don’t know when yet so I won’t be able to join any group rides

Whats the plan next week? I’m only available Monday – Wednesday so am planning on doing the FTP on Wednesday. Anyone else up for that or is everyone doing all 4 days?

Ooh, go on then. 1830 again?

Yep, normal 6:30pm – anyone else? I’ll set it up in a bit.

Whats the plan next week? I’m only available Monday – Wednesday so am planning on doing the FTP on Wednesday. Anyone else up for that or is everyone doing all 4 days?

I think there might only be a couple of us in for the FTP test next week, I could do Wednesday – I reckon I’ll need a rest day Monday after this week.

Invite sent Simon 👍

Cheers Simon, good session – breakfast returns is tough but manageable!

Just a thought if you are going to do the FTP test next week then the remainder of the workouts, if (when! 😉) you see a massive 15-25% bump in your FTP on the test, when you come to do this weeks workouts after the FTP test, they’ll be at your new FTP. Which will make them SUPER hard as they’re meant to be done at the end of the plan when you’ve got an increased FTP but it hasn’t been updated in zwift 😁

I’d not thought of that! I’ve done the last few at 110% so I guess I could back right off if they’re too hard at the new FTP.

Good ride tonight, cheers. Much easier to keep going when you know someone else is suffering too!

Yeah you can always drop down to 90%, or alternatively make a note of your new FTP after the test, then manually adjust it to your old one, then back up again after you’ve finished the plan.

Unless, or course, you like pain! 🤣

If you’re doing some of these last ones at 110% then I think you’ll be seeing a pretty sizable jump in FTP – there’s no chance I would have completed tonight at 110%, and as for Aspire – I would have expired long before completing that at 110%!

2 more hard rides for me, then that’s the hard work over! Woo!

Going back to my original estimate on this thread:

I’m conservatively estimating my FTP at the end of my current dirt destroyer plan to be around 240w, so if I can get into the upper 3/3rds in the 200’s (265+) after this I will be very happy.

That’s exactly what I’m aiming for, 270w – it’s only 26w more than my FTP test 12 weeks ago, it can’t be that hard, right? Right…? 😵‍💫

@DrP I think you said you were aiming for 5w/kg 😁

Yeah… erm… that was a tad optimistic!
I reckon my last ftp gain (from 277 to 312) after first doing the programs was approaching my peak possible FTP…
I’ve felt my fitness and exercise capacity improve, but my little legs just don’t have the power for big watt bombs!

Will do the ftp test the week after next, whilst recovering from the half I’m running 2m, and fitting more workouts in next week!

DrP

Ruckus done, fairly standard – the sort of workout where you find yourself thinking of other things whilst plodding along with the intervals 😁 Not easy by any means but just didn’t require a huge amount of concentration.

1 more 2hr ride and I’m done*! Woohoo!

*Excluding probably the hardest workout and 20 mins of the 12 weeks, the FTP test…

Good luck with your half marathon tomorrow @DrP 🤟🏃

Cheers @ta11pau1

And well done on your commitment and update here! I feel ashamed as this ruddy jog has distracted me from the riding!

Oh well … from the start I said we shouldn’t beat ourselves up if we can’t stick rigidly to the programme!
Race starts in 1hr 15… bot even dressed yet!

DrP

I did Ruckus yesterday. Nice little spin.

Did Tenacity today. Found the last two sets really hard!

Tenacity also done, which as it’s my last ‘proper’ workout of the plan, I thought I’d make it a bit special and do the Alp du Zwift route. At first, given my only time on the Alp was back in December, which was a 1hr 54m, I was worried about completing it with the lead in, within the 2hr session.

I was at the top with half an hour to spare! 😁

1hr 17m PB on the Alp, and I still had the last 2 sets to complete!

^ that’s a good idea, doing the longer rides up the Alpe or even Ven Top which I haven’t done yet.

I haven’t been able to do any sessions this week, a combination of IRL rides and late finishes at work. Was hoping to get a session done tonight but I’m still sore after rattling myself silly at Revolution Bike Park on Saturday, so much that I had to take it easy driving back this morning! Most likely going to do a few sessions over the next week then make the week after the chilled one ready for the FTP test, might add another week too if I fell it will be of use. I’ve definitely improved (even with my enforced break due to the trainer crapping itself) so will be interesting to see what my result is. I’m absolutely much stronger on the bike and for longer so even if I don’t register a big increase in Watts (never been a big power rider, more of a diesel) it’s been well worth doing.

Yeah I’ve missed the IRL rides, once I’ve done next week and my 3 days riding in Wales I’ll be trying to get out more for an hour or so in the evenings, and weekend rides – I’d like to keep up a decent riding load, and will probably do some zwift pace partner stuff to fill in some base work when I can’t get out.

I went straight from 6 weeks of dirt destroyer to 12 weeks of build me up so I’ll be taking a break for a bit and just trying to get out as much as possible.

Nice work @ta11pau1

Just done renewal night and doing the FTP test tomorrow now.

Good luck anyone else doing it this week too!

Just done Ruckus, that was tough at the end! Cumulative fatigue is a right bastard 🤣

Had to turn the difficulty down a notch for the last two efforts of the second set but that meant I was completely spent at the end so it should do me some good.

Think I’m going to do renewal tomorrow night, alpha Wednesday and then the FTP test Thurs. Gives me a few days to fully recover.

What are your predictions for FTP increases then guys? I’m sticking by my 246w->270w (means holding 285w for 20 mins, vs 259w last time)… Well that’s what I’ll be aiming for anyway 🤨🤣

Meh. Disappointed with mine. I’ve gone from 260 to 267

I feel so much stronger and faster but just can’t get the numbers to show that.

Chances are you’ve improved in your 5s/30s/1m/5m power times, rather than your 20m power if you’re feeling stronger. That’s all that matters really! Amy weight loss over the plan?

Did renewal tonight, nice easy 30 min spin, than another 20 mins with D. Diesel, just to keep the kmcs ticking over. Was nice barely breaking a sweat after the last few weeks!

Great work still guys!
My ‘IRL’ events have just bombed this training plan!
Ran with my OH in the half marathon, and was happy to get a sub 2 (1.58)… I’d like to think if running on my own I could aim for about 1.45ish…!
Rested yesterday, then this eve just got back from a 36km, 1100m elevation ride in the Surrey Hills!

Will see if I even get a chance to sit on zwift this week!

DrP

Well it’s not as if you’ve been sitting on yer arse doing nothing @DrP 😁

I was sort of looking at the 4 week FTP booster plan for some point in the next month or 2, but that’s another level in terms of commitment, 4 weeks with only a z2 recovery ride once a week in the first 3 weeks, then an actual day off in week 4 🤣😲

I’ll probably start doing some races next week/week after that.

I’m gonna do the FTP test tonight – got some jobs I need to do Thursday night plus I just want to see what I’ve gained thanks to the last 12 weeks!

DONE! FINITO!

269w new FTP, up from 246w. Very happy with that! Got to admit though, that was hell on earth. I’d forgotten how horrible the FTP test is! Strange how the body works through, with 5 mins to go sitting at 281w average I would have happily of taken death over the hell I was in, yet with 3 mins to go I managed to absolutely drain myself for the final bit and got my average up to 284w.

That puts me, at my current 79.5kg, at 3.38w/kg. Once I’m back next from Wales on Wednesday I’m going to start to try to lose a few more kg of fat, under 77kg would get me to 3.5w/kg.

Awesome stuff! Well done!

WOW! nice work and nice FTP increase!

Also, you actually managed all 50 workouts!
Top stuff!!

DrP

Cheers guys, been a great 12 weeks!

Also, you actually managed all 50 workouts!

The ‘i did it!’ button is great, isn’t it? 🤣

I think I missed (excluding the pedalling drills workouts) about 5 of the workouts in total over the plan, so not too bad. Definitely got the majority done though.

Next goal once I’m down a few kg and up to 3.5w/kg, will be to hit 4w/kg – that’ll be one for autumn/winter I think!

Excellent result ta11pau1, keep at it through the summer and give yourself a springboard for the next training season.

Just finished Potpourri in my quest to catch up a bit, wasn’t too bad actually. Found it tougher at the 35 min mark than at the end! IRL ride tomorrow and then it’s time to decide whether to do another week of sessions or start the rest week ready for the FTP test.

Training worked well today, up Snowdon – 1000m of climbing/pushing/hike-a-bike today, pretty comfortable!

Just done Alpha with the plan to do the final FTP early next week sometime. Going to be out IRL on Sunday so Tuesday or Wednesday is looking most likely. Will throw in one or two easy workouts between now and then just to keep me ticking over. Not expecting a massive increase but I am definitely better at longer efforts compared to the beginning of the plan so all is good regardless.

Decided I wasn’t going to get the last few 2 hour workouts done so just did the FTP test this evening. Nice bump from 163W to 195W, so almost 20% up. Worked hard to stay over 200W, but forgot about the 5% that gets taken off! 😭 Something to aim for next time…

Thanks for the motivation, feeling better on the bike than I have for ages. Going to try to keep doing a few hours a week around the odd MTB ride when I can.