TrainerRoad – STW approved sessions

@jam bo – like I said, I’m really not sure how long it’s been set wrong, quite possibly it’s been wrong all the time. I’m not bothered since the efforts are relative to what I’m doing, it’s just the actual number that’s wrong. I did Ebbetts (along with everyone else it seems) at the correct resistance but with TR’s intensity set to 125% and it felt too light so I might split the difference

along with everyone else it seems)

Starting sweet spot base 2 mid level

Lamarck tonight, 4 x 10 at FTP with 2 minutes recovery between each.

TrainerRoad reset my FTP to my previous value, only 5 watts less so no big deal except it also reset the device to use VP…for an interval and a half I was thinking I’d made some incredible overnight improvements in smoothing out my pedal stroke.

Just Mary Austin to see off on Saturday and it’s rest week 🙂

Did an 8 minute retest this evening – I’d got the resistance setting on the turbo incorrect as far as Trainerroad was concerned so my FTP was wrong, quite a lot wrong. With the same resistance on the turbo and TR my FTP rose by a mere 15% 😆

My previous setup provided the correct levels in the training just with the wrong numbers attached, paradoxically they meant I appeared physiologically more efficient (by the aforementioned 15%). My aim had been to get my Watts/Kg to 3 but I’m now at 3.2 W/Kg so need a new target.

Keeler needle for me. Didn’t have time for The 1.5 hrs I was meant to do so did Tuesday’s session as will be taking a week out for a cx race next Sunday. Really enjoyed it, hour went nice and fast trying to keep power right.

Just signed up for Trainerroad to try to add a bit more structure to some winter training. Looking to begin one of their plans tomorrow (short power build) and am trying to see whether it is possible to export a Trainerroad plan to easily integrate with a calendar?

Ride Sync works with strava, training peaks or dropbox.

Am I right in thinking that syncs completed rides with those programs? What I want to do is to upload the plan (like this) to a calendar, maybe in Training Peaks, but even just as a calendar file to load in to Google Calendar would be fine as well.

I’ve already got it syncing completed rides to Strava and TP.

I’ve not seen that option. Like you say TR will sync completed rides to Strava, etc. The plans aren’t fixed to any calendar date though and the iCal format requires that information. Also there’s nothing saying you have to do session X on a particular day.

The sync option seems to be fairly new so it’s possible it was a requested feature, why not drop TR an email and request what you want.

I’d like this feature as well, currently just manually input the planned TSS into Training Peaks and export the calendar to Google.

Not sure it will add a lot but would be a bit tidier.

Rest week for me, which generally means getting carried away on Zwift…

I just think it would be a good way to give you a nudge to say ‘you should be doing session X today’. Good call on dropping them a mail Whitestone, will do so. I contacted them via FB when I was having some setup issues and they were very prompt and helpful.

Had a FB chat with them and apparently an in app calendar/planning function is in development to be launched soon. Interaction with TP calendar is also planned but a bit further off.

I know that if you use Training Peaks then any stuff that you put in the calendar means you’ll get an email in the morning telling you what sessions you’ve got planned.

I’d like it if you could send across a whole plan from TR to the TP calendar, would make it a lot easier than doing it by hand!

I’d like it if you could send across a whole plan from TR to the TP calendar, would make it a lot easier than doing it by hand!

Yep, that’s exactly what I wanted it to do. Here’s there response I got from TR – who were extremely prompt and helpful I have to say!

Hey Sam! Thanks for the suggestion! We actually have big plans to add both of those features in the near future. Right now we are focused on finishing up the revamp of our desktop app, but once that is complete, adding a calendar feature that allows you to save, edit, and track your TrainingPlan will be one of our top priorities. The option to sync your training plan to TrainingPeaks is a little further down the line, but it is definitely on our list

my second 8 minute test today and i dry retched after the second period. Success!

Keeler Needle for me tonight, enjoyed it – a lot of variety and having to think about matching gearing, cadence and power output.

my second 8 minute test today and i dry retched after the second period. Success!

Good work!

Serious case of the CBA’s here today. Was going to be a day off after racing yesterday but a nice big lump of TSS was reduced to not very much by a mechanical, so really should re-jig the plan 😕

Was a TSS of 200 for me if my summer FTP still stands (probably not). Stuck to the plan and did 45mins recovery spin yesterday, felt a bit sore still this morning so elected to rest, did an hours Z2 tonight and back on it early tomorrow to try to catch up up with a couple of people who appear to have moved ahead. Good motivation!

Hi, was after some advice. Currently I use my 26″ mtb on the turbo, and have just moved on to base training part two. it is a 1 by 9 with 34-11 (i think) at the back and a 32 ring at the front. Currently have the turbo set on resistance 5. Usually have 1 by 10 on the bike but the cheap spare wheel setup I have came with a 9 speed cassette.

I did my second 8 minute test the other week and was using the top gear , so 32-11. I couldn’t go any faster than I did, but do you think as I get fitter ( ! ) I’ll run out of gears, or can I just set the resistance higher on the turbo? Or, should I be thinking about returning the bike to a 2 by 9 or 10 set up for more gears and a higher top gear and keep the resistance on 5 for consistency’s sake? or perhaps a new 34 or 36 chainring?

I’ve also noticed that with this set up its not always easy to find that sweet spot of a comfortable cadence and power output. For example when the program says to up your cadence by a little bit (high tempo intervals or something?) its very hard to not make the power output say 10-15 over what it should be…

Thanks in advance

Depending on your FTP there’ll often be a power band that is awkward to settle on as one gear ratio will be at the bottom of your natural cadence range and the next gear will be at the top of the range.

You can change the resistance setting in TR at any time to suit, again it takes a bit of time to find the resistance that lets you use the entire range of gears and match those to the target power.

Thanks, but do I have a sufficient range of gears do you think?

Tricky one. You’d probably be ok if you bumped up the resistance, but the turbo feel starts to get very different at high resistance settings (very lumpy) which may mess with your measurements. To get the most road like feel I tend to run as low a resistance as possible to get the power I need with a reasonably high wheel speed (and that’s with a 53-12 highest gear.)

Also as you’ve noticed, you have big jumps in the cassette which can make riding to a power less natural.

If your bike is turbo specific then I’d probably try and stick as big a chainring as possible on there, probably a double just to get a bigger big ring and to be able to run a close ratio cassette.

Im a big believer of using the same bike for as much of the riding as I can so I use my race bike on the turbo (with a specific turbo wheel)

I use a 2×11 system with 36/26 and a 11-40 cassette. My turbo is set to the highest resistance setting.

I find im in 9th gear (36 – 13) and at around 270w (NP) with a cadence in the 95 to 105 rpm range

I have 2 more higher gears should I need them for harder intervals.

Im a big believer of using the same bike for as much of the riding as I can so I use my race bike on the turbo (with a specific turbo wheel)

Certainly a bike with the same fit. Though do you really sit on it the same way on the turbo that you do on the road?

Certainly a bike with the same fit. Though do you really sit on it the same way on the turbo that you do on the road?

I guess that depends on how you set your turbo up…with or without a block etc??? Other than that, the only difference I find is the lack of moving around out of the saddle

its seems like the turbo setting of 5 is most ‘road like’ in how it feels, for me anyhow.

i think i will look at going 2 X 9 or 10 (36 /26 maybe ). Ugh and i thought front mechs were dead.

Ugh and i thought front mechs were dead.

Ah…in my defense, I use di2 hence the reason I run a double

Pretty sure I have 2 Chainrings and a shifter somewhere . Might have to buy a front mech though *shudder*

Just done 8 minute FTP test, 1 watt less than mid season FTP so more than happy. Went for an mtb play yesterday, so not really the recovery day supposed to have before testing but more realistic for me anyway as a comparison.
Was feeling that couldn’t get HR up as easily as normal and evidenced by a reduction in the LTHR so maybe have been overdoing it in my rest week.

Just finished an 8 minute test after completing the mid-volume sweet spot plan with various sessions moved around to fit in with work etc.

Managed to increase my FTP by just over 3% which doesn’t seem too bad. It also gave me a drop of 4bpm in my LTHR. It was also my first FTP test using a powermeter rather than the TR calculated power so I’m not sure how much of an effect that had on the figures.
I might need to do a session using both TR virtual power and my P1’s to see how close the numbers are.

Bashfull – 15 x 1min at 300w. The last few were tough – hard to keep a breathing rhythm at the end of the interval and some mental pushing required, which is an indicator I’m at the right level I believe!

I might need to do a session using both TR virtual power and my P1’s to see how close the numbers are.

You can just compare the wheel speed for that test with the previous one (assuming same turbo resistance setting.) Hmm curious they only show the wheel speed in the app and not on the web.

The last few were tough – hard to keep a breathing rhythm at the end of the interval and some mental pushing required, which is an indicator I’m at the right level I believe!

Nice work on the mental pushing. For short intervals or the end of long ones I tend to get my head down and count in groups of ten. Seems to help me focus on something other than pain 🙂

Bashfull – 15 x 1min at 300w. The last few were tough – hard to keep a breathing rhythm at the end of the interval and some mental pushing required, which is an indicator I’m at the right level I believe!

300w fifteen times for 1min sounds like quite a workout. Especially if, as you say, you’re not feeling too fit at the moment.

Whats that in relation to FTP? You’re not a short chap so my estimate is around the 95% mark?

Whats that in relation to FTP?

Bashful. 125% Quite hard towards the end I expect.

2hrs with 2 x 30 mins blocks of tempo for me. Jennifer Jones on netflix providing the entertainment that the workout lacked!

Bashful. 125% Quite hard towards the end I expect.

2hrs with 2 x 30 mins blocks of tempo for me. Jennifer Jones on netflix providing the entertainment that the workout lacked!

Ah….i can’t get use the TR website properly here so couldn’t look at the profile….fair session though

I have a custom made session tonight…

10min Z1 WU, 10min Z2, 20min Z3 with a 5sec acceleration at the start of every 2mins, 10min Z2, 20min Z3 with the accelerations again and then 10min Z1 warm down.

So I buys a roadie (first ever), a turbo and the odds and sods and joins trainerorad thinking that it would be good for the fitness as I can’t ride as much as I like.
Do a FTP they say. Ok, I’ll go for the 20 mins. I can ride for 20 mins. IT DOESNT MEAN THAT. There is a 20 minute max effort interval in it!!!
I’m ****ed and only just finished the 3rd (5 min) interval.
I’m ****ed. Completely ****ed.
Think I’ll try the 5 minute FTP next time.

300w fifteen times for 1min sounds like quite a workout. Especially if, as you say, you’re not feeling too fit at the moment.

Whats that in relation to FTP? You’re not a short chap so my estimate is around the 95% mark?

**** me I wish… Bashful is 125% intervals Gaz. I’m not a powerful rider… I’m not sure how I’ll I am tbh. My throat glands have gone down and my HR is normal, and although my busted finger and dented shin hurts I thought I wouldn’t complete this one, but actually finished over the desired watts required at 207np – bear in mind 24 mins of that is z1 rest / 95w. As suggested in the work out I probably could have pushed it up 1-2% in the last phase but would have been reaching for a bucket beyond that, as I was definitely in the pain management phase for the last 10-15 secs of the final 3 x 1.

Regards the weekend my daughter is ill, and I’m actually wondering whether I carried the virus through the race and the race adrenalin actually helped kick it out. IANAD so no idea if that can happen. I guess we’ll see on Jan 3.

PMSL @ wrecker, welcome to Sick Club.

Donner for me tonight, just getting properly stressful for the last three minutes of the final interval, phew! Bloomin’ warm tonight, where the hell’s winter?

@wrecker: I did a week or so of workouts before trying my first FTP test as much to get a feel for how to ride to the various power levels but the first FTP test you do is going to be a learning process in itself. The 8min FTP test is actually two 8min efforts near the end of an hour’s workout and the level required is a little bit higher than that used for the 20min test. It’s not actually a max effort interval (which would be closer to 30 seconds in length) but the maximum you can put out for 8 or 20 mins so you have to be able to pace things – the on-screen hints are there for a purpose 😀

The 8min FTP test is actually two 8min efforts near the end of an hour’s workout

WHAT? Are you joking? Are they perverts?

Should I knock the default FTP setting down a bit? I’m ****ing killing myself trying to hit the power targets.

Nah – https://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/workouts/1271-8-minute-test , beast it man!

The initial 200 Watts used by TR is just a guide, you can either use the intensity button in the app to change it for a single workout or change it more permanently in your profile.

Have you got your turbo and TR in sync? I.e. are they both set to the same resistance for your turbo model?