I wanted to follow up with all of you on why we did that test set this morning in class.  Understanding why would do a workout like that will hopefully motivate you to want to see that improvement in 6 weeks.

We did a few things this morning:

We rode 5×5 minutes at 120% of aerobic threshold.  Which in many cases is your Lactate threshold.

We did not rest – instead we rode at 80% – this is a significant difference.

We rode it in the small chain ring and in a VERY hot room.

So, why this set.  Of course, it is challenging and we want to see how much we can improve upon this workload in the next 6 weeks.  Will it be easier?  Will my threshold go up by the next time we do this set again.  Either way – both results are a great sign of FUNCTIONAL fitness for cycling.  Your ability to withstand a specific workload, repeat with limited rest, is all part of a fitness profile we all want to build.  We also want to improve our lactate buffering.  For most of us in triathlon, whether short course, long course or Ironman, would like the ability to surge away from the drafting packs, smoothly pedal over hills or dial up a higher power/effort for a few minutes when the course profile allows.  Lactate buffering allows us to do this while still being able to fall back to our race pace/wattage/target heart rate.  Spending some time over threshold is only helpful if you can absorb/handle it, and then settle right back into YOUR race.  Having the fitness to pop these surges is a huge confidence builder as well as great sign of progression.

You also suffered through a very hot, humid and difficult environment.  These temperatures in class elevate heart rate dramatically and usually require a significant reduction in power.  5 minutes allowed us to remain right on that edge but also avoided our core from crossing over into the overheated state.  Once overheated, it will take more than the remainder of class to return to regular power numbers.  But this hot room affects blood volume, and cardiovascular efficiency, all in order to prep you for a better race day.

Why no complete rest?  If we are buffering lactate, the purpose is to settle back into a more sustainable/realistic pace.  Full rest would not help in that preparation.  Yet falling back into 90% or T1 compromises the 120% intervals and the recovery too much.  We want to execute the interval AND recover effectively.  Full rest would call for ‘max’ intervals at 130+%.

The small chain rings sets up a harder pedal stroke.  While the resistance remains the same on the rear tire, the lbs per sq. inch are harder to push without any momentum – you can see this on the speed of the CT:  22-28mph vs 14-18 feels and is different.  The resistance has more force to slow down your momentum at a slower speed.  So, again.  Good work and requires a higher cadence.

Lastly – 5×5′ at those numbers help your mental toughness too.  Its just long enough to require letting go of the pain, to settle into the unknown of what could happen (blow up?) later in the set.  That focus of staying within the interval, within the moment, mile, time, zone is great to build on – given our training towards staying within your day and within your race throughout all distances.

Next steps and out comes:  If the class was too easy – it might be time to test.  It should have been quite challenging, but nothing crazy (unachievable) hard.  Otherwise over the next few weeks we are moving from pre-season work to longer lactate buffering sets in order to prep for that early February 5×5′ test.  By then we have either tested and moved that LT up significantly or it will feel a lot easier because you are ‘buffering’ lactate much more efficiently.  Of course a cooler room would change all these sensations, so we will need to recreate that – which is quite easy in that classroom.  Ideally you make a few notes on what you felt today, what you observed, note the HRs and wattages.  That way your next test you have some subjective and objective data to compare to.

Hope all this helps – you knowing why will – WILL – make you a better athlete.

For those of you that didn’t do that test set this morning.  Let me know if you want to do – I can apply on the road, solo trainers, HR etc.

See you soon in classes.

Thanks!