3 interval sessions this week. The first one was a repeat of the first session I did as part of the training; the one that I wasn’t mentally prepared for and suffered in. This time I was ready for it! It was still hard but at least this time I expected it to be.
The other two sessions were a mix of 30s on/15s off and then 30s on/30s off. These all seem to follow the same pattern, the first interval in each set feels ok, but the 10th interval is a case of “push push push” to complete it. I’ve found them slightly easier if I visualise them as ramps on a hill rather than an interval.
I also talk to myself quite a lot, reenforcing why I’m doing the training and how amazing the ride will be. I’m sure anyone listening would think I’d completely lost the plot!

The weekend sessions were an endurance session and a sweetspot session. The latter was hampered by the strong wind on Sunday; it’s hard to get a consistent power level when the wind is blowing the bike around. I sometimes just want to ride my bike rather than looking at my head unit and the power output display but have to tell myself that time will come in 3 weeks.

Testing week, as in FTP and VO2Max testing.

FTP test was on Monday. A 20 min warmup and then as hard as possible for 20 minutes. 3 weeks ago I was trying to hold 200W, this time I was trying to hold around 210W. I ended up with an average of 208W so my FTP has improved to 198W. I’m really pleased with this, but also know that this means all the subsequent workouts will be that much harder.

VO2Max was on Friday which was also the hottest day of the year so far. The warmup for this one was 45 minutes followed by a 1 minute full out sprint. I pushed this as hard as I could and paid the price in the heat. The 10 minute recovery seemed to fly past and then I was into the 5 minute effort. I wanted to hold around 240W for this but had to settle for 230W. I felt that my power level fluctuated quite a lot during this 5 minutes and I felt I could have gone harder but the heat played a part. Very happy to set new 5s, 1 minute and 5 minute power numbers though.

The weekend saw a mix of a long endurance ride followed by an active recovery ride. The endurance intensity was just the wrong side of comfortable so was pretty hard work. The average speed for the ride showed this too whereas the recovery ride was spent riding up and down Bushy Park at a gentle pace as the park got busier on a Sunday morning.

This was the first week with 5 sessions. The next 3 weeks also have 5 sessions each before I taper in the last week before the ride itself. It is getting closer and closer!

The intensity feels like it has ramped up this week. The intervals are longer, the power expectations are higher.

I’ve started to work with a massage therapist I’ve seen in the past when I have had back problems. It was different seeing him with a view to preventing injury rather than healing from it.

Friday’s session was the first one I didn’t complete. My notes from TrainingPeaks say: The initial 10 mins at 190W was ok. Once the intervals started I found the low cadence (65rpm) a struggle. I got through 10 intervals but had to reduce the intensity a bit.
On one hand I know I had a late night on Thursday, didn’t eat particularly well on Friday so am not surprised I wasn’t at my best but on the other hand it’s a lesson about the importance of sleep and nutrition.

Sunday’s road based workout didn’t start well when the new head unit lost connection to all the sensors after about 1km and refused to reconnect to anything. Turned round, went home, got the old head unit and started again! Feel like I’m almost getting the hang of it now. The tempo intervals with NP bursts were actually fun.

The most important piece of equipment for the entire ride, my bike. If you’re not interested in bike specs and technology then skip this post!

My bike is a Wilier Cento 10 NDR with Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8070 groupset plus Ultegra pedals. I’m using 50/34 chainrings and an 11-34 cassette. The wheels are Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon UST Disc and I’m running 28mm Continental GP 5000 TL tubeless tyres. I have a Specialized Power Arc Expert saddle and use Fizik R4B shoes.

The bike itself is really comfortable thanks to some special damping where the seat stays meet the seat tube. There’s a technopolymer dissipater that allows the rear wheel to move a couple of millimetres when riding over bumpy and uneven surfaces. The front is really clean as all the cables are routed through the handlebars and the frame uses aerodynamic Kamm-tail shaped tubing.

Monday’s session was a hard start to the week. 30 seconds at 350W followed by 1 minute at 105W, repeated 10 times was hard work. Another 4 minutes at 105W and then the 10 intervals started again. The last 3 were a real struggle and I just hung on. I find these sessions a mental challenge as much as a physical one. When your legs, lungs, heart are all telling you to stop it’s important to remember why you’re putting yourself through this.

The one thing that concerns me is getting injured or ill during the training. Every little niggle gets amplified; this week its some discomfort in my right foot.

Two workouts based around repeating intervals this week. I can feel it in my lower back, not in a painful way, more in a being aware that the muscles have been used. Time to add some core workouts so that my core is being used rather than my lower back.

First ride not in the training plan this week too. It’s the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend so 2 extra days off work. Kaz has the all clear to start riding her bike again so 4 of us set out for a gentle spin. Apart from Kaz doesn’t do gentle spins so we headed off to the Hog’s Back including the climb over Keogh Barracks.

Bit of a disaster installing new cleats when the threaded part in the shoe pushed up through the insole! Good job I had a spare pair of shoes in the cupboard (like you do!).