Current Status

Now these points of data make a beautiful line...

But in the real world we have a status too. Its measured by a few different things. Some are physical and some mental. As i know of no scientific (que screams from psych lecturer) way to measure most psychological things I'll just stick to the real science of physiology. Although I will admit that they are linked.

So its time to do some measuring and some admitting to myself. Things that need to get measured:

• Weight (kg)
• Body composition (Body fat) (% and total mm)
• VO2 @ OBLA (lactate 4mmol) and LT1 (+1mmol rise above baseline)
• FTP test (20mins normalised power *0.95 to get hour FTP)
• CHO use at FPT* 0.73 (IM pace - about 265W at the moment)
• CdA - Bit late, but need to set a baseline in the new position.
• 100m, 400m, 1000m swim set times
• 400m, 1km, 5km run times
• CHO use at 5min.km-1 pace (IM pace for a 3:30 mara)
• Sweat rate test @ normal and Lanza temps @ IM pace, run and bike

So lots to do and collect, but that's where working in a lab has its use. Plan for tomorrow will be to do the 20mins FTP test after i roll into the office. Rehydrate and refuel and do the 100m and 400m pool session in the evening.

Anyone who wants to know why my VO2max isn't on that list, well i know it. 5.4L.min-1. It hasn't changed that much in the last while. When racing light (while since that) its at 71ml.kg/min-1 (76kg) currently probably at 64ml.kg.min-1. I'll let you work out the weight.

August 2010

Bit of back and forth emailing with another friend/athlete I've worked with has lead me to have a bit of a think about targets for the coming year.

For Lanza i'm aiming to get my FTP back up over 4.2w.kg-1 where i am when racing at about 76kg, so about 320W (336W Normalised Power for 20mins). That'd be equivalent to about 4mmol blood lactate at that point. With a peak aerobic PO of about 400W (LT2 occuring at 86% Vo2max - i wont get this much higher i fear), so talking a Vo2 of ~70ml.kg.min-1 (5.4L.min-1) for the last season. That would put me at about 250W for LT1 and at my most economical (RER less than 1)

I have recorded lab tests at 5.6L.min-1 and PO's of 425W when i was 77kg, and ive done tests at 73kg (to light for me, all goes pear shaped). Ideal situation would be up at 76kg, Peak Aerobic PO about 425W, LT2 at 86% POmax -> 374W, and LT 1 at 65% POmax -> 276W. So riding at that. Have done 185km this summer at 265W NP and felt ok after, just not flexible happy. Ran 2km off the back and felt not great TBH. Would have to look at fuel use at that point, but thats a while ahead yet. Great thing about this plan is it'd put me at 3.6W.kg-1 @ LT1, and 4.9W.kg-1 (!!!!) at LT2. problem will be if i go over FTP i will go KABOOM! leave me good for climbing and longer stuff, but not much in between or short.

So if that's all it takes from a science point of view to do what I want on the bike, how do I get there?

That's what I plan to do here. Document where I am, where iI am going, and try to get there on time for Ironman Lanzarote. 276 days. Not that anyone is counting.