Turbo Time

The intensity is ramping up now and I completed my first turbo effort session yesterday. I had forgotten just how effective turbo training is - no junctions, no free wheeling, no falling off! Great for smoothing the pedaling action out too. I have a Cateye Cycle Simulator, pictured left. It is a real heavy duty beast and advertised as the only turbo that you can do full on sprints in........I checked this and you can!!

Anyway, I was going to do a peaking session of short efforts of 1 min duration. However, the wise old (very old!) Turbo Man advised me that a short max effort peaking session may not be ideal right now for my long distance goals this year. I could see his logic - I just thought that a short effort session would inflict the most pain on myself! Turbo Man advised that 2 x 20 min threshold efforts would be far more beneficial. As I had not done this session before, I had no idea what my threshold, in relation to power output (Wattage), was. I warmed up and did a few spin ups to lubricate the legs and then hit the first 20 min effort. Bare in mind that the power output is relative to the turbo trainer being used - so not worth comparing Wattage between turbo trainers - especially those renowned over power reading Tax Flow turbo trainers!!.

I selected 250W as a starting level and maintained this for 10 mins. Then 5 mins at 260W, 2 mins at 280W, 2 mins at 300W, 3 mins at 310W. 10 min recovery spin and then the next 20 min as 10 min at 260W, 2 min at 290W, 3 min at 310W, 4 min at 330W, 1 min at 400W. Then 1 min rest followed by 5 x 15 second flat out sprints in the hardest gear on 1 min (that is 15 sec sprint, 45 sec spin). managed to top out on the sprints at 850W. After that lot I was rather tired!

I though it was a good session, but Turbo Man tutted and showed me the error of my ways! i had crossed over too many intensity levels. Better off to have maintained a steady power output for each 20 mins and save the flat out sprints for later in the year. Trouble was, I had no idea what level to aim at. Next time I will go for 2 x 20 mins at 290W and see how that feels.

For the very first time in my triathlon training, I am going open water swim training on Friday! Looking forward to that...........I must swim in a straight line....... I must swim in a straight line.....I must......