Each week I try to review and reflect on my previous week on the bike. This allows me to see how my fitness and ability is progressing on a wider timescale than day to day. For previous weekly reviews please click here.
In some ways an embarrassing week. Having to post that FTP Test result on Saturday was a low-light, let me tell you, but the numbers are what they are.
I do have a better plan than usual though, so I’m actually feeling pretty positive.
Here are this week’s rides:
- Monday – Zwift OG Racing: Stage 3 – Richmond (B)
- Tuesday – An Ideal Pace
- Saturday – FTP Test Results: Q2 2023
- Sunday – Better Than Yesterday
Really the week is all about the FTP Test.
But before that I did the usual weekly Zwift race, this week being Stage 3 of OG Racing series. That saw us take on one of my favourite maps on Zwift, with a single lap of the Richmond circuit.
I didn’t do well on that. Not really surprising, and after that shocker of an FTP Test and my recent weight gain, I am now down to Category C, where I should do far better?
The joke of it is, I don’t think I’d hit the Top 10 of a Category C race either. The curious part is whether Zwift Power would disqualify me anyway?
I’m honestly not sure.
I guess it’s all moot as the Zwift App won’t allow me to sign up for Cat C races still.
But yeah, overall I did about as well as I expected in the Richmond race. I struggle with the hills, and I messed up in several other ways during that ride anyway. A typical week’s racing result as far as I am concerned.
After that race I gave myself an easier day before going into what was intended to be a ‘rest’ day on Wednesday.
Well, Wednesday wasn’t a true rest. I had to go to Birmingham on the train, and ended up doing a 12 hour day with 4 hours of travel. It wasn’t a proper rest, so I went easy on myself (read: I wimped out) and took out Thursday as well.
Then Friday.
Well, you can’t do an FTP Test on a Friday, can you?
Of course not.
So I wimped out again, kinda mentally knowing I wasn’t going to do well regardless, and went for Saturday instead.
On the plus side, at least I did do it on Saturday.
That’s really all the plus side there was to that outcome. But I am not dwelling on it.
It’s now all about the plan going forwards.
First up, I need to lose a touch of the weight gain. That should come naturally, partly as a result of the workout schedule, and partly because it’s a lagging indicator in my experience, and I was over indulging whilst on my holidays a few weeks back.
Secondly, I need to get back into the more structured workout regime.
So I am going to do race day Tuesday, and then SST on Wednesday.
I’ve struggled with the SST sessions at my previous FTP figure – again, not really surprising given the outcomes and the overall trend of fitness – so will be taking this at about 235w to begin with.
I’m not keeping the projected 216w FTP figure. That’s not right I know that. The Garmin feels more sensible, so that’s where I shall begin.
And begin I shall.
This is now a progression to beat (or hit) 262w average on the 20 minute test by the end of Quarter 3.
That puts me where I want to be, which is an FTP of 250w.
That’s the target.
The plan is more structure, and a requirement to do more endurance alongside the SST sessions.
I’m not changing diet or anything – I feel that’s OK. The problem is simply that I have been doing the wrong stuff, and too little riding. It’s really an inevitability of those two factors that saw such a decline. There were some other things in the mix, too, such as heat and lack of proper nutrition on the day, but overall I knew I would be down.
Just not that down.
But on we go, and with renewed purpose.
Here’s to a strong week ahead.