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.
This week was made up of five riding days, all of which were indoors, and all of which were at a recovery ride pace. This is because I am currently fairly unwell. I have been unable to sustain even moderate activity without becoming breathless, so have resorted to doing the most I can do under the circumstances, without just giving up completely. It’s a trade off, which – all things considered – I am happy with.
Last time I had this illness, it took about 5 weeks to shift. With that in mind I will – hopefully – be back to ‘normal’ some time mid December. Just in time for Christmas it seems, what a present.
This week’s rides were as follows:
- Monday – Old Broken Lung (Indoor / Zwift)
- Tuesday – Winnertime (Indoor / Zwift)
- Wednesday – Ride and Prejudice (Indoor / Zwift)
- Friday – 90 Minutes Of Not Much (Indoor / Zwift)
- Sunday – Help! He’s Very Slowly Getting Away (Indoor / Zwift)
It’s really hard to get excited about any of the rides at the moment. They are, in many ways, a feat of mental endurance rather than anything else. I’m often coming off the bike without having broken a sweat – or if I have, the fan has taken thorough care of it for me.
If you’re looking for things to talk about, one would be the consistency of the riding. Never have my numbers looked so repeatable!
I did take two rides earlier in the week at 125w, and then knocked it down later in the week. As daft as it sounds, those 10 watts were making a difference. At 114w I would be absolutely fine, but at 125w I was – over time – noticing that shortness of breath creeping back in.
That said, as I sit writing this currently I’m feeling in a much better place than I was even a few days back. So, for my next ride, I will be aiming to push 125w again, with the view to using the Zwift app to push ERG up to 110% should I feel comfortable enough once riding.
At the very start of the year I set myself a goal of having an FTP of 230w or greater.
I managed to exceed that figure midway through the year but subsequently dropped off, potentially as a result of peaking then dipping as is natural, and partly due to sustained weight loss. I mean, those are guesses, I don’t have hard facts.
In hindsight, what I should have done – and what I will do for next year – is to set a watts per kilogram goal, rather than a static power figure. Mistakes made. Lessons learned. All good.
But what I did say was that after my FTP fell below 230w again, I would aim to push myself to see if I could match or exceed 230w again before the end of the year.
I now don’t think that’s going to happen.
My weight loss has continued. I’m now approach 10 stone, which is considerably down from earlier in the year. And combined with the fitness dip I’m absolutely certain to have taken from this prolonged period of recovery, I don’t think it’s wise to push myself stupidly hard in the happy circumstance that I am fully recovered pre-Christmas / NYE.
I’m looking at it that I met my goal. And whilst things haven’t gone as expected in 2020 (in so many ways!), I should be happy enough with how things have turned out. Anyway, I can’t change them so no point worrying.
So the plan for the week ahead is much of the same as the previous week. I’m going to – hopefully – push up the intensity slightly, with an aim of ramping up towards endurance for a full interval (ideally 10 minutes) if I’m feeling happy enough with how my body is responding. I’m being super cautious really. I figure if I can get through the 5 weeks being sensible, I won’t prolong things by smashing myself just to see if I can.