3000m Pursuit training

obRee said:

Hi All
I am training for the 3000m pursuit and have been loosley following Andy C's recommendations regarding this, as per his ppt presentation.

Note that those weren't recommendations per se, but simply an example program (albeit a successful one) that I presented to serve as a basis for further discussion.

obRee said:

Hi All
I am training for the 3000m pursuit and have been loosley following Andy C's recommendations regarding this, as per his ppt presentation. My plan is as follows

Basically
5 months increasing FTP twice per week 2x 20min @ L4 , with a 3hr SST ride on Sunday, rest of week recovery rides

3.5 months VO2Max, twice per week 6x5min @ L5 with a 3hr SST ride on Sunday, rest of week recovery rides

2.5 months Anaerobic capacity. three times per week 2 and 1 min @L6 and above, no Sunday ride. Few track practice runs.

During these periods I do only the level indicated exclusively.
I only ride the pursuit at provincials and nationals. No other races the rest of the year.

My question is, should I be doing L4 work during the L5 periods and L4 and L5 during the L6 period, as currently once moving into the next phase I do not include any other levels.

What happens if you stagnate during your 5 month L4 by only doing 2x20s? Also what happens to your FTP that you spent time building when you do 6 months before your event without working it?

gvanwagner said:

What happens if you stagnate during your 5 month L4 by only doing 2x20s? Also what happens to your FTP that you spent time building when you do 6 months before your event without working it?

During the L4 phase I increased from 300w to 370w, there was no stagnation as it increased every month when I did my 20min test. During L5 and L6 phase I did not do a FTP test so have no indication of whether FTP has dropped or not. This is my question, should I still be doing the longer 2x20min intervals during the L5 period and 6x5 min L5 During the L6 period ??

My comment would be that 2.5months is too long to focus on anaerobic capacity. I go 4 weeks at most. Some do only 2 weeks and some NZ team riders do 4 days of speed work.

Different sport but at 1962 Olympics Peter Snell's speed training to defend his 800m and win the 1500m was to run the heats!

Hamish Ferguson
Cycling Coach

gvanwagner said:

what happens to your FTP that you spent time building when you do 6 months before your event without working it?

Does it matter as long as power at pursuit duration is still rising?

acoggan said:

Does it matter as long as power at pursuit duration is still rising?

In my build up to Track Nationals my FTP dropped by about 5 watts but was seeing new 2-3 min peaks in power so I assume that the plan (Andy's BTW but only 4 weeks of anaerobic capacity) was working. Pity I got sick at the champs. But even two weeks after I am setting new 2min power peaks. Doing a long hilly ride tonight so will be interesting to see what FTP is.

Hamish Ferguson
Cycling Coach

Hmmm, 60min power was way down. Last night doing intervals I set a new 2min power peak. You get what you train for. I do think that 60min power is the base for pursuit training and allows you withstand and recover from the L5 and L6 training come track season.

Hamish Ferguson
Cycling Coach

fergie said:

You get what you train for.

A.k.a. specificity, specificity, specificity.