With all the long, low L4 minutes I've been putting in lately, I decided to really push it in my 2x20 session today. I went in at 108% of my assumed FT. I completed the first 20, recovered for 5' at ~50% FT. A few minutes into the 2nd 20, I started having doubts. I decided I would do 2 sets of 12' with 3' recovery instead. I probably could have finished the whole 20' if someone had had a gun to my head, but I didn't want to kill myself.
My question is this: Did I manage to "salvage" my workout, and get quality minutes at high L4/low L5?
With all the long, low L4 minutes I've been putting in lately, I decided to really push it in my 2x20 session today. I went in at 108% of my assumed FT. I completed the first 20, recovered for 5' at ~50% FT. A few minutes into the 2nd 20, I started having doubts. I decided I would do 2 sets of 12' with 3' recovery instead. I probably could have finished the whole 20' if someone had had a gun to my head, but I didn't want to kill myself.
My question is this: Did I manage to "salvage" my workout, and get quality minutes at high L4/low L5?
If I understand correctly, instead of 2x20 = 40min, you did 20/12/12=44min. My understanding is that for L4 intervals, as long as you're doing them in intervals of 10 minutes or more, you're working the same physiological system, so it sounds like if anything, your "salvage" was a slightly better workout in that it accumulated more minutes in the power range you were targetting.
I know you didn't ask, but how the heck did you expect to finish a 2x20, typically an L4 workout, at L5 power? You were doomed to fail from the beginning.
I know you didn't ask, but how the heck did you expect to finish a 2x20, typically an L4 workout, at L5 power? You were doomed to fail from the beginning.
just pushing the limits/perception as he did say "assumed" FT 🙂
FWIW, my "2x20s" were often 20-30/15-20/10-15 -- no formal testing just riding hard in ergo mode until I reached ~30min at that power for the 1st interva and then increased the watts. I realize I could have made better progress operating perhaps 5% lower in power and getting in 2-3 quality workouts/week. One of those 100% efforts were all I could sustain weekly ....sometimes not even weekly.
But once in a while, I still just shoot for a 20min PB and let the other interval(s) fall where they may. I think you have to blow the cobwebs out once in a while.
I know you didn't ask, but how the heck did you expect to finish a 2x20, typically an L4 workout, at L5 power? You were doomed to fail from the beginning.
Kinda what I was thinking, If I went 108% of my FT I would then be just at the start of L5. (Isnt L4 91-105%) So If I said I did my L4 interval at 110% of my FT would I be corrected.
I thought RDO said some where that if you cant do the 2nd 20min at that wattage of the first one, you went to hard.
Kinda what I was thinking, If I went 108% of my FT I would then be just at the start of L5. (Isnt L4 91-105%) So If I said I did my L4 interval at 110% of my FT would I be corrected.
I thought RDO said some where that if you cant do the 2nd 20min at that wattage of the first one, you went to hard.
Too hard for what? Do you really think you need to do them all at the same power? Why?
Too hard for what? Do you really think you need to do them all at the same power? Why?
I missed the part that he decided to push hard for this session. But, if you're confident that you've set your FT well, you probably won't be able to finish the second interval at 108% of FT.
The idea is not necessarily to do them at the same power, but to do them at a power level that will allow you to complete both of them.
