Best. Ride. Ever.

Things have been going OK that last couple weeks since the Triple T.  I’m essentially all healed up, my right knee has still has some tenderness and some big fat scabs, but otherwise all is good.

Training has been progressing pretty well.  I’ve had a few bumps along the way, but generally I am quite happy with where I am at – especially after last night.

I joined a group of roadies for a ride out of Transition Cycle/Centennial Park in Merton, WI.  Depending on where you star it’s 50/42 miles of intense riding.  I was a bit apprehensive at some points, I kept having flashbacks of my fall, but I was happy with how the ride went.

For the most part I disregarded my PM display during the ride, simply putting out what was needed to stay with the train.  Unfortunately a little over an hour in I got dropped on a long drag uphill.  The group surged and I didn’t/couldn’t react and got spat out the back with a couple of others.

The result of that was some of the hardest riding I have done in my life.  I turned myself inside out for 20 minutes or so trying to get back on the group.  I just couldn’t make it – 20 guys versus 1 just isn’t fair.

Afterwards, when looking at the file I about dropped my shorts.  My peak 60 minute average was 299/341 (AP/NP), 20 minute (321/340).  I set new career bests at every major level, 1 minute, 5 minute, 20 minute, and 60 minute.  I even played around with the offset a bit in SRMwin to make sure things seemed on the up and up incase the offset slipped a ton during the ride – even then it was still impressive.

Needless to say, I think my current FTP estimate of 299 is a bit low.  I don’t know where to move it to as I really don’t think I could replicate that sort of an effort unless extremely motivated.  Guess I’ll have to see how Elkhart Lake goes this weekend, and High Cliff after that.

WKO file from the ride

For those without WKO – here is some of the high points:

Peak 1min (504 watts):
 Duration:   1:00
 Work:       30 kJ
 TSS:        5.4 (intensity factor 1.804)
 Norm Power: n/a
 VI:         n/a
 Pw:HR:       42.07%
 Pa:HR:       1.65%
 Distance:   0.301 mi
  Min Max Avg
 Power:        138 908 504  watts
 Heart Rate:   153 171 165  bpm
 Cadence:      69 104 81  rpm
 Speed:        14.9 23.7 18.1  mph
 Pace          2:32 4:01 3:19  min/mi
 Crank Torque: 169 1035 538  lb-in
 Temperature:  64.4 64.4 64.4  Fahrenheit

Peak 5min (364 watts):
 Duration:   5:00
 Work:       109 kJ
 TSS:        14.2 (intensity factor 1.304)
 Norm Power: 390
 VI:         1.07
 Pw:HR:       4.86%
 Pa:HR:       -9.98%
 Distance:   1.933 mi
  Min Max Avg
 Power:        0 752 364  watts
 Heart Rate:   133 178 162  bpm
 Cadence:      62 97 81  rpm
 Speed:        15.4 33.7 23.2  mph
 Pace          1:47 3:54 2:35  min/mi
 Crank Torque: 0 900 386  lb-in
 Temperature:  62.6 64.4 63.9  Fahrenheit

Peak 10min (344 watts):
 Duration:   10:00
 Work:       206 kJ
 TSS:        27.8 (intensity factor 1.292)
 Norm Power: 386
 VI:         1.12
 Pw:HR:       6.07%
 Pa:HR:       4.19%
 Distance:   3.894 mi
  Min Max Avg
 Power:        0 908 344  watts
 Heart Rate:   134 173 162  bpm
 Cadence:      37 115 90  rpm
 Speed:        13.3 31.7 23.4  mph
 Pace          1:54 4:31 2:34  min/mi
 Crank Torque: 0 1090 331  lb-in
 Temperature:  64.4 66.2 65.9  Fahrenheit

Peak 20min (321 watts):
 Duration:   20:00
 Work:       386 kJ
 TSS:        43 (intensity factor 1.136)
 Norm Power: 340
 VI:         1.06
 Pw:HR:       7.26%
 Pa:HR:       3.94%
 Distance:   7.336 mi
  Min Max Avg
 Power:        0 752 321  watts
 Heart Rate:   132 178 160  bpm
 Cadence:      34 104 79  rpm
 Speed:        5.7 33.7 22.0  mph
 Pace          1:47 10:30 2:44  min/mi
 Crank Torque: 0 1016 353  lb-in
 Temperature:  60.8 64.4 62.8  Fahrenheit

Peak 30min (314 watts):
 Duration:   30:00
 Work:       565 kJ
 TSS:        66 (intensity factor 1.149)
 Norm Power: 344
 VI:         1.1
 Pw:HR:       2.55%
 Pa:HR:       9.41%
 Distance:   11.635 mi
  Min Max Avg
 Power:        0 1013 314  watts
 Heart Rate:   132 178 159  bpm
 Cadence:      31 110 81  rpm
 Speed:        5.7 33.7 23.3  mph
 Pace          1:47 10:30 2:35  min/mi
 Crank Torque: 0 1044 335  lb-in
 Temperature:  60.8 64.4 63.5  Fahrenheit

Peak 60min (299 watts):
 Duration:   1:00:00
 Work:       1075 kJ
 TSS:        130.2 (intensity factor 1.141)
 Norm Power: 341
 VI:         1.14
 Pw:HR:       -5.67%
 Pa:HR:       1.9%
 Distance:   24.201 mi
  Min Max Avg
 Power:        0 1013 299  watts
 Heart Rate:   125 178 157  bpm
 Cadence:      30 130 83  rpm
 Speed:        5.7 41.3 24.2  mph
 Pace          1:27 10:30 2:29  min/mi
 Crank Torque: 0 1090 310  lb-in
 Temperature:  62.6 66.2 64.2  Fahrenheit