It's a numbers game

Like most athletes, I am obsessed with numbers.

Power, heart rate, speed, calories...it all adds up to a faster overall time.

In my opinion, cycling power can have the largest influence on overall time in a triathlon.  Power is the numeric value assigned to the amount of watts generated by the rider over a given amount of time.

You can be a slow swimmer, a mediocre runner and a killer cyclist and still place well overall because when compared to the swim and the run, the bike section of a triathlon is the longest.  It is therefore easier to 'take back' time with a faster bike (or by improving your average speed on the bike) than it is by improving your swim or run time.  This is because as a percentage of the entirety of the race, the bike is the largest so to improve you bike speed, you're improving the longest of the three times.

To be ultra-competitive, you want to be strong in all three disciplines...and trust me, I give equal attention to all three (just ask my coach).   BUT, to whittle down the most time, one need look no further than the bike.

Yep, that's me.

I did an FTP test about two weeks ago  (Functional Threshold Power -the maximum amount of power one can maintain over a given time.) to see where I am compared to where I need to be.  -the video of that painful session is below.

At the end of the torture, you're left with two numbers of importance.  Your watt output (power) and your watts per kilogram.  Being able to produce big wattage numbers is great -even better on a flat bike course.  Syracuse is not flat. It's hilly, which suits me because I enjoy climbing.  That's where the second number comes in.

If you can put out more power than I can, yet you weigh more, there is a good chance I will pass you on the hills because my watts/kilogram number is higher.  In preparation for Syracuse, I need to focus on getting this number up.  How?  There are two ways.  Increase my power or decrease my weight.

I plan on a little of both.

Bike course elevation profile at Syracuse

Weight lost (I'm about 15 lbs over my race weight)
Power -training to increase my threshold power (I'd like to increase my FTP by 10-20 watts.)

The combination will increase my watts/kilogram and therefore my overall speed during the bike section of the race.

My next FTP test (six weeks from the first) should indicate whether I'm headed in the right direction.  Only time will tell.

YTD training summary

Quick catch-up...

Tasty first breakfast. Yum!

Been busy so far this year. A quick overview of the training preparing for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship...

Jan 1: 9 mile trail run -areo base building pace, stretch, core
Jan 2: Swim 3400 yards in the pool, stretch, core
Jan 3: off -woohoo!, stretch
Jan 4: Bike -lactate threshold intervals...ouch (on the indoor trainer) one hour, stretch, core
Jan 5: Run ~ 6 miles, stretch, core
Jan 6: Off (not scheduled)
Jan 7: Swim: 2275, Bike (at my coach's facility -KET) 1:06, resistance training
Jan 8: Run 8 miles, stretch, core
Jan 9: Resistance training
Jan 10: Swim: 2475 yards, Bike 1:00, stretch, core
Jan 11: Bike 2:00 -Threshold intervals + aero base, stretch, core
Jan 12: Run 45:00 intervals, Bike 1:00 aero base (on the indoor trainer), stretch, core

Current!

If you didn't notice, stretching and core work are a staple in virtually all my workouts.  There is a good reason for this...to be explained later.

Videos to watch.

Me taking a FTP test (30 minutes of pure pain to see where I am when it comes to power on the bike)

Hill Repeats...with a tire

There are some other entertaining ones on my channel as well.

More soon.