TL;DR
What is the best strategy for me to boost my 12-15 min power over the next 4 weeks? This is specifically for a 2 km climb averaging 10%+ grade, with sections over 20%.
VO2Max workouts like the Rattlesnake?
upperSweetSpot/Threshold workouts?
reps of modified Seiler-blocks of 15min length at/near my 12min power?
OR a combination of these 3
others?
Background
I’m going to Bologna around Oct 15 - will take a bike. I want to retry the San Luca climb
[ San Luca climb | Strava Ride Segment in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy ]
which I rode 2-3 years ago. Was not _un_prepared for it last time, but did not specifically work at the durations on my power curve that would help here. I registered a time of just over 15 min, but mistakenly believed segment was over… and thus stopped to chat w/ other riders… I would like to get my time down by 2-3 minutes.
Will also ride various routes through the Apennines, but that’s just for exploration/bucketlist stuff.
Training Profile: 60 y.o., 12-15hr/cycling a week; FTP is somewhere around 260, 12min pow is around 280, 15min pow around 270.
Thanks in advance for any ideas/advice that you can offer.
12-15m will be a supra threshold effort. I would do a block of vo2max work but make it specific - eg. for me that would be out the saddle work with the workouts done on climbs themselves. I would also throw in a couple of longer 10+ min supra-threshold efforts.
I note, 4 weeks is not a lot of time for adaptations to materialise - you may not see the ultimate effects of the vo2max work until after the event…
To add importance to this, doing VO2 work will also require rest and/or recovery. 4 weeks is not enough to get adaptations, but enough time to get fatigued.
Yes, agreed - don’t under estimate this aspect either, especially if you have not done much vo2max work before and/ or a dedicated block…either way look at the programming (no of workouts, easy rides between, etc).
Thanks @Olly_Thomas and @Gerald … this is pretty much what I was expecting to hear, but two aspects are more in focus for me now…
*specificity - I don’t have access to a climb of that caliber nearby, but I think I can adapt one and use different gearing to mimic it, to some degree: standing climb out of seat most of it, keeping pulse in the 90% range for as long as tolerated
*VO2max blocks - I can just do some of these on the trainer as I was planning - some modified Ronnestad with preload, maybe some Seiler style blocks modified to fit the power profile of the climb somewhat. Zwift’s Bologna Time Trial actually is based in the climb IRL - I think it was site of a UCI event years ago… Nibali still holds the KOM in real life for the climb.
Regarding rest, I’m familiar and comfortable with scheduling rest into my weekly plan, and I know what it feels like when I *don’t * get adequate rest after the VO2max workouts… already sufficient motivation there to keep me from overreaching…
This reminds me that I can benefit from planning the specificity aspect by looking at the gradient profile for San Luca, and actually practicing the standup portion of the climb while in VO2max HR … I remember that there was that 20%+ gradient section around Orfanelles that was kind of terrifying, my HR was over my normal max and my quads were threatening to cramp… had the medical/clinical symptom of impending doom sensation. I know now to plan for that by backing off a bit for 2-3 min before reaching that steepest section.
What does this look like in reality for you? I would be advocating traditional 4x4/5x5 if I was coaching you, but focusing on MAP (with the progression being more power) each workout. From a supra-threshold perspective, I would probably look to do a rest-intervals reduction progression.
From my perspective, I would ask if you’ve done variable-paced intervals (Dr Ronstadt) and/or more steady-paced intervals (4-5min repeats), and which ones you felt were easier to “get through”. It’s more a psychological thing, and I will always encourage someone to do more of the interval session they prefer. Like @Olly_Thomas, I prefer the 4-5x4-5m sessions, but will do variable-paced sessions if the event/terrain dictates it. They are both hard.
Some sections will definitely require being in and out the saddle, unless you’re like Andy Feather and can climb all the time out the saddle.
Looking at the Veloviewer view of the climb, it’s a climb of 4 parts: hard start, less harder, then a hard ramp and then the final grind to the top. Being fully warmed up is important and also knowing you average climbing speed (VAM).
From http://bikecalculator.com/ you can enter your weight (including kit, shoes, helmet, etc.), bike weight and all the parameters of the climb. 12:00 would require about 270W for a 89kg (total weight) at 10.8% without any headwind, and about 25°C.
I understand now that my question is answered in 2 parts:
Fitness/strength training - having power/stamina for the climb
Course/climb-specific preparation - knowing where to apply power and how to spread effort most efficiently
I did Rattlesnake (Ronnestad w hard preload) this AM and had my best 12 min and 15 min power of the season. In reality I think I’m already pretty close - but having another 10w, and getting better adapted to recovery/lactate clearance just under my current threshold will help a lot.
@Gerald your breakdown of the climb into 4 sections can help me - great idea.
I’ve mapped out 2 weeks now:
1 or 2 VO2max workouts per week, followed by Z1 the next day or 2;
outside workouts that contain a variety of 12-15 min Strava segments where I can apply power in a consistent manner … all uphill, some a bit steep, others containing rollers, etc…
I also understand and accept that I’m not trying to build my fitness in general now, but rather to boost some specific power durations. I get that now. It is a specific focus.
I would only recommend 1x VO2 workout per week if you are also doing 12-15 min outside workouts. If you do them (VO2) as they were intended to be done, you will need recovery time. 12-15 minutes would be above threshold, which is also a hard workout.
Ahhh… found a closer match to the Bologna climb… average of 7.1% over 1.6 miles - that’s the best approximation we have w/i 50 miles of here. Big difference between average of 7% (Wisconsin) and 10%(Bologna), but I can just choose a higher gear on the sections that are over 9% and make sure I climb out of seat for those.
Also, the “plan your climb” idea you mentioned is already clicking for me - I’ll try it out tomorrow on the 2 segments I have planned for 12min power.
I’d try a Front Load Periodization.
The first week is HAAAAARD ! But the next 3 weeks will bring you to another level (in theory !). And you should be “fresh” for your event.
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I would do 1 minute high intensity efforts. At a power you can sustain for 8-10 reps x 1 minute efforts before the power numbers really start to decline.
At 60, you could probably really use the anerobic stress.
