I don't really know the program, but I found this:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...64367178,d.b2I

Heart Rate:
Zone 5a 100% to 102% of LTHR _____ - _____
Zone 5b 103% to 106% of LTHR _____ - _____

How to Train With Power (Cycling)
Step 1. Establish your Functional Threshold Power (FTPw). Use the same 30-minute time trial test above for LTHR to determine your FTPw. The only difference is that the average power for the entire 30 minutes is an approximation of your FTPw. This may be done on the road or on an indoor trainer. As with LTHR testing, the more times you do this test the more accurate the results will become since there is a learning curve associated with such an effort. This is best done before starting the training plan. The more times you do this test the more accurate your FTPw will become.
Step 2. Set up your personal power training zones using the following guide.
Zone 1 Less than 55% of FTPw <_____
Zone 2 55% to 74% of FTPw _____ - _____
Zone 3 75% to 89% of FTPw _____ - _____
Zone 4 90% to 104% of FTPw _____ - _____
Zone 5 105% to 120% of FTPw _____ - _____
Zone 6 More than 120% of FTPw >_____

I guess 5a would be 105% to 110% FTP and 5b would be like 110% to 120% FTP?

Maybe, I'm not sure. I've seen the link you found there also and it''s a little irritating that he does the zones differently.

Of course, it's not like they necessarily really line up anyway. The other day I was doing these very short intervals (10 seconds or less, you actually are counting pedal strokes). The power gets very high, like I might reach 1000 watts or more which is, like, I dunno, 450% of my FTP or something. But they're so short my heart rate doesn't even get out of zone 5a.

Looking through "Training with a power meter" I'm not sure it'll be *super* helpful in this regard but it'll be fine.

The time crunched cyclist told you EXACTLY what to do. The cyclists training bible is way more vague. Do 3 to 5 sets at 6 to 10 minutes at heart rate between 4 and 5a. That could be 18 minutes or 50 of total work and there's a huge difference between HR zone 4 for 18 minutes and zone 5a for 50. You're supposed to use your judgement and I've had to keep notes (what I did last time so I can try to do the same or more next time and so forth)

I'd kind of LIKE someone to tell me exactly what to do but the same book is supposed to be referenced by dorks like me and people who ride 3x as much.

Yeah, Rusty is the S&F's cycling bpro.

I don't really plan on taking cycling more seriously (or well, who knows)

It's more or less just my most preffered way to commute.
And at the same time it's a good way to get some cardio in without affecting lifting performance much.

Interesting.

That is a crazy wide range. I'm bad at "doing the program"
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat...e-program.html

to begin with, having a wide variation just makes it tougher. I have a hard enough time remembering "3X8 4 minute RBI" once I get on the bike. He should at least give some guidance on what criteria to use to decide between 3X6 @ zone 4 and 5X10 @ zone 5a. Or 3x6 @ 5a and 5X10 @ 4...

If you're willing to throw down $50+ per month, a USA Cycling certified coach would be much better than a book and remove any vagueness. I've never liked the idea of following a plan in a book because it can't adapt if things don't go exactly as planned. A coach can take more recent variables into consideration and edit your plan monthly, weekly, or even daily. But of course going that route is much more expensive

It might be worth it next year, I dunno, I guess I'll see how this year goes.

I mean let's be a little serious here - I'm 36 and I just started working hard last year. I don't think I really have any kind of genetic gift for cycling so there's a pretty hard upper ceiling to what I'll be able to accomplish, I think.

As of today my estimated FTP beats that of my peak last year - which is good, I have another 7 weeks of build before I hit this year's alleged peak. I may be working a bit too hard, today I hit a power goal that I scheduled for 2 weeks from now. I was on my last "cruise interval" of the workout (8 minute intervals at 5a heart rate zone) and I was averaging above the goal (the goal was 265 watts for 10 minutes) so I just pushed the last interval to 10 minutes (actually, 10 minutes and 30 seconds, I have learned my lesson that lengths and averages as shown on the bike computer can morph a bit when they get into strava)

Keep it up, Rusty!

Oh and the KOM I got on strava was re-taken by it's previous holder the next day. He took a short ride out there to reclaim it. At least I made him work pretty freakin hard.

Damn I just looked him up. He's a cat 3 racer and he's been winning some races this year. I'm examining his other KOMs to see if I can poke at him a bit. I kind of doubt I'll be able to get the april 1st KOM back, he beat me by 11 seconds out of 9 min 30 sec.

Edit: Holy ****, and he's at least 45 I think. Maybe there's hope for me after all.

https://www.usacycling.org/results/?compid=20478

Been a long week but I'm getting the hours in OK.

Today I did a good "cornering" workout. There's a housing development going up about 5 miles from here. The streets are all laid, brand new fresh asphalt. The whole thing is blocked off though. So I went in there and did laps and stuff, there's a few nice loops in there.

I'm getting better at it - it's definitely something I am not good at. There's some skill involved but mostly it involves not pussing out.

It takes a certain amount of faith that you can make it around the corner without skidding out, or running into the opposite curb, or striking a pedal (if you're pedalling). I intentionally/carefully let myself scrape a pedal a few times so I could see how far you have to go before it happens.

I experimented with sprinting into corners, sprinting out of corners. Leaning just the bike, leaning just myself, leaning both. I feel better about it now, I'll probably do it once a week or so until I'm more comfortable.

Yo Rustly (or anyone else)

IYE, how many extra calories does one burn in one hour of cycling?
Let's assume male, 160lb BW, 12-13 mph.

My (total) guess would be 250-350?

I don't have much experience with that speed. At 16 mph it would be around 600. However, I think going at 12 mph is probably going to consume something like 1/2 the calories of going at 16, or 2/3 at most. So 300-400 seems like a good estimate.

Note: this is total, not above baseline.

Sooooo, the above + my gorilla math = I get to consume another 250-ish cals on days I cycle to/from work.
Great.

More or less.

This weekend I'll be doing some tough hilly rides in central texas, the saturday ride should burn enough calories for me to eat a couple of large pizzas above my normal caloric intake.

Here's a similar ride from last year
http://www.strava.com/activities/46559657
3,529 calories burned, hooah.

This one 100 miles, too?
That's like, a lot.

Yeah and quite a bit of climbing. I was beat to **** by the end. About 10 miles from the finish I had to stop and lay down for 10 minutes. It started to get quite hot and I was overheating, just couldn't take one more pedal. Of course, someone rides by a few minutes later and says "hey, the next rest stop is at the top of this hill"

Edit: I saw 2 really funny things on this ride.

#1 was I saw 2 women riding the 100 mile course in sandals, like, flip flops I think. This is pretty astounding and by about 60 miles in one of them had terrible blisters - but kept going.

#2 was I caught up to this small group that included a guy my age and his mom. The guy was in baaaad shape, you could tell by looking at him he was hurting. Sweat pouring off him and all that. But his mom was doing fine. And he clearly could not bring himself to complain, or ask to slow down or rest, as long as his mom kept going, so he suffered on.

Is there a hill anywhere around that you can't handle?

In Austin? I don't think so, not now. 2 years ago I tried to go up red bud from lake Austin blvd and failed.

In truth almost any hill can be climbed with the right gearing

I've done that one but I could never conquer spicewood springs road (near 360). However, that was the end of my ride since I lived at the top of it.

Rusty (or any of the other cycling/endurance bros on here) what are you using for your endurance drinks, if anything at all?

I've got an endurance paddling event that I'm starting to consider tackling, and was looking at one of the top competitors feed logs. They are (were at that time) using Perpetuem by Hammer Nutrition. Do you use anything like this or have any recs on products to try?

Eh, it varies. Perpetuem is a good thing, I use it on very long rides. It contains a bunch of crap you need - a kind of sugar (probably maltodextrin), some protein, electrolytes, some other stuff. The main difference between it and most "sports drinks" is the protein, which is important on long rides, allegedly, to prevent muscle cannibalisation.

These days though I mostly just take gels that I make myself (maltodextrine, apple juice, cinnamon, caffeine), take electrolytes seperately (in little pills), and if it's a really long ride I get protein in some other form, nuts or peanut butter or something.

So I just finished my first race, crit at the driveway in Austin. I didn't crash, and I didn't win. If I had to guess, 50 out of 75. I missed the pack sprint at the end so like everyone else I just coasted in.

Def have a lot to learn, I have no idea what strat is like for these things, but at least now I know it's not too hard of an effort to keep up with the pack.

No accidents although some close calls and plenty of yelling. I think with some practice I could do a top 10 finish this season.

It was very fast. Averaged 27 mph until at least halfway in where it slowed a little. Overall probably 26 mph. My power meter was busted so no data there. Will upload to strava when I get home

Good deal