The workout - 2x20 intervals
I'll have to go check my workout log book, but I think it must be at least a year and a half since I've done an outdoor 2x20 interval session. It might even be that long since I've done one indoors.
I met up with Bobber early this morning to head over to a park near his place where we could do a 2x20 session together. The circuit he has mapped out is a bit under 2.5 miles, so three laps makes for a decent 20 minute interval.
It's a rolling course, so iso-power intervals are a pretty tall order. Can you tell I didn't do so hot at keeping steady power? Especially on the first one. The good news is the learning curve is nice and steep. I started to dial it in on the second interval. The curves you're looking at, BTW, are smoothed over 1-minute.
Stats? We got stats:
SRM #1:
Duration: 20:45
Work: 333 kJ
TSS: 36.4 (intensity factor 1.025)
Norm Power: 272
VI: 1.02
Distance: 7.274 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 439 267 watts
Heart rate: 106 219 157 bpm
Cadence: 57 111 91 rpm
Speed: 11.4 32.3 21.0 mph
Pace 1:51 5:17 2:51 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 522 253 lb-in
SRM #2:
Duration: 20:48
Work: 327 kJ
TSS: 34.6 (intensity factor 0.999)
Norm Power: 265
VI: 1.01
Distance: 7.266 mi
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 418 262 watts
Heart rate: 105 171 164 bpm
Cadence: 60 118 94 rpm
Speed: 12.2 30.6 21.0 mph
Pace 1:58 4:56 2:52 min/mi
Crank Torque: 0 515 241 lb-inNot a bad workout for me. I'll have to have a look at my logs to see what power I was able to produce in my 2x20 interval sessions from the last time I was able to do them.
Good Work
Your second interval really does look much better. You definitly have your slow twitch dialed in pretty good. I hope your back allows you to do the state TT. I think you will do well if you can keep the training up.
I haven't looked at my file yet but clearly I need more bike time. I thought my power output was anemic last year!
Natural tendency
I have a natural tendency to attack climbs. I think there is something in all of us that makes us try to maintain speed going uphill. It really fried me by the end of the first interval, so I really didn't have much choice but to ride the second one more intelligently.
Your power will come back with more riding. It always does, and it usually takes less time than you think to get it back.
dog on a leash....
I think it was you that came up with the analogy...the harder you pull on a leash, the harder the dog will pull back (until you correct him/her). Hills and headwinds are similar...obscure the electronics from the riders view, and most will post higher wattages if you put them on a hill or into a slight headwind (even if you try to maintain steady power).
May be it is your fight or flight instinct...either you fight it with a hard effort, or you try flight by getting it over with quickly...either way, your power goes up...until you correct yourself. Looks like you corrected it a bit as you repeated the circuit and managed the course(especially the 3 circuits on the second interval).