Decided again to go with the faster Quest bunch from Denham. They really were the fast bunch this week! Nice weather brought out a few more riders although some were out racing and others were doing a Willesden audax. The average speed was only 1kph faster than the last time but it was very much more ‘bursty’ with rest periods in between the faster bits. I also rode an extra 25k. TSS (Training Stress Score)/IF (Intensity Factor) = 359.8/0.845* versus the last time out 173.3/0.628* so clearly a harder workload – 4434kJ expended compared to only 2685kJ last time.
Entire workout (245 watts):
Duration: 5:09:15 (6:16:07)
Work: 4434 kJ
TSS: 359.8 (intensity factor 0.845)*
Norm Power: 283
VI: 1.16
Pw:HR: -0.5%
Pa:HR: 5.84%
Distance: 149.573 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 8 1149 245 watts
Heart Rate: 93 175 136 bpm
Cadence: 29 244 89 rpm
Speed: 3.6 59.7 29.7 kph
Pace 1:00 16:40 2:01 min/km
Hub Torque: 2.5 63 10.5 N-m
Crank Torque: 0 200.4 28.1 N-m
*UPDATED values thanks to VeloTraining pointing out my FTP value was set far too low. Increase from 260W to 335W makes these TSS/IF values much more realistic.
Hi Hippy
That’s one hell of a TSS for a 5 hour ride! I though about 464 was a typical TSS for a 6 hour TdF stage.
As the IF for the ride was above 1 does this all not suggest that your FTP is higher than currently set?
Since by definition an hour at threshold should equal 100 TSS with an IF of 1 this ride on the face of it is the equivalent, in TSS terms, of about 6 hours @ threshold.
I think your FTP may well be higher than it’s currently set in the software, have you tested it recently?
Q
I think you’re right. I had a look at my FTP and it was only 260W which was based on last year’s estimate. I think this is too low. The 25 mile TT I did last year had an Average Power of 306W. The two 25s I’ve done this year have had Average Power values of 342W and 329W.
I’ve now taken the average of these two values, 335W, as my functional threshold power (FTP).
This would make the two clubruns:
TSS: 359.8 (intensity factor 0.845)
vs.
TSS: 173.3 (intensity factor 0.628)
It’s funny how I can just totally gloss over obviously crap figures and only when someone points them out do they now seem quite ridiculous. Thanks for the spot, Q.