# Time Trial Power - What Type of Interval?



## Guest (Jun 22, 2009)

I am on a quest to ride a 40k TT in less than an hour. This spring, I worked with a coach and improved some. I was 1:02:20 yesterday on a pretty windy day. 1:02:20 is roughly 24 mph. Based on my spring riding and racing, I can probably go 24 mph for 1.5 hours, but I struggle to go much above that even for intervals as short as 10 minutes. Is there a particular type of interval on which I should concentrate to improve my sustainable top-end? I think of my challenge as a lack of power.

Thank you very much for your help.


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## function (Jun 20, 2008)

Indeed power demands for even small increases in speed once you start getting up there are not linearly correlated. For time trial power, try either long hill repeats (15min+) or intervals on the flats for 15-20min at a 1hour power pace. 2 of those intervals per session should do.


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

There's also evidence that shorter intervals are effective for improving 40km TT time. If interested you can look at papers by Peter Laursen (e.g., "Interval training program optimization in highly trained endurance cyclists"). Here's a link to a description of these in Bicycling (I think these are very helpful, particularly to add to your workouts if you've hit a plateau) http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s-4-41-16493-1,00.html


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## function (Jun 20, 2008)

Personally, 2hr high tempo workouts (tempo->threshold power) with vo2max type efforts thrown in have worked wonders for my 40km TT time. For WKO folks, these rides have an IF of 0.85 - 0.9 3x a week and a 3-4hr one at IF 0.83 - 0.84 on the weekend with 6 days of riding. Something like;

day1: 2hr IF=0.85-0.9
day2: 2hr IF=0.85-0.9
day3: 2hr IF=0.85-0.9
day4: 1.5-2hr easy
day5: Off
day6: 4hr IF=0.83-0.84
day7: 4hr easy

http://biketechreview.com/performance/stripped_down.htm


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## function (Jun 20, 2008)

stevesbike said:


> There's also evidence that shorter intervals are effective for improving 40km TT time. If interested you can look at papers by Peter Laursen (e.g., "Interval training program optimization in highly trained endurance cyclists"). Here's a link to a description of these in Bicycling (I think these are very helpful, particularly to add to your workouts if you've hit a plateau) http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s-4-41-16493-1,00.html


Interesting article, it seems to be advocating riding at your vo2max power (4-6minute power is a good proxy for vo2max power) for half the time. It's similar to what i've had good success with, tempo rides with vo2max efforts thrown in for 1-3minutes constantly over 2hours except with "off time" around tempo->threshold.


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## gonzaleziam (May 14, 2007)

Need to work on VO2max....hard, short, power intervals one day out of the week. On another day, do your long tt intervals. Really helps if you have a power meter, if you don't have one already. I've been riding with a local tt rider and that's what we've been working on. I've been improving so it must be working.


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2009)

*Hard Short Intervals*

Thank you for your help. Please let me know what sort of times you are talking about in the "hard, short" intervals.

Thanks again.


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## gonzaleziam (May 14, 2007)

Mr. Papagiorgio said:


> Thank you for your help. Please let me know what sort of times you are talking about in the "hard, short" intervals.
> 
> Thanks again.



We mix them up....5x3 min with 3 min rest in btween one week. Next week we will do 3x5 min with 5min rest. 5x1.5 min with 3 min rest. If you have a power meter, then you want to do them at about 110-130% of your FTP. And the rest in between is very important so that you can do them all at the same power output. PM me and I can tell you more of what we do.


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## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

stevesbike said:


> There's also evidence that shorter intervals are effective for improving 40km TT time. If interested you can look at papers by Peter Laursen (e.g., "Interval training program optimization in highly trained endurance cyclists"). Here's a link to a description of these in Bicycling (I think these are very helpful, particularly to add to your workouts if you've hit a plateau) http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s-4-41-16493-1,00.html


 That seems similar to what's described here:_http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/bike/interval-training-the-scientific-way-000885.php_
_"Interval Training the Scientific Way"_
_... Dr. Veronique Billat, a professor of Sport Sciences at the University of Lille in France, has researched various interval training methodologies to optimize VO2max training. She has produced some simple protocols and demonstrated improvements of three to six percent in elite athletes with only four weeks of training.... _
_... These are intense training sessions and a little bit goes a long way. Billat has shown that there is no increased benefit to doing them more than once per week ..._
​


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2009)

*Thank you all for the help.*

I appreciate you taking the time to help me out. Looks like I am in for some long intervals at race pace and some shorter max effort work.

Thanks again.


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

What works best for each individual varies but generally including some longer efforts such as an hour at tempo, some efforts of 15-20 mins at and around threshold and shorter harder efforts of 4-5 mins others that induce VO2 max are pretty effective.

However if your objective is to achieve a speed/time target, then one must also consider pacing and aerodynamics. Without improving power, one can ride significantly faster if they pay attention to these factors as well.


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## rich caramadre (Jul 31, 2007)

*Tempo?*

excuse my ignorance. But what is meant by at tempo?


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## gonzaleziam (May 14, 2007)

rich caramadre said:


> excuse my ignorance. But what is meant by at tempo?



I'm new to this too. But I believe it's the pace at 75-90% of your FTP (1 hour tt power).


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## Shaggybx (Feb 2, 2008)

You got it:thumbsup:
If you don't have a powermeter,I'd day little faster than endurance pace but not quite LT pace.Brisk effort you can sustain for an hour.You can do it up to 3 hr too.
Sound right?


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## Alex_Simmons/RST (Jan 12, 2008)

See this table and item for description of training levels, including tempo:
http://home.trainingpeaks.com/articles/cycling/power-training-levels.aspx


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