VQ 40 min Supermax Test

At today's workout we did a Supermax test to assess how I've been improving in terms of my power output. When I first came to VQ with the interest in trying it out to see if it was a good fit, we did a real Lactate Threshold test, finger pricker and all. This was back at the end of January. I never would have guessed how out of shape I was then, but when I think back on it, I was really only getting 6 hours of training in a week. That's what "normal" people do. ;) Anyway, Robbie and Max both worked with me and my LT was a measly 153, as you will see in one of my earlier posts. I did have good core strength and flexibility, I guess!

Today we did the VQ Morgal Bismark II TT course (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgul-Bismarck) on the Computrainer for 40 minutes. There were 3 major inclines, the third *quite* major. Coach Cortino advised me to take the first two at an 8.5 RPE and the third at a 9.5. The part that was actually the trickiest was maintaining my power output on the downhills - this means there are NO breaks. Darn. I had to upshift on each to maintain. I managed to maintain 204 at first, then I cranked it up slowly over the third hill and pushed hard during the last 4 minutes (which felt like forever) to where I was pushing out 230-250 W. Overall I averaged 207 (~19 mph on a tough course), which comes down to 3.2 W/kg for a 65.5 kg-er like me. Coach has advised me to watch my diet just a pinch more and try to be more consistent in an effort to get down 3-5 lbs. This will help me toward my goal of 3.4 W/kg, which is in the 90th percentile for the VQ chicks.

So yeah, I blew that 153 right out of the water. Awesome! Now I have to contend with some of the awesome Vision Quest cyclists... ;)

Here's another good article on LT: http://www.velonews.com/article/8217