I am looking for some support on my LTP. I have raised a support request but not sure they will come back.
It is currently at 229w or so but started out at 234w post my last breakthrough on the 17th of December.
I am struggling to do high intensity workouts (eg holding anything about 300w repeatedly for a minute or so).
My TP is 269w (was 259w when my last BT on the 17th is flagged). I have attached a pic of my last breakthrough and the 30s best effort that has a dip in it. Power meters are dual sided faveros.
When I do low intensity rides I try to sit at 230-240w which is more zone 3-4.
I am wondering if this is too high for LTP and therefore I’m too fatigued to do my high intensity workouts, or if I try hold bigger power outside.
I’ve been doing this for a while now, where previously my LTP was 196w I would sit on 200w (TP was 259w or so), which is still at Z3.
Looking at my data in intervals.icu my polarisation is very low and for many months I am mainly pyramidal (see pic).
I am concerned as I am training for a 240km 4400m timed event in March and I’ve been training at 230w+ thinking it’s zone 2 speak for xert
Don’t compare with zones. There are different zone models and all of them are somewhat arbitrary and, if anything, based on observations of average polulation.
Rather assure that your signature is correct.
Warm up, and while you are fresh, confirm your PP. On the pic above it seems to be somewehre around 800w only, can that be true?
Then try to confirm some other points on your CP curve. E.g., can you hold your 3 or 5min power for that amount of time? While you are fresh of course!
Go at your TP. At least long enough so you can safely judge if you could keep that up for about 1h. If you start counting pedal strokes after 10min, there is somthing wrong.
Not sure what you actually wanted to say with that BT picture?
PP is also the least sensitive value in your signature. For example, it’s not uncommon for outdoor PP to be 100-200 watts higher than what you can generate indoors. That isn’t going to throw off your training. It’s the rate of MPA decline and recovery that matter more than the absolute value.
Xert’s PDC model isn’t based on actuals, but theoretical values derived from your performance under fatigue. Numbers you should be able to achieve (in theory under the right conditions) but not necessarily will achieve.
Plenty of users won’t be able to ride at their TP for “about an hour”. Many don’t even want to try. Some of us “haven’t got time for the pain”. YMMV
What matters is whether your TP is in the right ballpark to effectively train at the current value.
There is nothing wrong with the pyramidal approach. Many will say it’s better in the long run (pun intended).
As for testing your LTP, ride a Lucy workout (60 min example) as your next low intensity workout and see how it feels RPE-wise. Forget about watts and HR for the moment. Do you settle into comfortable conversational respiration during the RIB blues and rise into steady rhythmic breathing during intervals above LTP?
If not, play with % intensity and determine where you think LTP/LT1 should fall.
Keep in mind LT1 is a physiological marker while LTP is mathematical. They do align for many users, but not all. We are all n=1.
YMMV
Great response