Did an FTP Test - post-effort questions

Training With Power
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I did an ad hoc FTP test today and have a bunch of questions after my results. Old La Honda is my closest benchmark climb and my previous PR was 21+mins, but I never went “Full Gas” on the way up. Today I went full gas, and had a material uplift in my Training Peaks threshold, from 295 to 311 (plus a goal & PR) .

The ride is here: http://tpks.ws/ZZJZBVUY25WMZTI4FEYTRMETSU

First, how should I think about heart rate? I am 46 years old, and my HR was between 160-166, but averaged 162bpm on the segment. This felt like full gas, but is that indicative of a lesser effort? I was surprised it was that low given how hard it felt (I think 173 or 174 is my max HR).

Second, this is a big uplift in FTP, but I hadn’t done a proper test before. Is doing this on a hill with a ~8% average grade representative (the suggestion was a 2-3% grade in the article)? I had a cadence ranging between 90 seated and high 70s when standing, but there were definite power spikes when it was steeper. Before I try to do SST off this number, I thought it would be good to make sure I am not overdoing it.

Lastly, how much does fatigue impact the accuracy of the result. I came into today feeling pretty beat (I believe the TP form was -41, fatigue was 149. I had not planned to go full gas today, but I felt good when I got the hill and decided to take a shot.

Thanks!

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You smashed it @obitting - nice work! +40 for a new FTP but minus 25 for not FtFP’ing :wink:

Cut n dry you did 320 watts which is an IF of 1.11 therefore your threshold has increase. That’s all I pay attention too - from the field test podcast and my graduate school advisor, ‘listen to your data’

Cadence, HR - that’s all secondary if you went as hard as you could for this test

Fatigue - this is what happens when you don’t FtFP. So keep following your plan and then when the plan calls for it go back to Old La Honda start from the same place and go as hard as you can again. Try to beat 320 watts.

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Thanks! I definitely need to FtFP! But I at least have a new baseline to work from (this was full gas). I appreciate your quick feedback.

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