Fartlek Freestylin’: Muscular Endurance Rides on the CompuTrainer

Effective endurance training must incorporate sessions that work on muscular endurance, which Joe Friel and Gordo Byrn (2009) define as the point “where force meets endurance [which] allows the athlete to apply a fairly large force for a fairly long time and is essential for cycling” (p. 27). In a little more than three weeks, muscular endurance will power me up Whiteface Mountain, and help me push through those relentless rolling hills that make the Ironman Lake Placid course so challenging.

John at the side of Whiteface Mountain, along the Lake Placid Course, in May of this year.

In the early base phase of training (January and February), most of my workouts focused simply on re-establishing and building endurance after the off season. However, starting in the late base phase of training and extending into the build phase (March until now), I incorporate at least one cycling session per week (and sometimes two) that work specifically on muscular endurance. (Not sure what I mean by “base” and “build” phases? Click this link for a description of the basics of periodization in the training cycle.)

Simply described, a muscular endurance training session should incorporate longer intervals, with shorter recoveries. This approach applies whether you are swimming, cycling or running. For example, a classic muscular endurance cycling workout might include 2 x 20 minute climbs, at 77-80% of max heart rate, or 90-93% of functional threshold – measured in either watts or heart rate. (Recovery interval 5 minutes.)

Another example is tempo intervals, which may include 5 x 6 minute repeats with 2 minute recovery intervals. Again, the effort should be about 77-80% of max or 90-93% of FT. Of course, these aren’t the only ME workouts, and I encourage you to consult various books or sites that might help you design your own workouts. I’ve included a few to start with in the references and resources listed below.

Given the elevated nature of the Lake Placid course, muscular endurance is central to my success. With over 5,200 feet of climbing across the 112 miles in the bike course, it’s safe to say that I will have to apply a “fairly large force for a fairly long time.” And, that’s putting it mildly…

For those of you who live in a hilly area, piecing together an outdoor hill workout is no problem. But, as I mentioned before, I live in a very elevation-challenged part of the country: the southern coast of New Jersey. Our hills consist of bridges and rare assortments of little bumps that take about 2 minutes to climb. Suffice to say, these are not the type of hills that work well for muscular endurance. Yet, it is possible for me to simulate climbing intervals on my CompuTrainer. (You can also do simulations on a regular training using your gears; however, the CT generates the load for me, which allows me to practice gearing for different grades.)

The workout I did yesterday morning was so good, it’s worth it’s own blog post. I think I’m still jazzed on the endorphins! If you keep the specifics of your key race in mind, you can adapt this workout rather easily to your goals.

The Workout: Plotting a Course

The build period includes race-specific efforts. CompuTrainer’s Interactive Real Course Video (RCV) software for the Lake Placid Ironman course is about as race-specific as I can get without being there, of course! The RCV is not necessary for this workout I created, but it does help considerably with visualization. If you have a key race coming up, I strongly urge you to consider purchasing the RCV that goes with the race, if available and if your finances can swing it. I think it’s worth the money. (I only wish there was an RCV for Mont-Tremblant 2012! Well, one race at a time…)

Riding in Lake Placid, thanks to the interactive real course video. (Picture taken in February of this year.)

If your race course is not available through either the 3D software or RCV, then simply select a course that most closely resembles your race in terms of distance and elevation. Remember: you can also ride portions of courses, so even if a course is longer than you need, just ride the part that resembles your race. Alternatively, you can create a course using the 3D software. (For information about selecting and creating courses, click here.)

If you don’t have a CompuTrainer, I recommend previewing the elevation profile of your race, which may be available via the race website or via mapmyride.com. From this, you can get a general idea of the climbs, and work on creating a series of intervals that will help you prepare. To simulate hills, just pop into a heavier gear and go. (Before I got my CT, I developed a simulation of the Quassy course. Here’s how.) Of course, not all muscular endurance workouts require climbing, and you easily can complete tempo intervals on a basic trainer.

  • TIP: I find using the trainer to be most effective (and safe) for my interval work since I don’t have to stop for lights, stop signs, worry about traffic and so on.

The Workout: Getting Started

I wanted to ride the hillier portion of the Lake Placid course, which starts about halfway through the 56 mile loop. So, I started my ride at the 20 mile mark, which placed me on a flat section about 4 miles outside of the first long climb of the course.

  • TIP: In RCV, you can start at any mile point by pressing simultaneously <ctrl> and <g>. In the 3D software, you type in the mile marker on the load course page (near the “Race now” section in the right side bar). Press “Race Now.” Press F1 to start the race countdown, and then press F1 a second time during the countdown to fast forward the rider to the “start from” point you selected.

I used the first several miles to warm up and calibrate the CompuTrainer.

Then, to make sure my legs were ready for the hard work to come, I did a few 30 second sprints with 30 second recoveries. This is part of a warm up a fellow several-time Kona-qualifying friend of ours does. I really like it to get the legs prepared for interval work.

The Workout: Fartlek Free-Stylin’

In designing this workout, I incorporated the idea of fartleks, which I adapted from running workouts I’ve done in the past. Fartlek means “speed play” in Swedish, and its a type of interval workout during which you vary the duration and intensity of your repeats. My plan was to vary my effort as dictated by the course.

Fartlek #1: 20 minute climb

About 15 minutes in to my ride, I came to the first extended climb. For those of you who are familiar with the Lake Placid course, this is the climb up 86 when you first turn off of Route 9. If you use the RCV, it’s the climb that comes around mile 24.

Keep in mind, however, that the RCV does not reflect the modifications made last year to the course, which now has an out and back continuing on 9N before turning up 86. So, if you are doing this year’s race, this climb will come around mile 34 or so, after you’ve done the new out and back. (See the map below.)

Above: A basic overview of the Lake Placid course. (From my Garmin file.)

In my opinion, this climb is the most challenging of the entire course. It’s about 5 miles long, although there are some brief respites from the climbing, and the grade is challenging–although not incredibly steep, it is just steep enough to keep you humping. (You climb 400 feet in 5 miles).

This climb as my first Fartlek set. My objective was to keep my HR at least 75% of my max, with my watts going no higher than 200, which is about 90% of my FTP. There are a few short descents in this portion, and during those sections, I would spin quickly, and adjust gearing to maintain my HR. (If find it difficult, if not impossible, to maintain watts on downhill sections on CT courses.)

This strategy amounted to a roughly 20 minute climb, during which my HR stayed between 145 and 150 bpm – perfect! In terms of watts, I had a few moments where I exceeded the 200 cap, but for the most part, stayed within the 190s.

After this climb, the course flattens out for about 10 miles, as you do the original out and back section on Haselton Ave. (This full out and back section was not a part of the 2010 course, nor will it be part of the 2011 course. We only ride about 1 mile on this section now. See map above.)

I used the natural changes within the course as an opportunity to recover for about 5 minutes. Then it was time for set #2.

Fartlek #2: 25 minute tempo progression

Since this section of the course is relatively flat, or gently rolling, I settled into a 25 minute progression tempo interval, increasing my HR and watts incrementally every few minutes. I began the effort at 80% of my functional threshold and ended the interval at 97% of my functional threshold (measured by both HR and watts). If you don’t use FT numbers, this translates roughly into 70% of max effort up to 85% of max effort.

Following this tempo effort, I engaged in 5 minutes of recovery cycling, and then transitioned into an aerobic endurance effort, about 70-75% of effort until I returned to the rolling hills on route 86 in Wilmington (about mile 42 on the course, and marked as “Relentless Rollers Start Here” in map shown above.).

Time for Fartlek session #3.

Fartlek #3: Let the hills decide

This portion of the Lake Placid course features a series of rolling hills. Even though you may descend at times, overall you are climbing, climbing, climbing up Whiteface and back to the village of Lake Placid. This final section of the Lake Placid course is challenging the first time around, and by the time you get to them on the second loop, you are more than ready to be done with the the relentless rollers.

This section is a key weakness for me, as I lose a lot of time powering up and down the hills. So, for the final fartlek session of today’s ride (scheduled to be 90 minutes total), I decided I would power up the hills, and then recover on the downhills. The catch? I would do all of it in the BIG RING and try to stay in the same gear going up as I did going down. The purpose of this was to work on force as much as endurance.

While these intervals were shorter–anywhere from 2 to 4 minutes–the recoveries were also significantly shorter as well–about 30 seconds on average–sometimes only 10 seconds! Since I had already done the bulk of the hard efforts for this workout, these shorter intervals felt harder than they might have otherwise. Given the shorter duration, these intervals were more about power than they were endurance; however, in the context of the entire workout, they will condition my legs (and mind) for the punishment that is the backend of the Placid bike course.

Should you free style?

One of the key benefits of a fartlek style workout–other than the fact that the word is fun to say–is that it keeps your body guessing. If you do the same type of workouts every week, your body adapts to those workouts, and you no longer gain the type of training adaptations that can help you become stronger and faster. A fartlek workout mixes things up, surprises your body, and improves its response to varying terrain.

The end result?

Improved muscular endurance, improved strength, improved speed.

With Ironman Lake Placid just a little more than three weeks away, I have about all the fitness, strength and speed I will have for race day. Yet, our body makes adaptations to training stresses in about 7-10 days, which means I still have time to strengthen and improve. Fartlek free stylin’ builds on the gains I’ve made since January, and shakes my body up, gets it a little bit uncomfortable, shocks it out of complacency.

And, it also adds a fresh approach to the same old interval workout. After 7 months of training, a little fresh fartlek freestylin’ was just what I needed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Do you have ideas for workouts? Please feel free to share them in the comments section.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

References and Resources:

Elkhorn Valley Cycling Club. (n.d.) Friel Workout Terms. Available online http://nencycling.org/wiki/friel_workout_terms.

Fitzgerald, M. (2006). Triathlete magazine’s essential week-by-week training guide: Plans, scheduling tips, and workout goals for triathletes of all levels. New York: Warner Books.

Friel, D. & Hobson, W. (2005). Workouts in a binder: For indoor cycling. Boulder, Colorado: Velo Press.

Friel, J. (2009). The triathlete’s training bible (3rd Ed.). Boulder, Colorado: Velo Press.

Friel, J., & Byrn, G. (2009). Going Long: Training for Triathlon’s Ultimate Challenge (2nd Ed.). Boulder, Colorado: Velo Press.

Simone, M. (2010). Lake Placid Bike Course: Observations from a Newbie. Available online at https://www.runningalife.com/?p=763.

Stewart, J. (n.d.) How to peak for an endurance bicycle event. UltraCycling. Available online at http://www.ultracycling.com/training/peaking_plan.html.

Comments are closed.