Four Tests To Start Off The Multi Sport Season.

With only 10 weeks to go until the Spring Classic Duathlon, it's time to start getting serious about training.

First things are first. You can't manage what you don't measure. Two things are needed to perform well: aerobic capacity and speed (measured as power and pace). I need to get an idea of where I'm at with both so I can know where I'm headed.

Heart Rate Decoupling

Low Heart Rate Decoupling is a good measure of your aerobic capacity. How long can you go at a low intensity before your heart rate starts to climb significantly? This is measured by comparing pace or power to heart rate overtime.

Cycling Heart Rate Decoupling

For this test I road for two hours on the bike trainer at steady power (only 136 watts for me right now)

By simply comparing average watts and average HR for the two halves of the workout, I'm seeing 3.7% decoupling. The built in tool for Intervals.icu is calling it 4.2%. Either way I am below the 5% target at two hours. My guess is that wouldn't be sustained for much longer or at a much higher intensity. However, for a sprint race, I feel that is more the sufficient.

Running Heart Rate Decoupling

Testing for heart rate decoupling while running is a bit more tricky. Unless you're willing to be bored out of your skull running around a track or on a treadmill for hours you need to have a long flat place to run.

For this test I ran for two hours on the flattest course I could think of. It's very difficult to avoid hills in The Dalles. Comparing pace at a 15 minute flat section 20 minutes in, to a similar 15 minute flat section 1 hour 30 minutes in I'm seeing 1% decoupling. Comparing two flat sections in the middle of the run the pace to HR ration actually got better over time. All the long runs marathon training last year paid off.

Finding Power and Pace

Cycling Power Ramp Test

This is a test done on a bike trainer with ERG mode on. Many indoor cycling apps have this sort of test. I use Trainer Day but similar things can be found on Zwift, Trainer Road, etc. This test steady increases your power output overtime until you can't go any longer.

For my test I topped out at around 300 watts. Using perceived exertion and breathing as indicators, my lactate threshold seems to be around 220 watts. That's around where the automated test calculated FTP as well.

Running Graded Track Test

Next is a graded running track test, as described in the Triathlete's Training Bible. You run around the track going faster every 200m until you can't.

This was my first time doing one of these tests . I forgot my HR chest strap so data quality is dubious. My assumption is a slower increase in pace would have given more granular results.

I don't have very much faith in my results. Deep breathing was around the 3:52/km point. If that's to be used as a gauge for lactate threshold, that far outpaces previous time trial and race results. I'll build my training plan around the next pace down at 4:33. I'll also be paying very close attention to the perceived effort for any near threshold runs I'll be doing.

For both of theses tests, they are more interesting used to compare progress overtime

Ultimately I feel good about where my aerobic capacity is. Long runs last year are still paying dividends. However, I'll need to be focused on increasing speed and force, especially on the bike if I want to do well in April.

Finally

You are likely one of the very first readers of this newsletter. Thanks for taking the time to read it. I hope you learned something you can apply to your own training or at least have fun following along with mine.

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