So How is that FTP Doing?

Re-testing Re-testing

Back in early Feb in my first FTP test of the year, I managed a score of 298 watts which gave me a watts / kg ratio of 4.32.  Not great but not too bad either.

While the past few months haven't been aimed at increasing this FTP figure, rather in building an aerobic base, I decided I'd adapt one of my sessions to just to see if anything had changed and if I should adapt my training accordingly.

A 1 hour 30 min session which should have been a mix of Zone 2 and Zone 3 (endurance & tempo) became a session that gradually built towards a 20 min time trial - ie an FTP test. 

The Results

The image below shows the session (from the 5th April '12) in its entirety.  I've highlighted the 20 min time trial which shows I averaged 333 watts over the period of the test.

Above: Data from my 2nd FTP test of the year

All of this suggests I've upped my FTP to 316 watts (95% of the 20 min test period) which gives me a new watts / kg of 4.57, a 6.04% increase over a two month period.

Naturally I'm really pleased since I've not really been training to up this figure, all that is yet to come over the next 13 or so weeks.

Perhaps I can get this number closer to 330 over the next 60 or so days and then maintain it into July while at the same time dropping a few more kgs off the tummy.

A watts / kg ratio of 5.0 really would have a nice ring to it......