Saturday Smash Ride

After several weeks of endurance rides on Saturdays, some of my friends propose going for a more intense ride this time. I mapped out a relatively flat path with a handful of short, steep inclines. As usual, we gathered at Tampines Caltex at 5:30am with a group of 15 people, which was fantastic.

Once we started, a few kilometers in, everyone started pedaling with great intensity, leading to some breaking away while others were left behind. I started off in the middle of the group and stopped at Mandai Shell (26km) to regroup with the last person before resuming, and this time I found myself in a smaller, faster group.

Upon reaching Jalan Boon Shell (61km) for refueling, we noticed that a few of them had already arrived, having skipped certain sections. While waiting for the others, I grabbed some drinks and mingle around.

Following a 15-minute break, we resumed the remaining 37km. Some riders departed along the way, but the remaining members of our group continued until we reached Yishun Sinopec, where we enjoyed breakfast and had a chat at a nearby coffeeshop.

What a breakthrough ride with a Xert bronze badge

Below is a breakdown of what I've accomplished and a simplified explanation of the workout using my AI app.

Breaking Down Intensity: A Cyclist's Journey Through Xert's Breakthrough Workout

Cycling is not just about the distance covered; it's about the intensity, the push, and the breakthroughs. With Xert's innovative color-coded MPA charts, cyclists can now visualize their effort and performance in unprecedented ways. In this blog post, we will analyze a "Tough Mixed Breakaway Specialist Ride" using the insights provided by Xert's MPA charts.

The Essence of the Workout

The workout displayed is not just any ride; it's a breakthrough session designed to challenge and exceed a cyclist's known limits. Let's explore the key metrics:

• XSS (Xert Strain Score): At 276 XSS, this workout is incredibly demanding, indicating a significant amount of strain placed on the body.

• Peak Power: A slight decrease of 1W in peak power suggests that the cyclist is pushing against their upper limits.

• High Intensity Energy: The -0.2kJ change points to a very small reduction in high-intensity energy output.

• Threshold Power: An increase of 12W in threshold power is a clear sign of improvement, showing that the cyclist has enhanced their ability to sustain higher power outputs over time.

• Difficulty Score: With a score of 113, this session ranks as highly challenging, testing the cyclist's limits and endurance.

Analyzing the MPA Chart

The MPA chart offers a detailed look at the workout intensity:

• Heart Rate (Red Line): The red line represents heart rate data, which fluctuates significantly throughout the session, reflecting the intense efforts and recovery periods during the ride.

• Power Output (Purple Line): The purple line indicates power output and closely follows the Maximum Power Available (MPA), which drops during intense efforts—this is where breakthroughs happen as the cyclist pushes beyond previous performance levels.

• Effort Zones (Color-Coded Bars): The bars at the bottom represent different intensities:

• Blue for aerobic,

• Green for mixed,

• Yellow for near threshold,

• Orange for above threshold,

• Red for peak power.

These colors show a workout that includes a mix of intensities, crucial for breakaway specialists who need to maintain high speeds both solo and within groups.

Insights from the Session

This workout is aptly named "Tough Mixed Breakaway Specialist Ride," as it includes varied intensities that simulate real-world race scenarios. The color-coded chart shows us that there were multiple moments when the cyclist was operating at or near their MPA—a clear indicator of pushing boundaries and causing adaptations.

The increase in threshold power is particularly noteworthy because it suggests that these efforts are translating into tangible improvements in sustained power capacity. This kind of progress is essential for cyclists looking to excel in breakaways or time trials where maintaining high power over several minutes can be race-defining.

Conclusion

By utilizing Xert's color-coded MPA charts, cyclists can gain deep insights into their training intensity and overall performance. This particular session demonstrates how effectively managing and analyzing workout data can lead to breakthroughs and performance gains.

For cyclists aiming to become breakaway specialists or simply improve their overall fitness, incorporating such high-intensity sessions with detailed analysis through tools like Xert can be incredibly beneficial. Keep challenging your limits, and let data-driven insights pave your way to cycling success.

How do you use data to inform your training? Share your experiences with Xert's MPA charts or other analytical tools in your cycling arsenal!

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