We are now all used to some form of confinement and while restrictions are easing there is still a limit to what cycling you can do on the road in Ireland.

In the North you can train where you
like and as far as you like once you are on your own. However, in the Republic
riders can only train in an area within 5km of their homes.

Last week we set out a sample week of endurance and active recover rides you can try while training at home with a power meter. And in that same piece we also set out how you measure you Functional Threshold Power (FTP).

You can read that first piece in our home trainer series by following this link.

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This is the second in the series of pieces setting out weekly routines for those riders using a power meter with their home trainer. It’s brought to you by stickybottle in association with the cycling holiday and international sportive travel company SportActive; a great supporter of our work down the years.

Week 2: Threshold Training

Threshold Training 2-2½ hours

FTP stands for Functional Threshold Power, which is commonly defined as the highest average power you can sustain for an hour, measured in watts. For this week of rides the time for each work effort has to be the same.

You do three training workouts in the week with a recovery day between each workout. During the threshold rides, if your first effort is 10 minutes then the rest of the efforts have to be 10 minutes. Do not drink during the work efforts. Drink in the recovery time.

• Warm up 15min
• 5min at 86-97 per cent FTP with cadence 100, then 5min at 60 per cent FTP at a cadence of 80. This is to wake the system.
• Choose the effort time that you can sustain.
• First effort: 10min , 15min or 20 min at 86-97 per cent FTP with cadence of 100
• Recovery time 15 min at 60 per cent FTP and cadence of 80
• Second effort: 10min, 15min or 20min at 86-97 per cent FTP with cadence of 100
• Recovery time 15 min at 60 per cent FTP and cadence of 80
• Third effort: 10min, 15min or 20min at 86-97 per cent FTP with cadence of 100
• Recovery time 15 min at 60 per cent FTP and cadence of 80
• Fourth effort: 10min, 15min or 20min at 86-97 per cent FTP with cadence of 100
• Recovery time 20 min at 60 per cent FTP and cadence of 80
• Cool down 15min

Active Recovery: 1-1½ hours

• Warm up 15 min at 48-51 per cent of FTP
• 30 minutes to 1 hour at 62 per cent of FTP, cadence of 90-95 rpm
• Cool down 15 min at 48 per cent of FTP

SportActive is a long established cycling travel company that has been working with Irish cyclists for many years. It runs cycling holidays, with different options for riders of all abilities and goals, in Mallorca where Sean Kelly guests for periods of each year. SportActive also takes groups of riders to international events including Marmotte Granfondo Alps, Marmotte Granfondo Pyrénées, and the Mallorca 312. You can check out their offerings and treat yourself to a post-lockdown cycling trip by following this link.