Niggle Feels Better

Pretty good pootle on the treadmill today. Not the quickest but quickest of late at least and the ache behind my knee seems to have gone. I felt it half way through yesterday's ride and during Thursday's jog, sufficiently bad that I only did the warm up. Today's effort was much better. 

Bit of a Niggle

So I'm continuing on alternating days of running and riding although I have picked up a bit of a niggle. A dull pain behind the knee. It came on during Saturdays session of increasing pace 500m efforts. I probably should have cut it short but I wanted to complete the session and get my legs moving faster than they have of late. It didn't feel too bad but I took a rest day Sunday.

I managed an easy jog yesterday and a longer ride today at medium effort - apart from the climbing finish. The ache behind the knee is still there but not too bad. Maybe another rest day tomorrow to let it settle but we'll see.

And That's Another FTP...

But not a surprise this time. As me and the other four hundred riders sat in the pens, awaiting the start, I decided I was going to go for it. There was no soft start this time, I went at it from the gun. Despite falling back a little in the first half of the ride I was still much higher in the field than I've been of late. I'm not going to lie, it was hard work keeping the power up - and my legs knew it. I began to struggle on the box hill climb, the power slipping a little before redoubling my effort but once over the top it was, quite literally, all downhill - well almost....

Cue another 5 points on the FTP. Feels good.

Solid Ride

On Zwift in the 4th stage of the Tour de Zwift. Must admit I wasn't feeling it and set off slowly, just going through the motions. Not sure when the power crept up as I wasn't really concentrating but after a bit I found I was working quite hard. From there I started to chase.

On the main climb, towards the end, with the power as high as it's been of late, I was really puffing. Over the top, on the descent to the finish I kept the power on and was rewarded, at the finish, with a surprise FTP increase of 10 points. The second increase in 16 days, this one much larger than the first. Happy with that on a day when lethargy almost got me...

Decent Weeks Training

I've completed a good mix of training this week, split fifty fifty running and riding. I'm trying to alternate run and ride days not to mention putting a bit more focus on actually putting some effort into the riding - which I've been guilty of pootling. Last couple of rides have been good hard efforts. Forgot how good it feels to have really put some effort in - I won today's sprint for 611th place... 

Finally...

My FTP is back on the way up.... Not by much, mind, but every little counts so I'm glad I didn't bottle it. I wasn't far away from that though, as the sofa was alluringly comfy after a day sat at the desk. In the end I dragged myself free after twenty minutes relaxing with the Neighbours.

I opted for a 17k flat time trial and went at it workman like. I was focused on keeping as even a power throughout and despite a couple of moments of doubt, managed to keep it going all the way. So far so good on the new year's training, two runs, two rides - which, coincidently, is definitely not in any way a resolution.

Not Quite A Month Since the Last Exercise Post

I have been training but just in a somewhat uninspired fashion. It's all been very steady but I'm not settings any of those new year resolution bollocks. Just going to try and keep plugging away. Little by little and hopefully by the time we're back to some sort of normality I'll be ready to climb a hill - albeit slowly.