Bike Sessions

Intensive Endurance 

Session Outline

Intensive Endurance (IE) sessions operate in a very small power band, just under FTP around LT2. They use long reps of sustained effort and as such you need good control over your effort during the session.

The aim is to accumulate time very close to threshold, without going over it. As such the trainer is a very good option for executing these sessions, or a very consistent road where power is very controllable.

Accumulated time ranges from 15 - 60 minutes

Rep duration is 8 - 45 minutes

Recovery duration between reps is usually half the duration of the rep, i.e. 2:1 work to rest.

Representation of Lactate Thresholds 1 and 2, with Tempo and SST highlighted

How to perform

You need to be well warmed up. for these sessions, as they are intense and sustained. If you have a preferred warm-up for these types of sessions we are happy for you to do this.

Once the main efforts start, you should usually be in your race position for these unless otherwise stated. For most, this means the aerobars. If you are new to these sessions, drop the power to the bottom of the target range and build if you can through the session.

If you get to a point where you cannot hold the position, it is better to complete the session on the base bars than to fail and not complete the rep. As time progresses we would like to see you getting further into the session before this happens. Eventually completing the sessions.

Be prepared to suffer on these they are hard and sustained efforts where you need to concentrate.

Fuelling

In most cases, these sessions are relatively short (less than 90 minutes). However, they will require a high rate of carbs to fuel the sessions.

Prepare before the session by ensuring adequate nutrition.

Consume 60 - 100g of carbs during the session, the range may reflect your requirements.

Sweat rates vary a lot but you should hydrate well through post this session. Indoors you are likely to lose a lot of fluid.

Consume a carb/protein-rich recovery meal/shake within 30 min of the session to facilitate recovery and session adaptation.

More on using Zwift for the session

If you use Zwift (other apps are available), you have a few options for performing these sessions:

  1. Structured Workout in ERG

  2. Structured Workout without ERG

  3. Free mode

Using ERG mode means the trainer will control the resistance so that as long as your cadence is constant, there will be minimal variations.

Without ERG on the app will tell you what you need to do, but will not control the resistance. You use your gears and/or cadence to increase or lower power. You can choose any route to do this, the elevation changes are not felt in the session.

Free Mode - choose a flat route and ride the terrain whilst using gears and cadence to manage the efforts while feeling the gradient changes.

You may need to use a separate device to record the reps so you can see the lap splits.