TT050: Hunter Allen On Cycling For Triathlon

Hunter Allen is a pioneer in the cycling world.  He co-founded TrainingPeaks WKO+ power data analytics software and he's the founder of Peaks Coaching Group.  He's also the co-author of Training & Racing With A Power Meter and Cutting-Edge Cycling.  He raced bikes for 17 years, and including several years as a pro. Among the topics we covered: Cadence - Hunter believes 95-105 is ideal, and 90 is okay.  Pedaling at a lower cadence requires more glycogen usage compared to higher cadence.  His recommendation is also based on quadrant analysis with WKO+.  A cadence workout he uses is 10X(1 minute at high cadence followed by 1 minute at normal cadence). Base Phase Workout Structure - for an athlete in base phase, with the ability to do 3 rides per week of 1-2 hours in duration, Hunter suggests three workouts that include 'sweet spot' work, which he defines as roughly 88-93% of FTP (functional threshold power).  For example, 3-4X10 minutes in the sweet spot, or alternate 2 minutes at sweet spot with 30 seconds at 120% of FTP.  A minimum of 3-4 weeks of base training is preferable before starting this. The Wobble - a new brand of power meter is able to measure the side to side wobble of the bike frame with each pedal stroke.  Ideally, a time trialist on a flat course would not have a wobble, while a sprinter and a hill climber on a steep hill have an optimum wobble.  Too much wobble or incorrect wobble can cost as much as 15 watts. Mistakes Pro Triathletes Make- I asked Hunter what type of mistakes he has observed among pro triathletes.  He mentioned two. The first was having a cadence that was too low.  The second involved the long ride. He believes it's a mistake to do a regular long ride (4-6 hours) at only endurance page (zone 1-2).  Unless it's necessary for recovery, he prefers to add in sweet spot riding (zone 4) and something such as hill intervals within the long ride. The One Thing He Wish He Would Have Known/Done While Racing - Hire a coach. Resources  2015 Peaks Coaching Group Camps - March 15, 2015 Mallorca cycling camp and April 19 Bedford, Virginia cycling camp. @HunterPeaks Twitter Peaks Coaching Group Training and Racing With a Power Meter by Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan Cutting-Edge Cycling by Hunter Allen and Stephen S. Sheung ***** Subscribe via iTunes

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