The Performance Manager Chart part 2

In continuing from yesterday, the first graph of the first 8 months of using the performance manager chart is actually off some for a couple of reasons.  First off, the chronic training load (CTL) blue line should have started a lot higher. For one thing this was the start of my current job at Schlegel bicycles, whereas before I was working for a company that manufactured the Nuvinci bicycle hub. My job was in quality control, so I basically rode a heavy bike a lot everyday for about 6 months straight. Honestly I think my CTL at that point would have been higher than any other point in my cycling history, but that's only an estimation. Also I had very little power data up to this point because I was only riding my road bike with a power meter on the weekends. Therefore, I chose to start using data in WKO+ at this point.

Again - 3-3-08 through 11-30-08  double click to enlarge

So you could say the first chart is flawed because it should have started much higher, but it doesn't really matter. The data will correct itself in 6 weeks as long as your threshold power is correct in the WKO+ program. I will say there is something to having a very large base as this period was my best race wise as a cat 3. A couple of mistakes I made in looking back were that I tried to keep building to the point where I was somewhat burned out. Rather than take a summer break, I jumped into a cyclocross build in mid August (half of which is not included in this chart) and eventually pulled the plug on the season in mid October due to lack of motivation.

12-1-08 through 6-14-09

The 2009 season started strong with 3 solid base periods and a good 4 week build period. The ramp rate of my fitness may have been a little steep for what my body was used to or maybe just not used to this much training stress. I remember going good into mid April and setting lots of power records (the peak 10 minute one still stands today) and then I got really sick. It took a full month to fully recover, and after the Tulsa Tough, I decided to take a summer break.

6-15-09 through 12-20-09

A little micro rebuild for cyclocross in August, then after the cross season was over, it was time to start preparing for 2010.

12-21-09 through 6-27-10

A little less ramp rate this year, but the build periods were too weak. This seems to be a problem for me in keeping up training volume once the race season starts. I've somewhat solved this by choosing the races a little more wisely, or at least the ones I really wanted to do instead of anything that came my way as in this period. I took my summer break around the end of June after the state TT. The huge pink ATL spike was from the 4 day Joe Martin stage race. Notice my highest 10 minute power numbers came shortly after this heavy dose of training stress....

6-28-10 through 11-14-10

Building back up for cross season...

11-15-10 through 6-27-11

Another build for the 2011 road season. Still not enough follow through after the base periods, but it got as high as ever and I never got sick or felt burned out all season. I didn't set any new power records in this period though either.

6-28-11 through 1-7-12

So building for this past cross season, I put in a record for me of 1300 miles in July and a more intense 1100 in August. My cross season went ok. I guess I felt faster than ever, but my season was mediocre. I did set several new power records in September where my CTL peaks.This chart is my current up to date PMC graph with my first 2 base periods complete. Double click any picture to enlarge.