It has become a very big focus in pro cycling in recent years that coaches focus heavily on durability (fatigue resistance) and model a lot of the athlete’s training and nutrition around this principle.
An example of this would be early on in a ride complete a 5min all out effort followed by riding 3000 kilojoules of work while keeping power around 95% of LT1, then repeating the 5min all out effort again and analysing the power differences between the two 5min efforts. Ideally the coach is looking for a power fade between 0-3%.
We are starting to see this lean into triathlon but what and how to test for durability for Ironman athlete.
Bike Test:
4-5 hour ride with 6x 30min @ Ironman Power (70-75% of FTP or 95% of LT1)
Data to Collect:
• Average Power
• Heart rate
• Lactate test (if you own a lactate tester)
Analysis:
Comparing the following from the first interval to the last interval
• Power drift
• Heart rate drift
• Lactate drift
Cycling Durability Benchmarks:
Power Drift
• Good: < 3 % in average power
• Moderate: 3-5% drop in average power
• Poor: >8% drop in average power
Heart Rate Drift:
• Good: < 5% increase in heart rate
• Moderate: 5-8% increase in heart rate
• Poor: >8% increase in heart rate
Lactate
• Good: Within 0.5mmol/L of starting value
• Moderate: <1 mmol/L of starting value
• Poor: >1mmol of starting value
Run Test:
After warm up, 6x 2km @ race pace + 1km easy but staying in zone 2
Data to Collect:
• Average Pace
• Average Power (if you have a run power meter)
• Heart rate
• Lactate test (if you own a lactate tester)
Analysis:
Comparing the following from the first interval to the last interval
• Pace drift
• Power drift
• Heart rate drift
• Lactate drift
Running Durability Benchmarks:
Pace Drift
• Good: < 3 % in average power
• Moderate: 3-7% drop in average power
• Poor: >7% drop in average power
Power Drift
• Good: < 3 % in average power
• Moderate: 3-5% drop in average power
• Poor: >8% drop in average power
Heart Rate Drift:
• Good: <5% increase in heart rate
• Moderate: 5-8% increase in heart rate
• Poor: >8% increase in heart rate
Lactate
• Good: Within 0.5mmol/L of starting value
• Moderate: <1mmol/L of starting value
• Poor: >1mmol of starting value
TRAIN SMOOTH 
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