Wednesday Windtrainer Workout: Ward Special

This is a great workout for developing threshold fitness in a longer ride. This is perfect for short course triathletes and also road racers and mountain bikers.

Windtrainer Session

Each Wednesday I’ll post a Windtrainer Workout that you can do in about 60 minutes to enhance your cycling. See a previous post about training intensity (Levels) to know how hard to work. If you are working directly with Coach Ray he will in most cases prescribe either a Power Zone or Heart Rate Zone to work within if you are training with these tools.

Although I developed this session, I named it after a ‘Customer Success Manager‘ at Training Peaks.  After putting a bit of time into developing this session and researching a number of factors surrounding it, I wrote it up and loaded it into Training Peaks but lost it because I couldn’t remember what I named it (maybe I didn’t name it – who knows) but it got lost in cyberland. After a couple of days’ worth of emails with the CSM, I started from scratch and loaded it up again. Who knows where the original workout went, but I named it after him.

Ward Special

  • 60min Warm Up Level II;
  • 2x 25min (4x 1min Level V, 1min RI Level II; 12min Level IV; 5min Level V), 5min RI Level II;
  • 60min Cool Down Level II;
  • 10min Stretching

Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) of 60 minutes of easy riding at Level II.

The main set includes two reps of 25 minutesThese are similar in structure to last week’s workout.

These 25-minute intervals are broken up into a number of sub-reps each serving a different purpose for your fitness.

  • 4x 1min Level V, 1min RI Level II; then
  • 12min Level IV; then
  • 5min Level V!!!

The first eight minutes are conducted by alternating one minute at Level V and then one minute at Level II a total of four times. Then spend twelve minutes at Level IV, before stepping up slightly back to Level V for the last 5 minutes. This is really tough, I’m not going to lie, but at the 25-minute mark, you get a five-minute Rest Interval at Level II. Try and keep your cadence above 90 RPM throughout.

Finish the ride with 60 minutes of riding at Level II for your Cool Down (CD).

To assist with your recovery, do ten minutes of stretching.

If you would like further advice feel free to contact Coach Ray.

Coach Ray is the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.

Coach Ray is a triathlon coach who specialises in coaching beginner and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. He can be contacted at www.qwik.kiwi, ray@qwikkiwi.com and 021 348 729. Make sure you sign up for his monthly informative newsletter.

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Coach Ray is the author of a number of books including the ‘Top 10 Cycle Workouts From Coach Ray’.

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