I can only manage 1/2 hour once a week on a turbo and I never look forward to it.
Date------ - Av W Cad - Av HR Pwr/HR Pwr/Wgt
23-Oct-08- - 286w-- 85-- 163-- 1.75-- 3.97--
30-Oct-08- - 296w-- 82-- 164-- 1.80-- 4.11--
06-Nov-08-- 301w-- 84-- 166-- 1.81-- 4.18--
13-Nov-08-- 325?? 90-- 170-- Forgot to zero PowerTap after battery change
16-Nov-08-- 302w-- 86-- 167-- 1.81-- 4.19--
19-Nov-08-- 310w-- 86-- 166-- 1.87-- 4.30--
25-Nov-08-- 314w-- 91-- 166-- 1.89-- 4.36--
09-Dec-08-- 311w-- 87-- 163-- 1.91-- 4.32--
The best thing about a Powertap is that you can see small improvements in fitness (acurately).
I dont go full bore (I averaged 170HR for 2 hours at the Worlds Duathlon) and use the session to monitor\improve my fitness level with the intention of chipping away at the average power each week. As usual, the wattage increases quite quickly at the start and further increases will start to drop off. I will be happy if my wattage increases by 1w a week up to end of March. Cycling is not my main sport now I am concentrating my quality sessions on running and swimming as they are my limiters.
I have found that my Pwr/Hr is stable relative to my fitness for these sessions - I know Juerg could in his usual 1000 words knock this. Thats assuming I do the turbo at the same time of day and in the garage and it is cold. I monitor my Pwr/hr again with the intention of making small improvements each week. Sometimes I dont feel up to going too hard and the Pwr/hr will indicate if Im still improving. Ive just got over a cold/flu and still have crap in my lungs so my turbo today was a bit down from last but my pwr/hr is up so I am confident I am going the right way.
Beleive it or not, I have increased my cadence on these sessions to improve my running off the bike.
My cycle training program at the moment is cycle to work 3 days 8.5 miles each way, Sat CR and 30min Turbo.