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More Base Advised – My Journey to 300 Watts

Base Training is CRITICAL

Here’s my ride recommendation from the Xert Adaptive Training Advisor. In my Journey to 300 watts, a solid foundation of base is necessary.

Xert Adaptive Training Advisor Base Build
If you want more POWER, you have to have more BASE.

Base training is low wattage power. It’s aerobic. Low Steady Distance. “RED FAT”. It’s BLUE or BLUE/GREEN Watts on the Garmin Xert Fields. In order to get faster, I need to go slower. To ride stronger, I need to ride easier.

I’m going to ride on the trainer this morning, since the air in Reno is pretty bad. There are fires in California. The XSS goal is 51 points, and the Xert FOCUS goal is 17:37. I’ll share my ride with you once I’m done.

Post-Base Ride Review

There’s an old saying… “Temper Action With Wisdom.” I consider these Base rides to be my own effort to get wise. The exuberance of fitness can lead to a plateau. Instead, putting time in on at low intensities makes a subtle, but significant, difference.

Here’s what my Garmin Xert Fields Showed after 45:00 today.

Remember that the Xert XSS Goal was 51 points, and the Xert FOCUS goal was 17:37. I held FOCUS at “–:–” for over 30 minutes. Then I hit some intervals to bring the FOCUS “Down” (more intense) to “30:00”. A few minutes later, I hit some more intervals and brought it down to “17:00”, before it drifted back up to about “18:00”. On the last interval, with my Xert XSS at 48 points, I attempted one more interval — and overcooked it.

Xert Garmin Fields XSS MPA Fat Carbs FOCUS Strain BioShift
This was a pretty good mix of XSS, and FOCUS in the Xert Garmin Fields on my 1030.

I ended up with a FOCUS of “16:52”, and 52 XSS. However, it accomplished the goals of the ride. You can see the results in the Xert Training Pacer Rainbow Dial….

Xert Training Pacer Rainbow Dial
I am edging ever closer to the 1 o’clock position where training might be optional towards my goals!

Furthermore, if we look at the big picture, we can see definite growth in my Training Load. The form fatigue is there as well, but it should be recovered by tomorrow morning.

Xert XPMC Chart Training Load Form Fatigue
Xert Training Load is growing, and form will recover by tomorrow. I predict more base in the recommendations.

I’m going to stick to the Xert Adaptive Training Advisor’s recommendations, and let the plan play out.

Thanks for reading!

Xert XSS and FOCUS for Saturday – Part 2

If you'll recall from the previous post, my Xert XSS and FOCUS for Saturday was 121 points of XSS, and 134 points of Deficit. After 1hr 40minutes, there were 73 XSS points, and a FOCUS that was Infinitely Aerobic. But I just could not sit still. In an area of the ride approaching Mound House, NV   I let my wife know that I was going to attempt a breakthrough, and that's exactly what happened. Xert MPA Power XSS FOCUS Strain Colors
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Starting Off in an Xert Training Deficit. Points is Points.

I started off Tuesday with Bold Ambitions, but honestly, and this is now kind of rare for me, I ran into a ton of technical issues that ate into my time, and led me to less than half the recommended XSS points for the day. Let’s review, and then look at what I DID do on Tuesday. Training Pacer Dial This entry is the part a deep dive into the Xert Training Advisor, including discussion of a thoughtful way to work with Points. 
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Garmin Profiles Part 1 – Xert Training Fields

Xert Training Fields Garmin Profile
Xert Training Fields Garmin 1000 Screen 1.

What's On Your Garmin?

I frequently get this question. "What's on your Garmin?" "What's on your Screen?" "What do your Profiles look like?" How do you set up your Xert Training Fields, and in what order?

In this post, I'll walk you through the entire process.
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Afraid To Suffer, Part Two: Breaking Through

Our story so far:

I met with this individual, after they signed up for Xert. I helped them program the head unit.

I explained the concept of volume, intensity, frequency, Focus, and fitness breakthroughs.

For TEN WEEKS, this individual’s numbers JUST. KEPT. DROPPING.

I couldn’t figure it out. Until Finally, it dawned on me to try ONE MORE THING.

It's all about the difference between Suffering and Suffering. And here's how we made it work.
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