PowerIntervals
Goal: To increase power output during short intense efforts. How to do it: This workout can be performed on an indoor trainer because of the controlled environment allowing for a better comparison from one session to another. It can also be performed on a relatively flat section of road. The gearing should be moderate, but pedal cadence must be high (110 or higher). Take one minute to build up to the desired training zone, then maintain this intensity for the remaining interval. It will be during the last two minutes of each interval that will develop your maximum aerobic capacity. If you have to, shift into a lighter gear to maintain the cadence, but don't let the intensity of the interval drop. With a high cadence, your heart rate will remain extremely high and you will train your body's ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles. Recovery between intervals is easy spinning. If you are training with power, the prescribed range might be large. The goal of the workout is to produce the highest average power you can for the interval set. Power average might vary depending on length and number of intervals. Among the athletes who use this interval session are Lance Armstrong and George Hincapie. Since the addition of this workout to Lance and George's training programs, CTS has seen them further develop their extraordinary ability to attack on steep hills late in races when everyone else is gasping for air. ~Taken from CTS Performance Manual - Cycling Appendix.~

Now I dont know about all that goop about Lance and George, but I do know those suckers HURT like a MOFO. For all you non CTS peeps out there these are aka VO2MAX plus some. I was scheduled for a brick of these leg pleasers on Wednesday and Thursday. Wed's block consisted of 7x3min with 3min recoveries, and Thurs's consisted of 7x2min with 2min recoveries. Nothing like holding the puke back for 3mins I must say. These are the hardest intervals I do all year, and they pop up on the ol training schedule every once and a while. Every time they do I spend the day dreading the minute I am to hop on the bike and start them. I swear I go totally mental. (worse than usual that is) I know they work, and are an integral part of training, but they just hurt so bad. I did a couple bricks of these just before the season started in March and came out of the gate flying (which was the plan). So I sucked it up and propped the ol bike up on the trainer in the garage and set out on the road of happy destiny. Yep, trainer session in June, wow I must be totally insane, but this is the most consistent way to train with this type of interval. I had some crazy looks from the people in my complex who walked by the open garage with the El Loco on the bike inside, sweating like a fool. I think the best part of these are the periods of mild body tremors during the last 10seconds of the interval where you power begins to drop, and you are using every ounce of energy you have to keep it up. Good times, now that's why I race bikes.