N=1 Series Part 10 The Results and Cost
Introduction
The results
- Best ever one, four and five hour average power numbers
- Best ever average power numbers for sprinting
- Fastest ever time at Amy's Gran Fondo in 2024 (34.5km/h) & UCI Fondo 2025 (35.2km/h)
- Heaviest weight I have been in recent years
- Highest ever FTP
- More durable and able to sustain power for longer
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| Power Records: All Time,2024, 2025 (source TrainerRoad) |
The only headline power record which was not broken during the post intervention phase was 5min.
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| Sprint Power: Pre-intervention, Post Intervention & All time |
Overall, the largest power gains were to be had in sprint performance, with my 30 second sprint improving almost 29% against my previous best effort. Overall, most sprint numbers were 100 watts or more faster, which counts significantly when trying to close out a race.
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| Endurance Power: Pre-intervention, Post Intervention & All time |
Endurance power numbers were mostly new records, with strong gains from 30 seconds to 3.5 minutes, which again is useful in finishing off a race, climbing a short sharp hill, chasing down a break or being in a break. With longer efforts, my average 5hr power was 11% higher than when I did an Ironman back in May 2023 (those numbers would have shaved about 18min off my time). This is encouraging as I look to target longer events such as the 9-10hr DirtyWarrny in the future and maybe another Ironman one day.
Key learnings
Consistency trumps everything. I love the saying "routine will set you free" because it will. Whether it's training, what you eat, how you rest, what time you go to bed and get up each day.
Structured training works. Regardless of your sport, a process that you trust in, having a plan which adapts as your form changes, will help you become a stronger athlete.
Prioritising rest, recovery and nutrition. The body needs time to recover from hard efforts, so make sure to have at least one day off a week to fully recharge. Recovery weeks of 40-50% less training stress are important to consolidate the gains of the previous weeks.
Video and race analysis helps develop race craft and avoid over racing. Learning racecraft, where and when to use power to my maximum advantage on certain courses. I frequently post the last lap or minute of the races on my YouTube and Instagram accounts. I look for opportunities to learn from others and my mistakes.
Mentors - Having riders around you who are more experienced than you and asking them for their feedback and what you could do differently to achieve a better outcome.
Learning - Having a willingness to try new things and see what works. Just remember to introduce one intervention at a time, so you can see for yourself what difference has been made against your previous benchmarks.
Having fun. Because if you are not having fun, then you are clearly in the wrong sport or have the wrong hobby.
Things I dabbled in, but did not fully commit to or am yet to document
- Heat training (riding with no ventilation or taking a hot bath), which I did not do with any consistency
- Increasing vitamin C intake by eating an orange after lunch to increase iron level uptake (started July 25). My bi-annual blood test at the end of October showed that my iron levels were in a healthy range.
- Caffeine intake: I routinely have a couple of coffees before a race and use caffeine pills
- Beta-Alinine - started August 2025
- Low fibre diet 48hrs before big races
- Nose breathing on commutes rides - started 13th October
What could I do next?
- Bump up training to High Volume to 20hrs per week for 3 weeks (inspired by Roadman Dan who trained like a pro for 60 days) including 3 strength training sessions
- Supercompensation training block (12 Climbs of Xmas Challenge) - stay tuned for more
- Optimising Caffeine intake
- Give up alcohol
- Buy a continous glucose monitor
- Buy a lactate monitor
- Improve Iron levels by taking an iron supplement to increase red blood cell count, but this would require blood test, takes about 3 months to be effective and is known to have side effects
- Sweat testing
- Collagen supplements
- Ketones
- Get a coach
- Get more sleep
The Cost
Here's the breakdown of the cost. With absolutely no massaging of the figures, my cycling gains came in 3 cents under the cost of a cup of coffee per day. Note that some interventions such as caffeine, bicarb, hydralite and extra carbs are only used on race days, which I have averaged out at 50 races for the year.
The point of this is that I became a stronger cyclist in my late 50s by working on myself, rather than upgrading my hardware or kit (see appendix below). There's a whole industry built around selling us stuff that we probably don't need. Every second cycling podcast is sponsored by a nutrition brand selling us the same stuff that you could be making at home yourself for a fraction of the cost.
As always, I like to throw it back to you, the reader. What interventions have you used to become stronger as you age and what future legal interventions would you like to see?
| Upgrade Item | Estimated Watts Saved | Estimated Cost (AUD) | Watts Saved per Dollar (W/$AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aero Socks | 5–8 W | $45 | 0.11–0.18 |
| Skinsuit | 20–25 W | $300 | 0.07–0.08 |
| Carbon Deep Dish Wheels | 10–15 W | $2,500 | 0.004–0.006 |
| Aero Frame | 20–40 W | $5,000 | 0.004–0.008 |
| Aero Helmet | 8–15 W | $250 | 0.032–0.06 |
| Aero Gloves | 2–5 W (est.) | $80 | 0.025–0.063 |
| Overshoes | 6–8 W | $90 | 0.067–0.089 |
| Shaved Legs | 3–7 W | $0 (free!) | ∞ (best value!) |
| Best Tyres | 8–25 W (rolling + aero) | $160 (pair) | 0.05–0.16 |
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