Triathlete Increased Cycling Power From 295 to 387

In recent years, functional threshold power—the amount of power a cyclist can hold—has been a primary and sometimes sole focus of training. A higher FTP is synonymous with fitness for many riders. So, how does a rider improve their FTP? Yes, there are FTP-based workouts, but what other factors should a cyclist consider to see meaningful increases?

A triathlete may have the answer.

Last Christmas, triathlete Marc Dubrick and his coach, James Petersen, posted his 2018 and more recent 2023 power numbers on Instagram. Petersen noted that before Dubrick decided to pursue triathlons competitively, he had no cycling experience. Regardless of how much experience Dubrick has, he's come a long way.

According to the post, in 2018, Dubrick's five-second power was 918, but it is now 1158. His 20-minute power has grown from 295 to 387, and his 60-minute power climbed from 234 to 334.

"What he could only hold for 10 minutes all out in 2018, he can now hold for the entire bike portion of a 70.3," according to Petersen's post.

So, how exactly did his power numbers increase so drastically?

In an interview with Triathlete, Petersen credits these increases in part to Dubrick's health and cycling consistency.

"In five years working together, he has never had to take an extended break from any sport due to injury or illness," said Petersen. Additionally, "The pillars to our training have always been consistency, volume, intensity, in that order of priority."

Dubrick and Petersen view "consistency and volume as the foundational elements of training."

The volume element was a slow build. In 2018, Dubrick rode an average of six hours but at most 10 hours. His saddle time increased over the years, and by 2023, he averaged 12.5 hours, with a peak of 17 hours.

The duo added the third element—intensity—because that "takes you from good to great, but you can't get there without the foundational elements," said Petersen.

Like most foundational elements, Petersen contends they aren't "flashy," and they can be "extremely difficult" to maintain. However, he notes that Dubrick's improvements are directly linked to his consistency and volume.

To make his cycling work shine through, Dubrick pays close attention to his off-bike activities like strength training, nutrition, and sleep.

Dubrick has been hitting the gym and worked with his sponsor to determine the right on and off-bike nutrition combination. To round out a training day, Dubrick prioritizes rest.

"Sleep is part of my day's workout!" said the 2023 Escape From Alcatraz winner. "I don't count it as a completed day until I have nailed that sleep at night."