My quads are burning a little this evening.  That is because I just completed my first ever attempt at a workout my coach calls… Bikerghetti.

The workout is based on a famous run workout called the Monoghetti Fartlek run.  The run is named after the Australian distance runner, Steve Monoghetti.  This bike version is a little different from the run workout, in that you go up the interval ladder, in addition to coming down the ladder.

The crux of the workout is the ladder intervals, which are done at a very hard effort. The intervals are as follows (each interval is followed by a recovery interval of equal length):

• 2 x 30 seconds
• 2 x 45 seconds
• 2 x 60 seconds
• 2 x 75 seconds
• 2 x 90 seconds
• 2 x 75 seconds
• 2 x 60 seconds
• 2 x 45 seconds
• 2 x 30 seconds

If you have a triathlon bike, he hard intervals are done in the aero position. The recovery intervals are done standing, in a very big gear.

The key to the workout is choosing a hard power level at the beginning, that is not so hard that you will blow up half way through the workout.  I think I did reasonably well this evening.  You can see from the chart, that my power during the second half, was slightly higher than the first.

This Bikerghetti workout is great for improving lactic threshold.  You get the benefits of anaerobic intervals, and because the recovery intervals involve some effort, you also get a good aerobic workout too.  Give the workout a try.  It is hard, but also manageable, because of all the mini-breaks you get from the pain of the hard efforts.