What is the average intensity one should use for the KoS quest? I suppose it varies widely but just looking for an average or feedback on what others have successfully used?
Thanks!
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Hey @Ryno97 .
Most folks will go 70-75% in their KoS quest. If you start higher , expect to have to dial it down toward the last videos. The cumulative fatigue will definitely take it’s toll. Wishing you all the best in your Quest!!
Cheers,
Spencer
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I did mine at 70% on fresh 4DP numbers. The first few feel easy enough, the last few not so easy!
If you do the KoS prep plan, you can use some of the back-to-back training sessions to get an idea of what intensity is going to be sustainable for you.
Personally, I’d rather start a bit too easy and dial it up towards the end and finish strong. Although the suffering at the end will be epic if you go out too hard at the start!
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Oh! I thought I was being soft doing mine at 80-85%! 
Sometimes there’s an advantage to not knowing. I probably would have dialed it back even more had I known. #mentaltoughnesstraining
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Hahaha, I got so tired I forgot to adjust the intensity for one of my stages. Needless to say I did NOT make that mistake again.
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I thought I’d be a tough guy and start at 85%, by video 9/10 I was at 60%. Got a lesson in being humble on that one.
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I think I started at 80% and ended at 70%? It’s hard to remember through the crying.
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or 
or 
?
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Sadly I don’t see a vomit crying emoji. I just looked up my original Facebook thread and believe I dd the whole thing at 75%?
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lol, I always feel like it sounds like bragging when I talk about my multiple experiences, but honestly, I’m just trying to be helpful, and they all were designed and felt different.
Intensity depends on a lot of things including your fitness coming in and the length and variety of the videos you choose.
For my first quest I had mostly videos under 60 minutes, but with some toughies including 9 Hammers at #2 and Defender at the end. I started my first 3 at 80%, did a bunch in the middle at 75/70% and ended at 70/65%.
For my second quest I had almost every video longer than 1 hour except for Local Hero and The Shovel (which I had it in, but had to switch it out last second). I also did 12 videos and wasn’t in as good of shape for this one. I started this one at 75%, but dropped it down to 70%, 65%, 60%, and think I finished Cobbler at 55%. Violator also sapped my legs somewhere in the middle. But again, this was also a really long day.
For my third quest I was in the best shape, and while I had 13 videos to do, they weren’t as long. I stayed at 80% longer than I planned, and could’ve stayed at 75% through the rest of the first 10, but dropped to 70% for 8 & 9 and then still finished at 70%.
So, again, your fitness and the length and intensity of the videos you choose will play a big part.
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I started at 75% and dropped a percent every couple of vids. Also, make sure you have set it so recovery is reduced too - I struggled on one of the longer back to back test rides in knighthood plan because one of the vids had a higher intensity recovery (I think the recovery was higher than the effort 
)
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I was 70% flat all the way through, it was about right as I almost had to climb off during vid #7 but somehow dug so deeply into the Suf mines, I found an extra set of legs (well used, very worn in places) which allowed me to launch my final Attack(er) on the castle. The bit in the middle is mostly a blur…to my mind it was all like one enormous mash-up ride (not so much Kitchen Sink as Complete Bathroom Suite) 
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For my first 2 quests I did this. But for the 3rd quest i did the opposite. I left the check box on so that recoveries were not reduced.
Something about the relative difference between the efforts and the recovery; and then a change in my muscles if they spent too much time at too low of a power. It wasn’t until video 8 that I unchecked the box and it was like lowering the intensity of the video without actually lowering the intensity.
It can be a bit of a mind game. And can also be tricky, like you said, when you get to lower percentages and the recovery segments sometimes end up higher than the efforts.
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Just reporting back. Before I made this post, I made an attempt starting at 95% and decreasing one percent per ride. I only made it thru the first 5 then gave up the effort, and hence the reason for this post. I tried again a couple days later armed with this knowledge and completed the quest at 70%! Still a tough effort but I was at least able to turn the pedals from 6 to 10. Thanks again to all for the advice!!
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I started mine at 80% and if memory serves me well, did the last 2 or 3 at 75 or 70.
Did this on my birthday - quite a nice self-gift !
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You know, it’s called Sufferlandria, so the aswer is 100% of what you are capable. Your question shows that you aren’t ready yet.
Riding below 80% will transfer you to Couchlandria where you’ll have donuts and beer all day long, but that’s not what you really want, right?
So don’t fool you, go hard, really hard.
Seriously, I believe there was a rule not to fall below 80%, but I’m not sure. Have started at 95, declined to 85 in the latter part, but finished at 90.
Good luck, do whatever you can 
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I started my quest at 80% for the first 2 and then dropped it to 75%/75% for the next 7 and then dropped it down to 65% by the time I did the last one which was Defender.
I should let it be known that I did the entire thing on a set of dumb rollers.
@phoenix65 Nope - no rule. Only rule is to make it challenging. In reality if someone was going to ride for 8+ hours indoors or outdoors they would always be at a percentage of FTP probably in the 60 to 80% range. Most people start on the higher side and then adjust down as fatigue sets in.
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Thank you Sir for checking.
Maybe I’d set myself a lower limit.
Anyway, proud of anyone who dares. 
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Late chiming in, but yes - similar to all of the above.
I set myself at 85% to start, with a (clueless) goal of 80-85% throughout. Somewhere in the middle of Local Hero (#6 for me) I cracked like an egg and dialed it down to 60% for literally the last 45 minutes while I ate, drank, and generally recovered. Was able to finish the remaining rides at 80% or better, but oy!
#KoSPTSD
#embracethesuck
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