Help/ Assistance/ Guidance

Brawlyrox

Ok I started cycling this March and really enjoy it. My ideal plan was to train over the summer, maintain fitness and start racing March 2008 in Crits and TT's.

Last summer all was going well and I was doing over 150 miles a week up to 250 miles most weeks, September came and there was a change in my situation which meant I was limited to time on the bike. I was probably scraping 100 miles a week up in September and October.

I took two weeks off in the beginning of November up untill this weekend really, now I want to start putting the base miles in, and here is where my questions come in.

A) Training after work, do people have dinner before or after they go out on the bike? I have been having it before and its really harming me as I am pretty much eating and going straight out. Do you have any tips?

How many evenings/ miles would you suggest? I am trying to get 60 miles in through the week and about 80 at weekends.

I think thats it for a minute. I can't believe how hard it is to get back into the swing of things after just a few weeks off. Granted I am now off my nice carbon light bike and onto a 15year old Peugeot but I am really struggling, so any input would be much appreciated.

Thanks Nick

Cyrenne

Hi Nick, how old are you?
The reason i ask is that training is all very specific especially for relative newcomers. If you're on that general upward curve of progress anyway that newbies have, I'd be tempted to suggest you don't go stacking large mileage in through the dark winter months. Two good weekend rides, a couple of turbo sessions and one mid-week ride should be enough IMO.
Your improvements will come naturally (unless you're already 50-odd!)
One thing though: make those turbo sessions worthwhile.
It's pointless getting on the things unless you come off with sore legs; they're so demoralising anyway you may as well make it worthwhile.
And one last thing: why did you have two weeks off?
All the best.

Brawlyrox

Hi Cyrene I am 22.

Thanks

ut_och_cykla

For dinner on the evenings you train choose something easy - pasta & chicken & sallad? and eat it afterwards if you're training hard but have a snack equivalent to pudding 2 hours before (eg banana & yoghurt, small lean sandwhich).
If you're training is gentler eat dinner before but not too big a portion - eat teh rest/pudding on your return.

As to mileage - only you can decide what is doable. At this time of year you can either do miles and miles and miles gently - but time is short and you are young so riding harder for shorter periods during the week and slower longer at weekends would be my general guidelines. Increase amount and intensity gradually towards a measurable spring goal also helps with focus.

phil s

Try and change your mentaliy from miles per week to hours per week, then analyse what those hours consisted of. You can't have a whole week of steady state riding at 65%, your engine needs to be allowed to roar for a bit even in the winter

Brawlyrox

Ok thanks for all of your replies.
Cyrenne I plan to ride alone on a Saturday and with the local club on a Sunday so that will be forfilling what you suggest about the weekends so thanks for that, unfortunately I have no turbo. I may try get one but I do have a set of rollers, although they really bore me and I think an hour is the maximum I have sat on them. I am looking at joining a spinning class after another thread on here for one night a week, so Id like to think that may have the same affect as a turbo session?
The advice about eating a sandwich or yoghurt and fruit before my ride will be taken on board and I will try that tomorrow as I have planned a rest day in for today.

Again thanks for the advice. Nick

SteveR_100Milers

My suggestion FWIW is to consider measuring your training in terms of time and intensity, rather than miles ridden

rollerball

Try and take a snack up to 2 hours before you go out but even if you can't I wouldn't eat before just going out on the bike.

Agent smith

Sorry to piggy back on this topic but my situation is very similar but iam 33.

I have ridden with my club all year, didnt have too good a winter last year, any rides I did do with the club i was getting dropped on hills and basically couldnt keep up, so I wouldnt say that was such a great into.
However, I had a good end to my season with a decent 10TT time. I have been doing steady miles in October and now November putting in around 200 miles a week. The mid week club runs are getting a bit faster and i feel like I should be spending more time this year building base, well the remainder of Novermber anyway. December and January was where I had planned to speed things up a little.
My plan for next season is focusing on a particular 25TT thats held in August, but entering a good few 10's and APR's
Can you advise if I should go with the crowd or continue on my own at what I feel is better???
Please help :shock:

Monty Dog

If you're serious about entering road races, then you probably need to be logging at least 10-15 hours of training a week to give you the necessary fitness, strength and speed. Peak training hours should be Feb-Mar, before you start decreasing the hours and increasing the intensity through intervals and focussed turbo sessions. You can get away with less, but find that you'll lose your fitness very quickly if you have a week or two off. Training for long hours over the winter means your body is better adapted to withstand the intensity of racing over the summer as well as ensuring strength and resistance to injury. Some people get away with less, but they've probably logged many years of riding beforehand and therefore rely on muscle memory and good core strength. It is suggested that it takes 5-7 years for your body and muscles to adapt to efficiently to cycling.

Agent smith

So from what your saying, should I continue this month at my own pace but up the amount of hours. Its the intensity thats bothering me at the moment.

I would only be using the road races/APR's for training/experience next year, as Iam focusing mainly on Time trialing.

Iam also mixing my training up with a bit of mountain biking and light weight training.

Brawlyrox

Hi, like Agent Smith I am mixing in a 2 hour mountain bike session in every week. Thanks for all of your advice, would you say this is suffice to get me through until January or do I need more hours on the bike.

Mon - Spinning (1 hour)
Tue - Rest Day
Wed - Road Bike (2 hours)
Thurs - MTB (2 hours)
Fri - Rest Day
Sat - Road Bike (2-3 hours)
Sun - Club Run (Min 3 hours)

Thats roughly 10 hours but I dont know if its enough, can you let me know if this is a sensible approach? I am looking at adding a weights session for core and upper body strength on one of the rest days too. Then in January and Feb looking at adding the intervals.

Nick