Training for TT's -1st Season

Richie G

Hi everyone. I'm trying to get fit for my first seaon of TT's, having done a couple of events at the end of last year. I've done lots of reading of training guides as well as keeping an eye on this forum. I'm really just checking that i'm going about things in the right way, as well seeking a bit of advice on how to evolve my training in the run up to and during the season.

Currently i commute 13 miles a day, at a steady to brisk pace. I use the turbo twice a week- have started doing 2 x 20s for one session (at a little below my TT pace). The other session i've been doing 4 x 5 min intervals at or just above TT pace (finding i'm struggling to do more than 2 mins on the harder intervals!). At the weekend i go on a club run (50-60 miles @ 16-17 mph) or a solo ride of a couple of hours at a similar pace. I also run once a week for 45 mins - 1 hour at a steady pace.

I'm aiming to enter the Leicestershire TT series, which starts at the end of March, with an event roughly once a month after that. Also planning on doing the Beacon Hilly TT at the end of April, which at 39 miles will be a challenge for me!

Now am i doing enough interval work? I'm currently finding the 5 min intervals lung busting hard and have had to reduce the faster intervals to 2 mins. Do i persist until i can manage longer or do i need to drop the intensity a notch?

Also, i'm keen to know how i should adapt this training as i get nearer the season. Do i need to increase the speed of intervals or the length of them?

Sorry for such a long post- wanted to make sure i'd not forgotten anything!

Cheers
Rich

BeaconRuth

With all that training I'll be looking for a good time from you in the Beacon Little Mountain!

Richie G wrote:

I'm currently finding the 5 min intervals lung busting hard and have had to reduce the faster intervals to 2 mins. Do i persist until i can manage longer or do i need to drop the intensity a notch?

If you can't finish the 5mins, then you're setting off too hard. Ease back to a pace that you can hold for 5mins at a time. It takes a bit of practice to work out what pace that is but you can use whatever gauge of intensity you have - cadence, speed, power - whatever it is just find a number that you can hold steady for 5mins but be on your knees at the end.

Ruth

Richie G

With all that training I'll be looking for a good time from you in the Beacon Little Mountain!

Was looking at last years results, wondering what a good time would be. There's some quick riders on there! Think i'm gonna ride without clip-ons for the Roadman catagory.

I take it the idea is to find a pace you can manage for 5 mins then try and increase that pace next time? I spent a morning trying to calibrate my speed on the turbo to what i do on the road. Think i've got it somewhere close- have to up the resistance as the speed goes up. Did a 10TT last week on the turbo - gonna do it again in a month to see if i've improved.

xover_runner

Almost exactly the same trainng I am doing apart from the 13 mile commute (my office is 60 miles from home so I'll pass on 120 miles a day). Not saying its right or wrong but that's what I picked up from reading and this forum. Ruth also advised to do a second weekend ride. I do Saturday as you say about 60/70 at 16-18 mph (that's deemed as a socal ride by many on this forum) and then I try and do 20/25 miles on Sunday at faster pace solo, maybe 19mph or certainly above 80%

BeaconRuth

Richie G wrote:

Was looking at last years results, wondering what a good time would be. There's some quick riders on there! Think i'm gonna ride without clip-ons for the Roadman catagory.

Well, I suppose the first challenge for anyone riding the event for the first time is to break 2 hours. Last year we had no less than six former winners taking part, including ex-pro Steve Jones. The course record was also broken for 5 categories (Hill-climbs, V40, V60, V70 and Women) which shows what quality we had across all categories riding. All of the top 10 riders produced superb times and the podium was made up of three very classy riders. It's definitely THE event to ride. But then I suppose I would say that.......... :roll:

I take it the idea is to find a pace you can manage for 5 mins then try and increase that pace next time?

Well yes. Except that if you really did a maximal effort last time, don't expect to go and better it every time you hop on your turbo. Seeing improvements takes a bit of time and patience!

I spent a morning trying to calibrate my speed on the turbo to what i do on the road. Think i've got it somewhere close- have to up the resistance as the speed goes up. Did a 10TT last week on the turbo - gonna do it again in a month to see if i've improved.

Everyone has their own methods, but FWIW I've never felt there was much point in trying to calibrate a turbo to match the road. You're pedaling against a resistance, in this case the roller resistance, whereas on the road you've got rolling resistance and wind resistance. The total resistance on the road is never identical from day to day, so why worry about whether the turbo is like it? It's how hard you work on the turbo that matters not whether you happen to be making the back wheel go round at 20mph or 25mph.

Ruth

Richie G

Almost exactly the same trainng I am doing apart from the 13 mile commute (my office is 60 miles from home so I'll pass on 120 miles a day). Not saying its right or wrong but that's what I picked up from reading and this forum. Ruth also advised to do a second weekend ride. I do Saturday as you say about 60/70 at 16-18 mph (that's deemed as a socal ride by many on this forum) and then I try and do 20/25 miles on Sunday at faster pace solo, maybe 19mph or certainly above 80%

xover_runner
I'd love to do a second weekend ride, but feel i benefit from a day off the bike - plus my agreement with Mrs G is that i spend a day at the weekend with her (or rather doing all the jobs she's saved up for me during the week! ) At the moment i'm doing a club run one week and a solo run the next. I must admit that 70 odd miles is still quite a challenge for me. As the days get longer i'll start commuting on the road bike and ride the long way home- i've got some nice 20-25 miles routes i can use. Just out of interest, how long have been training like this? Just wondering what improvement you've got out of it?

Well, I suppose the first challenge for anyone riding the event for the first time is to break 2 hours.

Ruth
Having seen the times that riders of your calibre were doing last year, i'd be ecstatic with 2 hours! I'm actually keen to do it because of the hills- i think at the moment i'm better going uphill than turning up the pace on the flat. Not sure why, but it has been commented on when on club runs. I see what you mean about the turbo- i was just trying to give myself some corelation to what i do outside rather than just spinning along aimlessly. At least i can now compare my turbo sessions.

Thanks both
Rich

Mike Willcox

The number of hours you are training seems to be roughly 12/13 hours a week, which is quite a lot. If you are getting on the turbo trainer after having cycled home on a commute then you are not lacking in motivation.

IMO if I were you then I would introduce higher tempo rides at the weekend and on my commute home so you get used to the sort of effort on the road that you are putting in on the turbo.

Richie G

With the running it probably works out at 10-11 hrs- normally try to jump straight on the turbo when i get home, so don't need much of a warm up. I actually find it a lot harder to get on the turbo without having done the commute! Seems like i've got things about right- i'm mindful that i don't want to overdo it and let my body adjust to the interval training. Just lately the wind has made most rides home hard work - looking forward to resting the legs tomorrow!

Edwin

Don't know much about intervals, but I would say watch out for overtraining as it sounds like you're doing quite a lot. I overdid it last autumn and ended up not competing much at all last season as I didn't get any form back until the end of the summer, by which time it was too late. Less is more sometimes!

Mike Willcox

Richie G wrote:

With the running it probably works out at 10-11 hrs- normally try to jump straight on the turbo when i get home, so don't need much of a warm up. I actually find it a lot harder to get on the turbo without having done the commute! Seems like i've got things about right- i'm mindful that i don't want to overdo it and let my body adjust to the interval training. Just lately the wind has made most rides home hard work - looking forward to resting the legs tomorrow!

All sounds good to me.

Richie G

Just thought i'd give a quick update on how i'm getting on. Did my monthly 10 mile TT last night - improved by 20 seconds since last time! I've also been feeling a lot stronger on the road too - a recent club run developed into a chaingang after the cafe. 3 of the faster guys started really turning on the pace and for the first time i managed to hang onto them! (Wasn't able to take a turn on the front- i'm not proud!). Basically, i think it's case of so far so good. I am finding that by Saturday (my rest day) i'm pretty knackered, so wondering if it's worth having a easier week, maybe once a month?

Rich

BeaconRuth

I'm glad it's going well, Rich. Yes, take an easier week from time to time and get some really good recovery. You can't go on battering yourself and expecting to improve unless you allow your body a bit of thorough recovery from time to time. People sometimes forget that you get stronger when you recover from hard training, not when you do hard training.

Ruth

Richie G

What would be best - lay off the intervals for a week, whilst still commuting and doing a long steady weekend ride OR take a weekend off the bike? Whatever i do, Mrs G will have me painting the bathroom with my free time!

BeaconRuth

Where do you think you are weaker - or which do you think you have developed the least? On the intensive intervals or on the steady aerobic mileage? Leave out the training for the aspect of your fitness that needs the least work. The answer will depend on your aims too of course.

Ruth

Richie G

I guess it's my speed that's improved over the last couple of months - maybe i'll cut down on the turbo for a week. Thanks for your help, Ruth. Good see you got some coverage on the CTT DVD - hope preparations are going well for this year.

Rich

Ashley_R

Richie G wrote:

Just thought i'd give a quick update on how i'm getting on. Did my monthly 10 mile TT last night - improved by 20 seconds since last time! I've also been feeling a lot stronger on the road too - a recent club run developed into a chaingang after the cafe. 3 of the faster guys started really turning on the pace and for the first time i managed to hang onto them! (Wasn't able to take a turn on the front- i'm not proud!). Basically, i think it's case of so far so good. I am finding that by Saturday (my rest day) i'm pretty knackered, so wondering if it's worth having a easier week, maybe once a month?

Rich

Hello there Richie

Is it a Leicester based club you're out with and if so is it a Saturday one?

Also, do you have the exact date of when the Leicestershire TT series starts, going to enter it this year, didn't realise it was so early, better up my training!

Good luck with the training

Richie G

Cheers! How are you doing? I've been going out with Hinckley - seem a nice bunch, so i'm gonna become a member. I've been going on their sunday club run, although i've got a feeling some of them might go out on Saturdays. You could try posting on their message board
http://www.hinckleycrc.org/ (don't know if this will work as a link - not very good at this!).

First Leicestershire TT event in the Coalville Wheelers 10 on March 29th. My plan do the whole series has been scuppered by rounds 3 & 4 being on the same weekend when i'm in Mallorca! Trying to find a sportive or something to keep me amused mid-summer.

Ashley_R

Not doing too bad thanks Richie, still recovering from a hernia op before Xmas, did it giving it too much at the start of a TT last August

Back in training now, looking at getting some speedier miles in soon, pretty sure theres a chaingang group that used to go out from Leicester on Saturday mornings, going to try and find out if it still runs

I've also started interval work on the turbo, started following a C+ mag recommended pattern of 5 mins at 90% followed by 3 mins spin, upped it to 10 mins effort, next target (tomorrow night) is first attempt a 2x20's, not sure which is the most effective though!

Didn't realise the Leics TT league started so early, definitely upping the training, roll on 29th March!

Keep the effort going!

BeaconRuth

You'll enjoy the Coalville Whlrs 10 course - one of my favourites! Just don't expect a personal best on it. I think it's the only 10 course I've ever ridden where I needed my little chainring!

Ruth

Ashley_R

Do you know anywhere that the course is detailed? Can't seem to find one anywhere online.

Know roughly where it goes, grew up about 2 mile away in Thringstone, can remember seeing TT's along the top road back towards Griffydam from years back.

This'll be my first run on this course, wish I'd have done it years ago!

BeaconRuth

I don't have the formal description but from memory it's something like this:

Start at the Griffydam crossroads on the B5324 and ride NE. Pass Belton, go under the M1 and turn next left, through Long Whatton, back under the M1 and into Diseworth. First left after Diseworth (up hill), pass under the M42(?) and next left. The finish is somewhere before Belton IIRC.

My OS Map is dated 1989, so am I right in thinking the course pases under the M42 now? On my map it's marked as the A42 under construction or something. :shock:

Ruth

Richie G

Sounds a bit more interesting than bombing up and down the A46! Will have to check it out in the next few weeks. Glad i'm not the only one with ancient OS maps!

BeaconRuth

It's a REAL course, not a traffic-assisted drag-strip. I think I did a long 24 on it a few years ago. I've only ridden it once, but I have done the Coalville Whlrs 2-up 25 on it which is 2-laps of a slightly larger loop. That's another good event to do - it's in late August I think, maybe even August BH Monday. My main memory of that day was my partner having to ask me to wait for him in the last few miles - there's nothing like being too strong for your 2-up partner to make your day.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing how you two local guys enjoy it.

Ruth

ps. my very old OS map of Nottingham - makes me feel very old as that's what I bought while I was at university there.

Ashley_R

Yes its the A42

Thanks for that, know the roads well

So it doesnt start and finish at the same place then? Only a couple of mile back to the start though

Had my one (so far, tempting fate) bad accident along the road near Belton about 15 years ago, was giving it my all out the saddle and my foot came out the toe straps, straight over the handle bars and gouged half my elbow off, lucky not to break anything. can remember sitting on the roadside dazed and bleeding profusely and having a fully lycra-ed roadie pass by, looking at me and just carrying on, cheers mate! Thank goodness not all cyclists are like that!