Etape 2008 Training

Bush75
Bush75 Posts: 29
edited March 2008 in Training, fitness and health
I am training for my first Etape and concerned that my short sharp mid week sessions are insufficient.

I do a long (2-4 hr) ride at the moment on a Saturday, maybe 1-2 hrs on Sunday; but in the week fit in about 3 sessions of either turbo, running or spinning class. Supplemented with a few weights.

As the evenings get lighter I should fit in 2 evening rides a week (plus longer weekend rises/sportives) but worried my base fitness is suffering with the mid week stuff being insufficient.

What do people think????

Comments

  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    Depends on how hard your turbo sessions are of course, but if you are doing decent quality stuff midweek and longer rides at weekends, that should be good for the Etape.

    When the clocks go forwards in a few weeks, you can swap turbo sessions for 1-2 hour fast pace road rides (or do a bit of road racing or TT's) to increase your speed.
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • Doom
    Doom Posts: 133
    Bronzie wrote:
    Depends on how hard your turbo sessions are of course

    Isn't it a bit soon to be adding intensity to training for a race in July?
    FCN: 4
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    Doom wrote:
    Isn't it a bit soon to be adding intensity to training for a race in July?
    True, it's a fair way off yet but I've seen a few posters say they do the 2x20 level of interval all year round, but of course their training goals may be completely different.

    I've found riding 10 mile TT's etc good preparation in addition to the long weekend miles for something like the Etape (doing nothing but steady miles just makes you slow) - in which case interval training now is probably more geared to riding those at a reasonable level.

    But I agree that there's no point killing yourself now only to be burnt out or jaded by the time the big event comes round.
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • normanp
    normanp Posts: 279
    I think that steady miles are the best way to be pretty sure about getting round within the cutoff. I haven't a clue about silver or gold though!
  • BeaconRuth
    BeaconRuth Posts: 2,086
    Bush75 wrote:
    I do a long (2-4 hr) ride at the moment on a Saturday, maybe 1-2 hrs on Sunday; but in the week fit in about 3 sessions of either turbo, running or spinning class. Supplemented with a few weights.

    As the evenings get lighter I should fit in 2 evening rides a week (plus longer weekend rises/sportives) but worried my base fitness is suffering with the mid week stuff being insufficient.
    If you're worried about your cycling base fitness then don't expend useful energy on running. The spinning classes may not be terribly beneficial either, unless they involve sustained periods of good-paced aerobic work. If the instructor has you doing short sprints and messing around with very fast pedalling or tons of out of saddle work, I'd knock that on the head too.

    Ruth
    http://www.rutheyles.co.uk/
  • cervelorider
    cervelorider Posts: 91
    I dont know whether any long climbs will be included, but threshold work would prepare you for this. Also do your turbo rides at a fast pace, ie - a pace you can sustain throughout the entire workout.
    Cant see the point of weights really, IMO - time better spent pedaling.
  • cervelorider
    cervelorider Posts: 91
    cervelorider wrote:
    I dont know whether any long climbs will be included, but threshold work(2x20 etc) would prepare you for this. Also do your turbo rides at a fast pace, ie - a pace you can sustain throughout the entire workout.
    Cant see the point of weights really, IMO - time better spent pedaling.
  • stjohnswell
    stjohnswell Posts: 482
    Your doing more during the week than me, and I'm intent on finishing.

    I'm just holding out for the clocks to change and the evenings get longer, then I can get out after work during the week. I'm not exactly having a wail of a time at keiser class or riding the turbo in the conservatory.
  • Bush75
    Bush75 Posts: 29
    Some really good advice. Bronzie in particular.

    I do however sometimes wonder what World some posters here live in. If I was a pro maybe I would do 60km a day and mix with stretching and pilates midweek. But...get this I have a job, wife, other interests & friends so:

    - If I have 45 mins at lunch time I go running or spinning
    - If I have been spinning I do a few leg curls and squats to work up the quads
    - And when my wife on a Sunday morning says will you come for a 6 mile run - I say yes, that'd be great (and then sneak out for 40kms on the bike late afternoon)

    I work to the principle that it is all better than sitting at my desk or on my sofa. But still worry that it isn't ideal training - hence my question. Reality.

    Some responses make me think either - the names of the posters must disguise their pro contracts, people are one dimensional or have no sense of reality. Rant over.

    Happy training guys and girls
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    Bush75 wrote:
    Some really good advice. Bronzie in particular.

    I do however sometimes wonder what World some posters here live in. If I was a pro maybe I would do 60km a day and mix with stretching and pilates midweek. But...get this I have a job, wife, other interests & friends so:

    - If I have 45 mins at lunch time I go running or spinning
    - If I have been spinning I do a few leg curls and squats to work up the quads
    - And when my wife on a Sunday morning says will you come for a 6 mile run - I say yes, that'd be great (and then sneak out for 40kms on the bike late afternoon)

    I work to the principle that it is all better than sitting at my desk or on my sofa. But still worry that it isn't ideal training - hence my question. Reality.

    Some responses make me think either - the names of the posters must disguise their pro contracts, people are one dimensional or have no sense of reality. Rant over.

    Happy training guys and girls
    Well if you want to improve fitness for a cycling event and ask for advice on a cycle training forum, what do you expect?

    You have listed two such training sessions above (highlighted) where you are making a choice about what type of training you do. When it's pointed out that your choice is far less effective at improving your on bike fitness than riding your bike (and nothing to do with adding hours to your training) you get annoyed. :?
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • Bush75
    Bush75 Posts: 29
    Point taken.

    But if you work in a city and you have 45 minutes/hr in the middle of the day or after work (9pm) when it's dark then the gym, spinning or a run is the only option. Laps of the North Circular at 1pm is not my idea of life longevity...

    So my question originally was really - would people really suggest I was better not bothering with these short sharp x-training sessions?
  • ut_och_cykla
    ut_och_cykla Posts: 1,594
    Time to skip the gym weights work? Spend indoor time on a bike of some sort spinning or warm up bike is better than nothing. Run when you're short of time at home or to keep wife company, ride as much as you can in addition to this (with the usual warnings about resting enough etc.) . Ideally you should quit running too but it is usually very easy to fit in as a last resort. Just don't run so much you can't give it your all on the bike the next day. You have a clear goal. You need to focus training around it. Longer sessions, shorter harder sessions and above all work towards riding quite hard for a very long time. Long sustained intervals. Hills.
    make a plan working back from the Etape date. Put in planned weekly mileage (increasing) sub-goals (TT under a certain time etc)
    Plan in your social stuff and the wife etc. Perhaps she has a goal too which you can plan around together.
    My ha'penny's worth anyway... :)
  • BeaconRuth
    BeaconRuth Posts: 2,086
    Bush75 wrote:
    But if you work in a city and you have 45 minutes/hr in the middle of the day or after work (9pm) when it's dark then the gym, spinning or a run is the only option. Laps of the North Circular at 1pm is not my idea of life longevity...
    The gym, a spinning bike or a run may be the only options but there are better ways to train for the Etape in a gym than by lifting weights, attending a spinning class or going for a run. That was all I was trying to say, although I clearly explained myself very badly. I'm still not sure why my post (I assume it was mine) prompted such a vitriolic attack.

    I don't have a pro contract but I did once win a medal in the National 100 mile Championship by doing all my week-day training on an exercise bike in a gym at 6.30am. I didn't lift any weights, do any running or attend any spinning classes. ("No sense of reality"? :? )

    Ruth
    http://www.rutheyles.co.uk/
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    Bush75 wrote:
    Point taken.

    But if you work in a city and you have 45 minutes/hr in the middle of the day or after work (9pm) when it's dark then the gym, spinning or a run is the only option. Laps of the North Circular at 1pm is not my idea of life longevity...

    So my question originally was really - would people really suggest I was better not bothering with these short sharp x-training sessions?
    If you can't ride and these x-train sessions do not significantly impact your ability to train on the bike with full vigour when you do have the time/opportunity to ride, then some training of an aerobic nature is better than none.

    I coach a Cat 1/ elite level athlete that at times travels and can't ride but works out on an elliptical trainer at the gyms and it has shown to be an effective alternative for fitness maintenance when bikes are not an option.

    Nothin' beats riding the bike though ;)
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • lateralus
    lateralus Posts: 309
    Bush75 wrote:
    Point taken.

    But if you work in a city and you have 45 minutes/hr in the middle of the day or after work (9pm) when it's dark then the gym, spinning or a run is the only option. Laps of the North Circular at 1pm is not my idea of life longevity...

    So my question originally was really - would people really suggest I was better not bothering with these short sharp x-training sessions?

    I think what the other posters are saying is that cycling fitness is a very specific thing and that, where you have a choice between a cycling workout and some other kind of workout, your cycling will be best served by doing a cycling workout.

    I assume from your posts that you have access to a gym at lunchtime, so can use the stationary bikes there. There was a recent article on BR about time-limited workouts, with some suggestions for what you can do if you have half an hour or an hour - http://www.bikeradar.com/road/fitness/t ... ount-14249

    Also see the threads here about 2 x 20 etc, even a 1 x 20 with warm up and cool down on the bike would be a helpful lunchtime session fitting into 45 minutes.
  • SunWuKong
    SunWuKong Posts: 364
    doing all my week-day training on an exercise bike in a gym at 6.30am Ruth you are awesome!
  • Bush75
    Bush75 Posts: 29
    Some more top advice. Thank you

    Hitting the exercise bike and turbo sound winners if circumstances dictate nought else.

    Sorry - Ruth - my comments were not aimed at you. Just the "Club mentality" I have sometimes experienced (and seen on this site) of - talk like a pro, perform like a bonce, dictating that if you are not on your bike you might as well be eating doughnuts...

    Interesting that everyone is so anti weights - surely surely leg curls, squats etc add power????? No?

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