Trying to increase stamina and get faster.

Anonymous

Hi.

Well I have a road bike at the moment and I'm wanting to try and increase stamina and getting faster as I feel I'm too slow, today there was about a 9-14mph wind and it was a sort of loop, well up and down really, and I got 4.5miles in 16mins 15 seconds at 16.7mph average and max of 26mph and I'm not very happy with that.

What I want to know is there a better way are increasing stamina and speed? when I go for rides its random, every day is different, some times I do a 2 mile ride, then a 5 miles ride, then a 10 miles or a 5 mile and a 1 mile some days, so its kind of all over at the moment and I try push myself all the time, if I go at a steady pace I'm around 14mph and I feel very unhappy doing this speed especially on a road bike, very degrading.

Any ways I should go about doing this? Like just 1 20 mile ride a day or maybe 1 20 mile ride and a 3 mile tt or something? And steady pace starting off slow etc..? I'm a novice and basically just go around with the thoughts of gunning it everywere but I find myself out of breath easilly.

Thanks.
Willz.

nolf

Ok I would definitely only do ` ride a day, maybe break up that ride into different sections so hard bits and easy bits, but still better to stick to a singe ride. Means you don't have to warm up and warm down so much and being on the bike for longer will help adapt your body.

Ok Speed and endurance are 2 seperate training areas. most people increase their endurance first and then after they have a good endurance base they start to work on speed.
Endurance training is good as it makes your body adapt to being on the bike, makes you more efficient at using fat reserves, and pushes your body in a much easier way, n sudden bursts of effort just a long slow ride to help adaption.
So say have a go at doing 20 milers a couple of times a week, plus a 30 miler on saturday and a 10 mile recovery ride on Sunday. The base rule is to not increase the time spent riding by more than 10% a week, so you may have to spend a few weeks working up to this.

After a a couple of weeks at this level try increasing the saturday ride and sunday ride by 10 and 5 miles respectively. Then just keep adding miles until your saturday ride becomes a 100km ride (or 65 milesish). and your Sunday ride nearly as long.

Tom Butcher

I'd do a single ride - ride yourself in so don't go mad from the start - at least 4-5 miles warm up - then if you feel good up the pace a bit - don't worry too much about it if you are a beginner just get some miles in and press on the pedals more when you feel good - for the vast majority of people getting a fair amount of miles in a week and riding reasonably hard now and again is enough to get a good base level of fitness and you can look at where you want to go from there when you get that. If you are a youngish otherwise healthy man though I'd wait until you can ride at least sort of 40 miles at an average of 17mph before worrying too much about a structured programme.

Btw - you may not think 26mph is much of a top end sprinting speed but if you started doing that from cold it's enough to make the legs burn and then psychologically you are thinking you are struggling - I'd save efforts that make you out of breath for later in your rides if you are going to do them at all.

Anonymous

I forgot to say that some college days, 1-3 days a week I bike to college, its around a 25 mile round trip, 10 mile there 14 mile back as I choose to go through town. Also at the moment when I go on my bike I just wear jeans and shirt, would propor cycling clothes help me? Dont know about wearing cycling clothes atm I'm fairly chubby on the chest and that.

I'll do a 10-15 mile ride today as it looks like its going to rain so dont want to be out too long, I'll just try and keep up to 16mph, I feel my bike might be holding me back though.

I would not say I'm the slowest person on a bike but what seem to get me tired out for a few seconds is simply walking up the stairs, back of my legs always get tired out :?

davidmiller

It can be frustrating when you feel you are going slow. nothing is worse when you're not going well and some b****r overtakes you.

the other night I took my summer bike out for the first time and after a warm up did a circuit at full speed. i averaged 17 mph over 10 mins. Crap I thought. (Although I'd already commuted to work 10 miles each way).

Obviuosly, from the above you'll understand that i'm no expert but I've read it is very important to have rest days and easy days and don't underestimate the idea of doing intervals (hard fast sections with rest in between) on your rides.

Proper cycling clothing may make you go slightly faster but it's more comfortable than normal stuff and it helps you to "feel" like a propoer cycliust. if cash is an issue start off with the DHB range from wiggle. I have DHB bib shorts and tights and a short sleeve shirt. Helly Hanson base layers are also good.

Good luck and enjoy your cycling,

David

Anonymous

So if I go on say a 10 mile route, and there is a stretch with minimal wind should I sort of do a really hard fast section for half a mile to a mile and then have a rest then start going again doing a normal speed section?

I might get some dhb bib tights but they do look odd, I suppose I wont worry about a top I'll just use my normal clothes for the moment.

blooocow

I'd say don't worry about where you are. You're training and learning and will get better.

Tom's given some good advice and I'd add to that by saying use your ride to college. Summer is coming. Start to think about doing the ride minimum 3 days a week. My concern with commuting every day is that it takes the fun out of the weekend ride, so do a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to college. Rest Friday and find a local club run on Saturday.

And do it for fun. We ride our bikes for fun first, then fitness and as a bonus for performance.

And buy some Lycra. Jeans and T-shirt will catch the wind, make you over-heat and slow you down. Does it matter that you're chubby? Does it bollocks! Never did Ullrich any harm.And go out in the rain regardless. When you're wet you can't get any wetter. (Just don't wear white.)

Keep a training diary. Distance, time, av and max speed. Map your improvement. You'll be amazed at where you are come October. Then you will plateau. At this point you need to decide whether you want to ride your bike or race your bike. If you want to race think about Heart-rate, power and intervals. Otherwise just keep enjoying the bike.

Either way, most important point, set a goal. Here's one, local to you: May 2009, Etape du Dales: Grassington, North Yorkshire, 110miles, Total Ascent: 3540 metres.

I expect a full report in a years time

Anonymous

I decided to have a go at using http://www.mycyclinglog.com/home.php and set myself a goal to do 100 miles by tuesday.

See over the months of cycling I dont feel I've gained anything at all as if I allready have plateaud but hopefully that is not the case. Also on the resd days is it still ok to do cycling as I really dont like been stuck in doors at all.

The problem also at the moment is my bike, its a small frame and I'm 5ft 9, planning on selling it in june though but untill then I have to stick with it so trying to adjust for it to best suit me, could you comment on some pics of me in normal and drop position when I upload them tomorrow and I want to know if I'm in right position as thats stressing me at the moment as I really want to be in the right position might help me get some more speed.

I am thinking of ordering these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... b%20Tights

I'm a size 34-36 waist so I guess Medium for me? They ok do you think?

Also I do ride my bike for fun, at least when its not windy but the wind REALLY ****** me off.

Anonymous

Will running also improve my stamina? I'm pretty bad at running, after about 50 meters I need to stop for a rest so should work on that? Going to try push through a 2.6 mile run/jog tomorrow. After the run would it be ok to go for a 10 mile cycle too? would not cause any problems would it?

Toks

willhub wrote:

Will running also improve my stamina? I'm pretty bad at running, after about 50 meters I need to stop for a rest so should work on that?

I'm not a Dr but perhaps you should have a general health check before embarking on your endurance/fitness regime.?

Going to try push through a 2.6 mile run/jog tomorrow. After the run would it be ok to go for a 10 mile cycle too? would not cause any problems would it

It shouldn't do but then I/We have no true idea of your fitness levels. As a general point you get better at whatever you practise. Hence cycling more improves cycling and running more, suprise suprise, improves your running. I can't imagine there's much crossover fitnesswise unless you do both cycling/running infrequently

jonginge

willhub wrote:

I am thinking of ordering these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... b%20Tights

I'm a size 34-36 waist so I guess Medium for me? They ok do you think?

Also I do ride my bike for fun, at least when its not windy but the wind REALLY ****** me off.

The merstons are great. I've got a couple of pairs which I've been wearing in preference to some more expensive ones this winter.

headwinds are always annoying. When you start out there never seems to be any other kind