What regular training loops do you do?

nasahapley
nasahapley Posts: 717
edited July 2008 in Training, fitness and health
Does anybody else have routes they time themselves over on a regular/semi-regular basis? I've got two I tend to do after work - one just over 10 miles with about 1250ft of climb, the other a bit under 22 miles with around 1900ft. If I can't go on a longer ride at weekends there's another loop of 32 miles with about 3300ft of climbing I sometimes do too. I don't know if there's much training benefit to these all-out efforts, but they're certainly fun!

So I was just wondering, what sort of regular timed efforts do the rest of you do? And do you think they're beneficial?

Comments

  • LeighB
    LeighB Posts: 326
    I have a 25 mile route that gets used at least once a week. It is quite flat and I mostly use my fixe. The wind normaly comes from the South West so the ride out is into the wind and the ride back has a tail wind. Again I don't know if it has any big training benefit but it leaves me feeling good. At the week end if I do a long ride on Saturday my Sunday ride is normaly from home to Morecambe and back (40 miles); again this has the wind behind you on the way home and leaves you feeling good.
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  • Not Another Hill
    Not Another Hill Posts: 382
    I have a 17 mile route which I use to gauge improvements in speed/fitness etc. Usually ride it every Saturday as I only have an hours riding window then. Hilly in parts (20% hill + some at about 12% and others a bit less). Up to 17.9 mph average from 14.3mph since January.
  • TheGreatGatsby
    TheGreatGatsby Posts: 818
    I have a variety of routes to and from work that I very throughout the week up to about 36 miles. Then on Sundays I stick to roughly the same loop with some variation depending on how I feel and the weather etc ranging from 65 to 100miles. i tend to stick to them on sundays as I usually have to be back for about 8.30am so I know how long each route takes so I can plan any variations as I ride.

    Gats
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    I ALWAYS end up in the peak district!
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  • chrisw12
    chrisw12 Posts: 1,246
    I'm quite sad in that I only ride the same few loops. I do this because they're a good way of seeing progress and I like using my garmin virtual partener.

    When I go on holidays, I get annoyed that I've got to go out and find good new loops that meet all my criteria to train on, so even sadder I suppose is that I've persuaded my family to go to the same place on holiday every year. It didn't take much persuation mind as they liked the place so much.
  • TCR ISP
    TCR ISP Posts: 19
    Monday night 'test'. 18.5 miles, 2300 feet of climbing. Under an hour and I'm in good shape, over an hour and I know I need to rest.
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Anything from Flatish 5 - 10 milers aiming for a 20 mph avg, to Hilly 5 - 10 milers, to moderately hilly 10 - 20 milers. You can certainly improve your Aerobic fitness doing these kinds of rides (non-competitive riders in particular).
  • wingnut1
    wingnut1 Posts: 55
    Regular 32 mile loop, not that hilly (745ft total) but good flat, fast course with minimal traffic, can be very windy though.

    Best average to date 19.36 mph

    It's funny though, I always know within the first 5 miles if it's going to be a good or bad time!
  • Rich Hcp
    Rich Hcp Posts: 1,355
    I do a ten mile fairly hilly route in the week

    Or a 15 mile fairly flat route

    Weekends I extend one or the eother out to about 30 miles, sometimes joining them together

    It depends how I feel, as said above, you know within a few miles how good it's going to be!

    I also suffer from "Iwonderwherethatgoesitus"

    This can extend a route at any time! :lol:
    Richard

    Giving it Large
  • idaviesmoore
    idaviesmoore Posts: 557
    I'v got 7 routes which cover most of the things I like to work on. From flat quiet cycle paths for Time Trial speed and constant RPM training, to fast hills consisting of 35 Miles and 23 Hills the steepest 14%. And pure hill climbing which is 32 miles 15 hills maxing at 21%. All my loops are like Dell computers, they can be 'added on to' at anytime!
    'How can an opinion be bullsh1t?' High Fidelity
  • z000m
    z000m Posts: 544
    i dont have a regular route, i usually do about 15-16 miles in any direction from chester
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  • guv001
    guv001 Posts: 688
    I have found that loops are a bit of a trap although I use around 5 loops for my training. I always think that I should venture out more but rarely do as time is precious and on my loops I can give definate times that i will be back. Saying that I joined a club this year and have learnt loads of new routes from riding with them a couple of times a week.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    I do all my loops in Dave Lloyd Mega Challenge territory, most between 40miles and 70miles.

    I used to do it all on the main roads, but I'm slowly finding quieter lanes that take to the same place.
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  • SteveR_100Milers
    SteveR_100Milers Posts: 5,987
    3 loops - 1 x10, 1 x 19, amd 1x29 miles that I ride once a week or more. Weekends are a choice of 3 longer (40+ mile) loops, but always the same as I time myself over them, and like Chris use the garmin buddy.
    http://www.pontypoolrcc.co.uk/
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  • Climber_Andy
    Climber_Andy Posts: 852
    45 mile route near my girlfriend's, 3,300 feet of climbing. At the moment, anything under 3 hours riding time is good enough for me. Hope to slowly chip away and get it up to 18mph av...
  • peanut
    peanut Posts: 1,373
    I haven't got any loops yet :cry::cry::cry:

    Just starting out after a 4 year layoff and have moved in between times.

    I've just finished building my new bike so I can now have some fun planning some routes with google. Brilliant can't wait until w/e
  • Tonymufc
    Tonymufc Posts: 1,016
    I've got a few loops that i do. They range from flat, to hilly. But just for the sake of it me and my riding buddy sometimes just point the bike in a direction and pedal. Works for us. keeps the body guessing I suppose.
  • Tony666
    Tony666 Posts: 274
    Yep, I have a 13 mile route which, like others I use my Garmin for to try and improve my times. Depending on how I feel depends on how many laps I do!
    http://sotyred.wordpress.com/
  • daniel_b
    daniel_b Posts: 11,985
    peanut wrote:
    I haven't got any loops yet :cry::cry::cry:

    Just starting out after a 4 year layoff and have moved in between times.

    I've just finished building my new bike so I can now have some fun planning some routes with google. Brilliant can't wait until w/e

    Peanut, I use www.mapmyride.com which utilises google anyway, and wllows you to very accurately plot your route (Tick 'follow roads' for the easiest method)

    I have plotted loads of routes near where I live, am lucky to have some lovely quiet country roads nearby.

    So far I have my 10 mile TTesque course, that is mainly flat, that I did for the first time yesterday.
    Then I have a host of loops ranging from 28-53 miles, most of these have some serious hills in, which is always good :-)

    Dan
    Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
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  • Tony666
    Tony666 Posts: 274
    I use bikely.com
    http://sotyred.wordpress.com/
  • peanut
    peanut Posts: 1,373
    Daniel B wrote:

    Peanut, I use www.mapmyride.com which utilises google anyway, and wllows you to very accurately plot your route (Tick 'follow roads' for the easiest method)

    I have plotted loads of routes near where I live, am lucky to have some lovely quiet country roads nearby.

    So far I have my 10 mile TTesque course, that is mainly flat, that I did for the first time yesterday.
    Then I have a host of loops ranging from 28-53 miles, most of these have some serious hills in, which is always good :-)

    Dan
    thanks for the link Dan I'll try it out tonight. Last night I plotted a five short hilly training loops around my home for a quick 30 minute blast after work.
    I have plotted one 50 mile loop along a straight deserted B road to Dorchester. Fantastic ride with a severe hill built in. Dying to try this on the weekend.
    Now I need to find a nice 10m TT route which won't be easy as I'm surrounded by hills where I live :roll:
  • nasahapley
    nasahapley Posts: 717
    peanut wrote:

    Now I need to find a nice 10m TT route which won't be easy as I'm surrounded by hills where I live :roll:

    Aaaah don't worry about finding a flat course if it's just your own training loop, do one with hills in, get your time down on that and when it comes to riding a 'proper' flat 10TT course it will seem a piece of p**s! As I said in the OP, my regular 10TT has over 120ft of climb per mile and that's served me really well.
  • peanut
    peanut Posts: 1,373
    nasahapley wrote:
    peanut wrote:

    Now I need to find a nice 10m TT route which won't be easy as I'm surrounded by hills where I live :roll:

    Aaaah don't worry about finding a flat course if it's just your own training loop, do one with hills in, get your time down on that and when it comes to riding a 'proper' flat 10TT course it will seem a piece of p**s! As I said in the OP, my regular 10TT has over 120ft of climb per mile and that's served me really well.

    I weigh 17 stone and this will be my first ride for 4 years. Don't think I'm going to be\ climbing anything for a few weeks yet :roll:

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