What regular training loops do you do?

nasahapley

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?

LeighB

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.

Not Another Hill

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

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

I ALWAYS end up in the peak district!

chrisw12

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

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

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

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

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!

idaviesmoore

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!

z000m

i dont have a regular route, i usually do about 15-16 miles in any direction from chester

guv001

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

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.

SteveR_100Milers

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.

Climber_Andy

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

I haven't got any loops yet

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

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

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!

daniel_b

peanut wrote:

I haven't got any loops yet

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

Tony666

I use bikely.com

peanut

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

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

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: