I've hit a wall, how do I get over it?

stevie63
stevie63 Posts: 481
edited October 2009 in Training, fitness and health
I've been riding again since June after many years out of the saddle(even then I probably didn't do as much as I am now). I have clocked up nearly 1000 miles since then, though I am now doing more at around 70 miles per week. Family and work commitments prevent me from being able to increase the amount of cycling I do which is probably 4.5-5 hours a week.

However I am finding that I have hit a limit with no further imrovement happening. I am currently averaging between 16.5-17MPH and that hasn't changed for quite a few weeks. What should I do to improve my rides?

Comments

  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Climb over the wall would be the obviouse solution, or perhaps walk around it?

    Are you doing different routes? Or just the same, I'd vary the routes abit and maybe try get some hills in, make the routes harder, you'll start to improve then.
  • stevie63
    stevie63 Posts: 481
    Yeah I try and do different routes when I go out on 25 miles plus rides once a week. For shorter ones I'm a bit limited.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    stevie63 wrote:
    Yeah I try and do different routes when I go out on 25 miles plus rides once a week. For shorter ones I'm a bit limited.

    Set yourself a target e.g. a particular sportive or a century ride by a certain date. Go around telling everyone you know what your target is. Fear of public failure will then add a certain intensity to your training sessions...

    Worked for me, anyway.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    http://www.cyclecoach.com/index.php?opt ... Itemid=114
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • Bhima
    Bhima Posts: 2,145
    No pain, no gain.

    Go out and hurt yourself. :twisted:

    Just don't become an endorphin addict like me. :?
  • nmcgann
    nmcgann Posts: 1,780
    4.5-5h/wk isn't much time to build fitness. What do you do each day over the week?
    --
    "Because the cycling is pain. The cycling is soul crushing pain."
  • le_grimpeur
    le_grimpeur Posts: 135
    What worked for me was to work on different elements of cycling which would bring me the sought after benefits.

    1. Intervals. In my case going as fast as possible for 30 seconds, resting and repeating. Initially I'd do four of these on a single stretch, but after a couple of weeks,I'd do this 6 times.

    2. Sprinting over the crest of a hill, then starting the sprint about 10 revolutions earlier. Then sprinting over the next hill crest.

    3. Use different muscles, eg by pulling on the upstroke, or spinning. As well as being able to use all the muscle groups for cycling, this rests the main ones. Also add getting out of the saddle and 'standing' on the pedals uphill

    4. Use a much bigger gear than usual uphill, pushing hard for 5 minutes.

    5. One way i've managed to increase my average, is to keep the speed at say 18mph, but not faster than whatever speed you choose, but to not let it drop below the figure, thus pedalling for around 10 strokes, then don't pedal at all untill the speed drops below.
    The ultimate cruelty of love's pinions
  • robrauy
    robrauy Posts: 252
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    http://www.cyclecoach.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68&Itemid=114

    Looks painful :shock: I'm going to try to do 3 of these tomorrow...

    In the doc, the author refers to an HR zone of upper half of level 3 (uk). Would this be around 90-95% of max hr ?

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