Training for the Chiltern 100
Harry B
Posts: 1,239
On 6 June I will be taking part in my second Chiltern 100. Last year I went out too soon and died after around halfway. It took me about 8.5 hours to complete the course. This year I would like to take an hour off that time if possible and could do with some advice about training. At the moment I get about 100 miles a week on my pretty flat commute. The weekends tend to get taken up with family stuff but I can usually get some time on a Saturday afternoon.
I have a turbo but hate it with a vengence. I commute on my road bike but also have a single speed/fixed and a mtb. I have occasionaly used the mtb on my commute but don't particurely enjoy it (the frame is too small for me and its not that comfortable over a longer distance). I'm not brave enough to use the fixed on my commute (20 miles through London). At the moment I go part of the way by train in the morning cycling 5 miles from the station to the office. I then cycle 20 miles home in the evening. I do wonder if going both ways by bike would help. That would be 200 miles a week which may be a bit much plus it still flat and I need the bumpy stuff.
I know that the best thing is to go and get some long hilly rides in but I am going to struggle to do that on a regular basis and just wondered if there were any other means by which I can get the imrpovement I am looking for. I have been taking the mtb out over the muddy woods which seems to do the legs some good but these tend to be short rides and the mud is starting to dry up now.
Any ideas gratefully recieved
I have a turbo but hate it with a vengence. I commute on my road bike but also have a single speed/fixed and a mtb. I have occasionaly used the mtb on my commute but don't particurely enjoy it (the frame is too small for me and its not that comfortable over a longer distance). I'm not brave enough to use the fixed on my commute (20 miles through London). At the moment I go part of the way by train in the morning cycling 5 miles from the station to the office. I then cycle 20 miles home in the evening. I do wonder if going both ways by bike would help. That would be 200 miles a week which may be a bit much plus it still flat and I need the bumpy stuff.
I know that the best thing is to go and get some long hilly rides in but I am going to struggle to do that on a regular basis and just wondered if there were any other means by which I can get the imrpovement I am looking for. I have been taking the mtb out over the muddy woods which seems to do the legs some good but these tend to be short rides and the mud is starting to dry up now.
Any ideas gratefully recieved
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Comments
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There is a whole thread on the go at the minute on incorporating decent training into your commute...............but if all else fails..........get to love your turbo!Harry B wrote:I know that the best thing is to go and get some long hilly rides in but I am going to struggle to do that on a regular basis and just wondered if there were any other means by which I can get the imrpovement I am looking for.
If you struggle for time, turbo sessions offer the best return for limited training time in my opinion - there is no dead time (once you've warmed up) and you can be in the house and on the turbo within minutes of getting in.
Make sure it's as bearable as possible - have an old frame permanently set up ready to go in the coolest spot for it (garage?), buy a stupid size industrial fan, find motivation with music, DVD's, Sufferfest podcasts, whatever it takes. Drink lots of fluid while on it.
It's a case of mind over matter and once you get into a regular routine of a few sessions a week, it's not such a big deal.0 -
Is it possible to take the train out to the lumpy stuff 1, maybe 2 evenings a week and then ride home from there? Or spend time in the lumpy stuff and then get the train home when it gets dark?
Also, adding cycling into work 3 days a week will not do any harm to your fitness i.e. better than not doing it0
