Trading intensity for duration

tommy_tommy

In the last few seasons, I have trained for road and crit racing following a schedule I put together myself from tips and suggestions pick up up from this forum. I generally train around 7 hours a week:

MON 1hr with 2 x 20min tempo/brisk
TUE: REST
WED: I hr Easy
THUR: 5 x 5 around LT
FRI : Bike to work 2hr in 2hr home easy
SAT: REST
SUN: 2 Hr Steady tempo/brisk on hills (approx 40 minutes) or RACE

For a number of reason, I now have to cycle to work 5 days per week. this equates to 20 hours of just commuting plus a Sunday race. I am not sure if i should maintain the the same amount of time in the brisk/tempo and LT zones or if I should reduce the time training in these zones as I up the number of hours in the saddle.

chrisw12

20 hours a week commuting and a race on a Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

That's going to either a)kill you b) Turn you into a pro or c) Be the end of your job.

Saying that in the good old days, they'd do that with the work being 10 hours down pit.

Unfortunately I'd say your current plan looks very good. I'm no expert but have done the same sort of reading as you and that sounds like a well balanced programme you have at the moment, I'd be loath to change it too much.

amaferanga

I briefly toyed with taking a job in Leeds that would have meant either paying silly money for a rail pass or a similar commute to what you're facing. I'm extremely glad that I didn't take it as 4 hours commuting /day plus an 8 hour working day where I actually need to be on the ball plus a girlfriend plus racing would never have worked. Something would have had to give and I quite like the work I do, am enjoying racing and of course am very happy with my girlfriend.

4 hours commuting through the summer might be okay, but keeping that up day in day out through the winter won't be much fun and IMO probably isn't sustainable.

Any way you can cut the commute with trains or driving part way?