Form

Slimbods

Just finished my first year racing. Up to now the training has been pretty unstructured, just riding as much as time allowed, hanging onto the quicker club runs with some 2x20 turbo and lately roller sessions thrown in every week to help with the 10's. Race results have gone from being spat out the back on lap1 to finishing with the pack. I'm satisfied with the year as a trial run for racing. The time trials results have passed my expectations, going from a 28 min 10 at the start of the year to a 24:29 last week.

I've gone from a fatty to a racer, so pretty much all my efforts have been focused on losing weight and gaining fitness rather than peaking or targeting specific goals.

Now the local race season is nearly over, does anyone have any advice on how to carry this fitness through and begin next year with reasonable form? Do I carry on doing what I'm doing? Drop the 2x20 time trial training, and go for easier but longer sessions?

Never really been in this situation before, so any tips welcome, cheers!

ut_och_cykla

Personally...
I'd do 2 x 20 at least every 10 days or so, perhaps some longer rides too and stick with club rides through the winter - but perhaps replace some with other aerobic stuff to give your 'cycle brain' a rest but keep heart & lungs going and weight under control. If you do all easy stuff and no harder stuff you will probably lose more form than is good.
Find a coach or training plan that really gets you going 3 or 4 months before your first important race and give it a good go!

jibberjim

Slimbods wrote:

I've gone from a fatty to a racer, so pretty much all my efforts have been focused on losing weight and gaining fitness rather than peaking or targeting specific goals.

Keep doing this, the nature of racing is that you're going to be a lot better off just staying as generally fit as possible rather than trying to peak. The nature of a peak means that you have to sacrifice some fitness in the longer term, and that's just not worth it in cat 3/4 racing when there are so many vaguries that can impact the race.

For me, the winter is about losing the long slow rides and upping the intensity to what can be done more comfortably in the intervals between the rain showers and without getting too cold.

SBezza

I would still make sure you get proper base miles in, ie with a club run. They don't have to be slow though, and if the weather is bad, do some hour long tempo rides on the turbo.

I find that the winter is a good time to lose a bit of weight, as during the race season I concentrate on recovery rather than weight loss. Just try to make sure you don't lose too much fitness, as I doubt you will ride as often as you have done through the summer.

incog24

Consistency will be a major thing. If you continue to clock the miles/interval sessions in you'll almost certainly improve at this stage.

Toks

Slimbods wrote:

Just finished my first year racing. Up to now the training has been pretty unstructured, just riding as much as time allowed, hanging onto the quicker club runs with some 2x20 turbo and lately roller sessions thrown in every week to help with the 10's. Race results have gone from being spat out the back on lap1 to finishing with the pack. I'm satisfied with the year as a trial run for racing. The time trials results have passed my expectations, going from a 28 min 10 at the start of the year to a 24:29 last week.

I've gone from a fatty to a racer, so pretty much all my efforts have been focused on losing weight and gaining fitness rather than peaking or targeting specific goals.

Now the local race season is nearly over, does anyone have any advice on how to carry this fitness through and begin next year with reasonable form? Do I carry on doing what I'm doing? Drop the 2x20 time trial training, and go for easier but longer sessions?

Never really been in this situation before, so any tips welcome, cheers!

Definitley keep up some intensive training over the winter. A set of 2 x 20's once a week or even twice depending on fitness/recovery levels alongside some slightly longer rides (1-3 hrs)will help maintain or even improve fitness over winter.