Training full time 600+miles a week?

jackp

From next month i am considering training full time to hopefully get to cat 1 or get sponsored in a few years-
Any Ideas what I should be aiming for?
18 next month -so still have time
still living at home and as im allowed part of inheritance money next month 7k im thinking of using it all on cycling
Scilly idea?

jibberjim

First thing you need to do is stop even contemplating miles as a measure of training volume, miles are very possibly the worst thing you can choose to measure - Time is better as least boredom stops you doing it all at a really low intensity.

softlad

30+ hours per week is a tall order - I think Astana were knocking out about 32 hours a week at their pre-season training camp. A lot of it will depend on what kind of base you have at the moment. Potentially, it could be a huge jump and you may end up knackered, or injured, or both within the first couple of weeks unless you manage the training load properly.

I think if you have that much money to spend on it, I would think seriously about getting a coach on board...

Good luck though - lucky b*stard...

Tom Butcher

I'd save your money and see how you get on racing this year.

Get some part time work so you can support yourself and you'll still have plenty of time to train. The 7k can be used in the future whether for cycling, education or just enjoying yourself.

inkyfingers

Firstly i should say that i've never raced or trained at a high level, just an enthusiastic amateur for many years.

I think it depends how much riding you are doing already....but 600 miles per week is a hell of a lot of riding, even for a professional (about 30,000 miles a year)! If you are starting from a low or even moderate base (say 100 miles/week) then it will take a long time to build up to that kind of level. If you go too hard you'll either injure yourself or knacker yourself so much that you just won't want to do it any more.

Remember that doing something for pleasure and doing something for a job are very different things. I love riding but if the weather is really horrible on a sunday morning i'll go on the turbo for an hour then sit down, drink tea and watch old race DVDs, you will have no option but to put on about 4 layers of clothes and go out for 5 + hours and you'll have to do that 5 or 6 days a week!

If I were you i'd buy a decent but not super expensive bike (one that you don't mind getting covered in salt and cow shit), 5 or 6 sets of bibs & jerseys and see how you get on for a few months. If it goes well then you can think about buying a posh bike & kit to race with.

Pokerface

Invest some of that money is a coach. That's probably the best thing you can spend it on.


A good coach will be able to draw up a plan and monitor your progress - and give you a realistic idea of where you stand.


Assuming you have a bike, the other thing I would spend some cash on is a power measurement system (SRM, Powertap, etc). It will greatly aid your coach in assessing your progress.

600 miles+ per week is probably WAY too much. You'll end up burning out before the season even starts especially if you're not used to that sort of volume.

ride_whenever

How good are you currently?

There's no point in trying to become a pro-athlete without some serious talent to begin with, for just about any power-endurance sport you need to be a bit of a genetic freak and incredibly lucky in order to have serious success. Don't worry too much about picking up sponsors etc. If you're good enough and competing at a high level then they'll find you.

Zachariah

Good luck, and hold on tight to your dreams.

jackp

doing ok at the moment but not great-dont have much money with my low pay job which dosent help and allways needing stuff for the bike but i started to think about going serious after the wiggle mega meon sportive that i did well in and after a guy who rides with an ex pro emailed me saying i could be good if i wanted to
i've only been doing about 130miles a week for a while( about a month) but before that I was doing 200/300 a week spending alot of it averaging 20+
I've got a 240 mile ride planned on the weekend!!

jackp

doing ok at the moment but not great-dont have much money with my low pay job which dosent help and allways needing stuff for the bike but i started to think about going serious after the wiggle mega meon sportive that i did well in and after a guy who rides with an ex pro emailed me saying i could be good if i wanted to
i've only been doing about 130miles a week for a while( about a month) but before that I was doing 200/300 a week spending alot of it averaging 20+
I've got a 240 mile ride planned on the weekend!!

softlad

so what category are you riding at currently..?

jackp

Currently im just a club rider ,only done a few races but i have to wait until next month when im 18 to be 4th cat,do you have to start as a 4th cat?

ride_whenever

The bike doesn't hold back raw talent (assuming it's actually ridable) one local girl, who has since (apparently) been picked up by GB, only started about 8 months ago and did the club runs on a shopping bike and kept up fine...

softlad

jackp wrote:

Currently im just a club rider ,only done a few races but i have to wait until next month when im 18 to be 4th cat,do you have to start as a 4th cat?

Yes, you will have to start as a 4th, if that is the category you've ridden at as a junior. How have you got on in the races you've done..?

By way of a comparison, David Millar was setting course TT records and winning 3/J road races at 16....

jackp

This might sound a joke in this thread but i've only done a few low profile races,local hill climb tt that i would have won if the bloody cleats were set up right :evil:
but im allready planning for next years races

twotyred

I'd say get yourself sports tested to see if you have the potential for Cat 1 before you put a load of time and money into it. Most people due to genetics are not able to perform at Cat 1 or above level no matter how much they train.

Tom Butcher

No harm in taking your racing seriously but I reckon full time is a jump too far.

I don't want to come across as a careers advisor but what job are you doing and do you have a career plan lined up ? Just that this would be a good age to get focused on what you want to do and you have the money to maybe pay for some training/education to make a start on that.

If you lump all the money into supporting you while you cycle then you might regret that a couple of years down the line. Even if you just keep the money in the bank you might find you do have talent on the bike and you could use it next year to support yourself racing in Belgium or something.

jackp

twotyred wrote:

I'd say get yourself sports tested to see if you have the potential for Cat 1 before you put a load of time and money into it. Most people due to genetics are not able to perform at Cat 1 or above level no matter how much they train.

what is this sports tested?
bleep test?

sheffsimon

jackp wrote:

doing ok at the moment but not great-dont have much money with my low pay job which dosent help and allways needing stuff for the bike but i started to think about going serious after the wiggle mega meon sportive that i did well in and after a guy who rides with an ex pro emailed me saying i could be good if i wanted to
i've only been doing about 130miles a week for a while( about a month) but before that I was doing 200/300 a week spending alot of it averaging 20+
I've got a 240 mile ride planned on the weekend!!

I'm sure its not all you're basing your plans on, but how can they make that judgement?

As others have said, get a half decent bike, a bit of kit, and a coach, and see how the next season or two plays out. Keep your options open in terms of education/employment. No reason why you cant continue in education, or part time employment and do what you need to do training wise.

What results have you had in the races you have ridden?

Best of luck, and dont train for 600 miles a week.

jackp

Tom Butcher wrote:

No harm in taking your racing seriously but I reckon full time is a jump too far.

I don't want to come across as a careers advisor but what job are you doing and do you have a career plan lined up ? Just that this would be a good age to get focused on what you want to do and you have the money to maybe pay for some training/education to make a start on that.

If you lump all the money into supporting you while you cycle then you might regret that a couple of years down the line. Even if you just keep the money in the bank you might find you do have talent on the bike and you could use it next year to support yourself racing in Belgium or something.

My job is awfull,terrible pay and no career plans hence why im thinking of this-probably only chance of anything good for me to be honest,it will just have to be one of those all or nothing moments when training is done

softlad

jackp wrote:

My job is awfull,terrible pay and no career plans hence why im thinking of this-probably only chance of anything good for me to be honest,it will just have to be one of those all or nothing moments when training is done

go for it fella - if you have the time, the money and the inclination, then why not..? You're 18 - a career can wait another couple of years (by which time you will know whether your efforts are likely to pay off, or not), but as you say, you may never have another opportunity like this....

Tom Butcher

At 17/18 the world is your oyster. Maybe you haven't got many qualifications - but you have some money and no dependents, very few outgoings. Take your cycling seriously but don't do that instead of thinking about a career - do both - there are ways into certain trades that are only open up to a certain age - apprenticeships etc.

You may need to get some qualifications to get on them but a couple of evenings a week at college isn't going to stop you getting as many hours on the bike as your body will be able to handle.

jackp

Wise words there

ut_och_cykla

Wise words indeed. Get an eductaion of some kind - AND ride - you should be able to do both with a bit of time planning and a good coach!
Good luck whatever tho'

walsht1105

twotyred wrote:

I'd say get yourself sports tested to see if you have the potential for Cat 1 before you put a load of time and money into it. Most people due to genetics are not able to perform at Cat 1 or above level no matter how much they train.

I don't think that's right, everything I have read has said you can train yourself to a very high standard in endurance sports because training the body is the key to success. But what puts you at the top % is genetics, Cat 1 is a high standard but not the top % like pro-tour is.

As long as you put the hours in etc Cat 1 should be very achieveable

amaferanga

If it were me I'd take off round the world on my bike. I sort of did do that several years back actually - not quite round the world, but I spent the best part of a couple of years cycling round Africa (mostly Ethiopia and Zambia). Best experience I ever had by a long way despite the fact that I eventually came whimpering home penniless and jobless and it took me a good few years to get back to a normal life. It'll open your eyes to the world in a way a couple of weeks holiday a year never will. Several grand would see you comfortably through a couple of years in Africa.

As others have said though get some testing done to see if you've got what it takes to be 1st Cat before you waste your time flogging yourself trying to get somewhere beyond your abilities.

walsht1105

Do people really think getting tested in the lab will tell you whether you can be cat 1 or not. If you haven't done serious training yet, so you don't even have a good base endurance how can a lab test tell you: Yes you can be cat 1 or no you can't? I thought lab test was for someone that has been training for a couple of seasons and has reached a peak they can't better.

If lab test was the answer wouldn't we all just get one in school, then we could just be told - no you won't be a good football player but you can be a rugby player, you can't be a 1500m runner but you could do 500m..... Surely you need to do the sport, seriously, for a long period of time before a lab test can be considered.

amaferanga

walsht1105 wrote:

Do people really think getting tested in the lab will tell you whether you can be cat 1 or not. If you haven't done serious training yet, so you don't even have a good base endurance how can a lab test tell you: Yes you can be cat 1 or no you can't? I thought lab test was for someone that has been training for a couple of seasons and has reached a peak they can't better.

If lab test was the answer wouldn't we all just get one in school, then we could just be told - no you won't be a good football player but you can be a rugby player, you can't be a 1500m runner but you could do 500m..... Surely you need to do the sport, seriously, for a long period of time before a lab test can be considered.

As I understand it it could shed some light on whether or not he'll be flogging a dead horse or not. Sounds like he rides a fair bit already anyway.

Don't think I agree that anyone can make 1st Cat with enough training.

Bronzie

jackp wrote:

From next month i am considering training full time to hopefully get to cat 1 or get sponsored in a few years

Getting to Cat 1 and actually earning a living at it are two very different things. You might get some sponsorship to cover your kit and equipment, race entries, maybe travelling expenses if you're lucky......but don't expect to make a living at it. Most Elites and 1st cats race because they enjoy it rather than it being a smart career choice.

A mate of mine rides for Team Corley and has raced at Elite level for a number of years (including riding the Tour of Britain 2 years ago), but he still has a day job.

Unless you have a real natural talent (which I would have expected to have shown itself by the age of 18 ), don't get too carried away with dreams of turning pro.

ozzzyosborn206

cat 1 is not super high, i think most people could get there if they trained and raced full time, while picking races that will gain them the most points, but from holding a 1st licence to making a living is very different, also as you have never really raced before you do not know how much you will enjoy it, training to a set programme is not for everyone and cycling is VERY VERY hard. My advice to you would be stick with your job, you can still get a lot of training in if you want it and then start racing locally next year then if you are going well get yourself to Belgium or France and see how you get on. If you blow 7k on this dream then don't make it you will be gutted, 7k won't last you that long, by the time you have got kit, a bike, and spent a season racing away i doubt you will have much left.

APIII

walsht1105 wrote:

Do people really think getting tested in the lab will tell you whether you can be cat 1 or not. If you haven't done serious training yet, so you don't even have a good base endurance how can a lab test tell you: Yes you can be cat 1 or no you can't? I thought lab test was for someone that has been training for a couple of seasons and has reached a peak they can't better.

If lab test was the answer wouldn't we all just get one in school, then we could just be told - no you won't be a good football player but you can be a rugby player, you can't be a 1500m runner but you could do 500m..... Surely you need to do the sport, seriously, for a long period of time before a lab test can be considered.

It may not tell you if you can be cat 1, but it will probably tell you if you can't. If you've got a low VO2max, then chances are you're stuffed.