Training full time 600+miles a week?

ozzzyosborn206

APIII wrote:

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.

Cav hates 'lab tests' i think i am right in saying he wouldn't even have got on the academy based purely on his results but he has gone on to prove how wrong those results are

twotyred

The greater part of VO2 max is genetically hardwired so if your VO2 max is low you'll never make top level as an endurance athlete. Training just allows you to work nearer to your VO2 max for longer. If the OP has been cycling seriously for a year or so he may be close to his genetic VO2 max now.

To jackp I'd recommend going somewhere like this


http://www.sportstest.co.uk/

jibberjim

twotyred wrote:

The greater part of VO2 max is genetically hardwired so if your VO2 max is low you'll never make top level as an endurance athlete. Training just allows you to work nearer to your VO2 max for longer. If the OP has been cycling seriously for a year or so he may be close to his genetic VO2 max now.

It's unlikely that he's at his genetic VO2max, he's 18 and doesn't appear to have been training or even racing all that much to date. So a test can't tell him all that much. If he was trying out for olympic or other external training then a test will maybe show if he's already at a level which is world class, but if he's not it won't actually say all that much about his potential.

I'd say lab testing is of little value other than interest.

inkyfingers

I agree that it would be worth seeking professional advice before you stake lots of money and your career on making it as a cyclist. Comparing the OP to Cav is flattering but a little disingenious as Cav is clearly an exceptional athlete whose natural ability would have got him noticed sooner or later regardless of what the lab reports said, most people are not that lucky!

walsht1105

So people believe that if you are a generally fit person, with out history of breathing problems etc etc you could go in to a lab and they could say, no you can't be cat 1 rider? VO2 isn't everything, you could have a lower VO2 but a much high lactate threshold.

I personally feel that people are over estimating the Cat 1 rider, I know it is a high level but it's not the top, nor is it near the top.The grand tours are the top, then think of all the other riders that don't ride in the Grand Tours but ride in the smaller tours ones.. Then think of the riders doing the one day classics etc etc etc Cat 1 in the UK you can still be riding local races...

I agree genetics will stop you getting to Grand Tours and the pro tour races but it's not going to stop you getting to Cat 1.

Lab test would be good for you in a few seasons time, not before you are actually starting to train....

Coaching on the otherhand, would be helpful but you don't need a lab test for that.

Wheelspinner

I feel a bit sorry for the OP here. Young man asked a serious question, and you lot are bickering over whether his career is over before it even starts based on almost zero factual input, some huuuuuuuge assumptions, and not much else.

Give the kid a break, FFS, and stick to providing some USEFUL information.

Coaching seems to be the strong tip for now, and don't give up on the education. Options are ALWAYS good to have.

Beyond that, get on your bike and give it all you got.

And best wishes from everyone on here, despite what they say!

inkyfingers

I think that's unfair actually wheelspinner, i can't see anyone doing the OP down, just giving their honest opinions.

There's no point in us all just sitting here and blowing smoke up his backside is there? If he doesn't make it as a pro cyclist it won't be because a load of fat sportive riders told him he wouldn't!

Before anyone gets offended i include myself in that description!

brettjmcc

Good on you for wanting to follow your dream.

However, I do agree with a lot of the posters here. More about spreading your risk; you could always look to use some of that money to invest in your own self development with further education. If you believe cycling is your dream and goal, then you can always look to back the riding up with knowledge that can help you in that area. As one person has said, maybe evening classes or a part-time course looking into sports nutrition or something similar; or even look to becoming a coach yourself.

Follow your dream, but kit can be bought later, knowledge gained early in life can be one of the most valuable things ever.

Just my 0.02

walsht1105

My Opinion is:-

Do's:-

1. Get some coaching, someone that can give you a good training plan.
2. Have Part-time education or Part-time employment, but if you hate your job Education is probably best. Doing A-levels or Degree means that your going to be aiming for a better job even if cycling doesn't work out for you.

Don't:-

1. Worry about lab test yet because its probably far to early for you to to be anywhere near your potential, if you want a lab test - do it but don't take the numbers to seriously yet.
2. Expect to be winning races and complete success in the first one or two seasons because it will take a good few seasons before your legs have fully matured and you will then be able to see your full potential.

Good luck with it, keep us posted on how you get on

Bronzie

Wheelspinner wrote:

Give the kid a break, FFS, and stick to providing some USEFUL information.

Here's something Jackp will hopefully find useful:
9 of the top 10 1st Cat riders on the 2010 National Rankings are all Juniors (you can't turn Elite as a Junior). Simon Yates (top 1st Cat) has 765 points. Dan McLay (2nd place) was
2nd at the Junior Paris Roubaix this year.

Jackp has never even raced from the information he's provided. That's not to say it's impossible to make a career out of cycling starting at the age of 18, but I think a healthy dose of reality as to the level required to even stand a chance of making pro is needed here.

The best thing he can do in my opinion is to get racing asap, by all means spend some money on decent coaching advice and give it a go, but don't get deluded with dreams of a pro contract until he's actually racing at a reasonable level.

sub55

not going to comment on whether or whether not the original poster ,should or should not do what he suggests.
its up to him.

some of the posts on here are quite interesting and i obviously have no idea to what level you boys have competed.
but as a former first cat roadie and championship winning tester , who was good enough to recieve a very moderate sponsorship contract , although never reached the levels of the best of the best, within the uk. in my opinion , you need to be putting in somewhere in the region of 25 hours a week. i certainly was and i held down a full time job at the time. it is possible , if you manage your time well.
beyond that , you need a lot of luck and sadly to get into the best teams, its about the people you know not necesserily how good you are.

jackp

Thanks alot for all your thoughts on this-probably off to spain training for a month this year so hopefully might come across some pro's/experienced racers
I will update this thread to let you know how its going-probably be complaining in a few weeks saying i need whole new groupset LOL
cheers Guys

freehub

If it all goes tits up and you find you're not going to reach elite then you best have some proper qualifications behind you, even if you did become pro, you don't ride forever, you'd need qualifications for when you've ended pro racing.

Seems odd though, 18 years old, likes cycling, so wants to aim for elite, easier said than done. You best hope you're one of those special ones with natural raw power and all that.

acidstrato

aim for reaching 3rd cat to start with, if you get there, then aim for 2nd...but dont stick all your eggs in one basket. and dont blow a huge wad of cash before you've achieved anything. you'll be devastated if you stack a couple grands worth of carbon down hard and a ripped jersy/shorts to match

that would be my best advice

eh

Easy tip, go to a Uni/College in Manchester. A one stop shop to getting educated and giving you access to all the training/racing knowledge down at the track.

Homer J

might be worth starting the season and see how you get on. you will then be able to make an informed decision based on your own findings. Then you can go down the road of coaches etc.

For a bit of free coaching advice there's Pete Reads black book on here somewhere...

slunker

If I had that money at that age I would be getting p!ssed, sh@ggin and experimenting. Once all done I would take up cycling later in life and buy the best of kit to do sportives at 3 stone over weight.:D .

Then tell everyone how I blew it all when I had a chance to turn pro!!!

vorsprung

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.

Too right.

There is a lot of machismo about doing hours of training, suffering training and so on. But genetic make up is a major factor

I've read a couple of places that the most that training can do for your oxygen uptake is increase it by 15%

So the guy that is born with a 20% greater natural ability is ahead before he gets off the sofa

dawebbo

Was kicking a football the other day and decided I quite like it. Please can someone recommend how many hours a week i need to practice so that I can play for a premier league club? :-S

Will.C

dawebbo wrote:

Was kicking a football the other day and decided I quite like it. Please can someone recommend how many hours a week i need to practice so that I can play for a premier league club? :-S

Don't be such a tard mate, the guy's asking for advice, not smart ar$e comments. Why bother posting?

jackp

Will.C wrote:

dawebbo wrote:

Was kicking a football the other day and decided I quite like it. Please can someone recommend how many hours a week i need to practice so that I can play for a premier league club? :-S

Don't be such a tard mate, the guy's asking for advice, not smart ar$e comments. Why bother posting?

+1
you might want football radar for your question

Rapha

I don't know anyone that has raced full time and not made it to 1st cat. If you don't make that within your first season, you can forget about making a living from cycling.

Best advice is find a coach - they will do some testing to find out your current level, if you decide to train with power (which most serious cyclists do) it should give you the numbers to train at. Regular tests will tell you how much progress you have made. A coach will also be able to advise you about what races to go for, plan your season, help you with nutrition and answer any questions that are important. The closer the relationship is with your coach the more you will gain from it. It also helps to think about why you are doing a particular session and never lose sight of your goal.

Numbers are not everything though, having a racing head is important especially once you race at a higher level but obviously being as fit as possible helps.

If you are good enough you will find a sponsored team (or at least get a good deal for kit etc) and as long as you stay focused you'll keep improving. Don't spend a fortune on kit now, it won't get make you a lot faster and if you have some talent you'll get results. And later on the teams should sort this all out for you anyway..

At 18 its very late to start racing and thinking about a career in cycling but it has been done before so don't get discouraged yet but I would advise keeping your other options open and save some of your cash for emergencies!

irezumi

As I've mentioned in another thread, don't neglect training away from the bike. Bodyweight exercises, general strength/conditioning and felxibility.

Never too late to start competing competetively in a sport imo. There is a point in case where a teacher is being trained in the modern pentathlon to try and qualify for the 2012 olympics. Not quite as fitness reliant as cycling obviously. I also have known many fighters (mainly thai/kickboxing) to take the sport up well in to their 20's and become national level champions.

So it's possible, although I'd say continue working as it may well not work out as a viable/successful paying career.

Jeff Jones

Agree with what Rapha said.

Also for riders considering mega mileage, this case study is a good read: http://www.abcc.co.uk/Articles/dailey1.html

waterford123

I was the late 80's. I was a mere 3rd cat (in the days before 4th) and I did some races in early March in Devon. There was a guy who was just a junior riding for Mid Devon CC. We started off this guy rode away like we were going backwards and wasn't seen until I got to the club house. The guy was Jeremy Hunt, and you knew he was something special. I'm not sure how many miles he was doing but he was racing and winning hands down from a very young age. I agree with many posting, give racing a go.