Winter Training

bigricky

Hi All,

i have not done much since about September, on and off the bike now and again, trying to get my motivation back after training to hard last winter! do you think im leaving it to late to start training in December for next season? not set any goals for next season yet, probably looking to do some good times in 10 and 25 mile time trials.

oldwelshman

No.
It is never too later really.
It is never a bad idea to get base miles in during the winter but not essential unless you plan on doing many long events in excess of 100 miles
For racing 8 weeks is enough if you have good levelof general fitness.
On three occasions I have got fit enough to race with 6 to 8 weeks training, it is keeping weight down that is hard when you have a few weeks off in winter.
At the momen I have been off the bike for 4 weeks following track racing in portugal and not worried about training until weather improves.Sometimes the time off the bike helps heal little niggles you may have been carrying all year and may help with motivation when you get back on also.
The only thing is when you do get back, do it gradually for first two weeks at least before increasing length and intensity of rides.
For the last two years I started real training May/June and raced Jukly August/september, I much prefer the warm

jibberjim

I'd try and stop thinking about seasons and getting ready for it etc. At any amateur level, and with goals of simply going faster at some TT distances then you're much better off forgetting entirely about day goals and seasons and trying to train for a specific time period.

Consistency throughout the year will get you more in the way of results than targetting a particular event. Start training - in fact just regular consistetnt cycling at a high enough intensity (ie not just pootling around) and you'll soon get fit. And that's all you need to do to be able to race or to be able to do TT's faster. What really matters is consistency so not taking months off is best. If you do there's no shortcuts but you'll still get fit enough to ride.

Velonutter

I was always advised that for every week off the bike can take you up to 3 weeks to regain your original position, not sure if just the first or second week but after that I would consider that a fair bet.

inseine

not worried about training until weather improves

A nice long rest then

TC/MI

Last year was a full year of riding with serious training. By mid-October, I was ready for a break. Beginning the last week of October, I decided to take 6 weeks off of training and just do some easy riding outside when I could and plus weights and Pilates classes. Living in a region with heavy snow, street riding is not really an option in the winter. Beginning next week I will begin my winter training. It will consist of 3 spin classes a week, one to two Tabata protocol workouts on alternate days and 2 Pilate classes with some weight work. In January and February I will add a couple hours a week on the trainer spinning easily. When the weather breaks and I can ride the roads (generally late March or early April), I'll start adding longer rides working up to 80-100 mile training rides by mid to late May. My main race is mid-June (N24HC). What I strive for is to rebuild and then increase cardio during the winter and then the legs and form once I'm able to get back on the roads.

Right now I feel totally rested and eager to get back into a training routine.

Zachariah

I'm about to start on the turbo for the first time (ever), to get into shape for racing and TTs next season (for which I am a complete noob also).

Call it a mid-life crisis...A cry for help...Anyway, I'm starting from a reasonable level of fitness/strength and we'll see how it goes.

Chiggy

Velonutter wrote:

I was always advised that for every week off the bike can take you up to 3 weeks to regain your original position, not sure if just the first or second week but after that I would consider that a fair bet.

That's what the text books say, but if your last ride was a hard one, you'll be recovering and rebuilding for two to three days before a non-active lifestyle takes over to waste the muscles back.

'Lose fitness 3 times the rate you gain fitness'.

Non scientific, if you WANT to go cycling and can't, you're losing.
If you've just done a ride and don't feel like doing any more, you're still gaining.

glasgowbhoy

Today's winter training

realALBERTAN

TC/MI wrote:

Last year was a full year of riding with serious training. By mid-October, I was ready for a break. Beginning the last week of October, I decided to take 6 weeks off of training and just do some easy riding outside when I could and plus weights and Pilates classes. Living in a region with heavy snow, street riding is not really an option in the winter. Beginning next week I will begin my winter training. It will consist of 3 spin classes a week, one to two Tabata protocol workouts on alternate days and 2 Pilate classes with some weight work. In January and February I will add a couple hours a week on the trainer spinning easily. When the weather breaks and I can ride the roads (generally late March or early April), I'll start adding longer rides working up to 80-100 mile training rides by mid to late May. My main race is mid-June (N24HC). What I strive for is to rebuild and then increase cardio during the winter and then the legs and form once I'm able to get back on the roads.

Right now I feel totally rested and eager to get back into a training routine.

Maybe you should try some xc skiing...