Cross Training

Surfr

Over the winter I've been doing a fair bit of cross training. I'd been swim training once a week for a couple of years and have now added a circuit training class, a cycling club spin class, 5-10K runs (indoor and outdoor), a core stability class and maybe a lighter lunchtime swim. In addition to this I do a sunday club run which usually amounts to about 3-4 hours of either 60 miles on the road or 25 singlespeed MTB and a couple of turbo trainer interval sessions.

I'm just wondering if I should be doing more bike specific training? I'm aiming to have a good season of cat 4 racing (crits and circuits mainly) as well as club 10s and 25s, but I also have 2 triathlons penciled in just for a laugh. 1 sprint and 1 Olympic.

Anyone else got carried away with general fitness and feel like they may have lost focus?

jame58rown

Yeh, I've been doing more running than cycling recently. I never planned to actually run as a hobby, but rather to compliment my cycling. However as it's got colder, running has just become easier because it's quicker, you can run when it's dark, my fingers don't get as cold and there is no such thing as an easy cycle where I live, it's hills or nothing :roll: Although I can see you live in Aber, so you know this already I'm sure!

jame58rown

Oh yeh, I wonder how well fitness from other sports is 'transfered' to cycling?

ut_och_cykla

I think fitness from other sports that involve whole body movement (running/swimming) & load cardio vascular system transfer to a reasonable level but there are aspects that need specific training to make adaptations - as anyone who's ever cycled a lot has found when they start running - heart & lungs are with it - legs not! More bike might benefit cycling but if you lose fitness from just doing bike stuff (or get bored just doing one sport) it might not be such a good idea. Personally I'd stick with your mix till you get closer to your important races and then shift focus progressively to your tri sports. I think to do well you probably need to make choices though....

amaferanga

I'd say that you need to ride your bike more than just a spin class and a (presumably) fairly steady club run if you want to have a good season racing. What's more important to you - races, time trials or tri?

Surfr

If I had to rate on order of importance this season I'd say:

Races (main focus)
Time Trials (still like to test for personal goal reasons)
Triathlons (just trying for a bit of a giggle really)

I do do a couple of sufferfest or other interval turbo sessions each week in addition to the club run/mtb ride and spin class. Probably just need to do another temp/turbo and knock out the lunchtime gym sessions or something a little later in the season.