Beginner's Training Question
CakeLovinBeast
Posts: 312
I suspect I already know the answer to this one, but just looking to get it confirmed... Feel free to move this to the Training forum if required, but I thought that it was just as relevant here.
So, I'm getting into the new bike, loving it and spending most of my time thinking about what to do next with it. Despite not being bike fit, I'm wanting to look at ways to build both speed and endurance. Ultimately, I want to have enough in the tank to think about being capable to join the local club for some chain gangs & longer rides and not feel like I'm going to be dumped straight off the back. In the longer-term, I'd like to look to getting some sportives in, maybe even try some racing...
My question is: Is there any structured training that I can do that will help achieve my aims, or am I better off just spending general time in the saddle for the first few weeks? Anything I do has to fit in around work, home and family, so a really structured plan isn't entirely appropriate. So far, I'm doing a bike-train-bike commute most days (I'm aiming for 3-4 days a week) and aiming for one or two longer rides at weekends. The commute is quite nice: 3 miles from home to the station and then another 3 miles from the station at the other end into work with 20 minutes in the middle for a rest. As a result I tend to treat both of the morning legs as a mini TT, using an iPhone app to measure/record my sessions/improvements (and trying to beat them). The homeward leg I tend to take a bit steadier...
So, any thoughts, or should I just keep doing what I'm doing whilst slowly upping my distance to build some endurance?
Cheers!
So, I'm getting into the new bike, loving it and spending most of my time thinking about what to do next with it. Despite not being bike fit, I'm wanting to look at ways to build both speed and endurance. Ultimately, I want to have enough in the tank to think about being capable to join the local club for some chain gangs & longer rides and not feel like I'm going to be dumped straight off the back. In the longer-term, I'd like to look to getting some sportives in, maybe even try some racing...
My question is: Is there any structured training that I can do that will help achieve my aims, or am I better off just spending general time in the saddle for the first few weeks? Anything I do has to fit in around work, home and family, so a really structured plan isn't entirely appropriate. So far, I'm doing a bike-train-bike commute most days (I'm aiming for 3-4 days a week) and aiming for one or two longer rides at weekends. The commute is quite nice: 3 miles from home to the station and then another 3 miles from the station at the other end into work with 20 minutes in the middle for a rest. As a result I tend to treat both of the morning legs as a mini TT, using an iPhone app to measure/record my sessions/improvements (and trying to beat them). The homeward leg I tend to take a bit steadier...
So, any thoughts, or should I just keep doing what I'm doing whilst slowly upping my distance to build some endurance?
Cheers!
Twitter: @FunkyMrMagic
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Comments
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In the early stages it's just about time in the saddle and most importantly enjoying the time spent riding.
Just keep doing what you're doing
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TITS is the most important thing when you are starting out.0
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I would argue that they're pretty much the most important thing ever!danowat wrote:TITS is the most important thing when you are starting out.
Oh, wait, You mean.... nevermindTwitter: @FunkyMrMagic0 -
Until you have base fitness it's purely a question of miles in the legs. But to avoid overtraining and becoming jaded it's best to mix things up a bit - alternate easy days with hard days, long rides with short rides or rest days, and find lots of different rourtes.
One of the best ways to get the miles in is to ride with others - either mates or a local club. Stops boredom, the miles fly by and you get pushed a bit.0
