Winter training plan

gez747

All...does anybody know where I can download a good winter/autumn training plan?

I'm riding the Etape again next year, and cycle regularly, but just want to download a good plan for my calendar.

Many thanks,

Gez.

CakeLovinBeast

Someone posted a link to Pete Read's Black Book in one of these threads recently... I'm not an expert, but it seemed like quite a good place to at least start planning your training.

amaferanga

CakeLovinBeast wrote:

Someone posted a link to Pete Read's Black Book in one of these threads recently... I'm not an expert, but it seemed like quite a good place to at least start planning your training.

Very old school though. Not for everyone.

Pseudonym

it is 'old school' in as much as it was written a few years ago - but it doesn't mean it's no longer valid. Interestingly, Matt Brammeier still believes in the old school methods....

http://roadcyclinguk.com/blogs/guest-bl ... -rcuk.html

amaferanga

Pseudonym wrote:

it is 'old school' in as much as it was written a few years ago - but it doesn't mean it's no longer valid. Interestingly, Matt Brammeier still believes in the old school methods....

http://roadcyclinguk.com/blogs/guest-bl ... -rcuk.html

Not Pete Read's methods though....

Pseudonym

amaferanga wrote:

Not Pete Read's methods though....

that's true - but Mr Brammeier's methods seem to be even more 'old-school' than Mr Read's...

Wrath Rob

I've based mine around club rides and my commute, generally extending the commute home to take in some extra distance or intervals.

Sunday - Club Run
Monday - Gentle commute
Tuesday - Commute + Hard winter club run or intervals
Wednesday - Gentle commute + easy 1 hour ride
Thursday - Commute + Long intervals or 1 hour harder ride
Friday - Gently commute
Saturday - Day off

Unfortunately the Christmas drinks season is starting to get under way and I'm having to tailor it around the parties!

phy2sll2

For those who like their training 'old skool' (although a lot of this is based around using the turbo - so not that old skool):

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7B-G0H-C62WZWEzMTQxM2QtYjQyNC00M2I3LWEwMDAtMTUxMDQxMTIxMTQ3&hl=en_GB

phreak

Wrath Rob wrote:

I've based mine around club rides and my commute, generally extending the commute home to take in some extra distance or intervals.

Sunday - Club Run
Monday - Gentle commute
Tuesday - Commute + Hard winter club run or intervals
Wednesday - Gentle commute + easy 1 hour ride
Thursday - Commute + Long intervals or 1 hour harder ride
Friday - Gently commute
Saturday - Day off

Unfortunately the Christmas drinks season is starting to get under way and I'm having to tailor it around the parties!

I'm no expert so might be wrong, but how come you're doing hard rides at this time of year? Most of what I've read suggests winter is base training, which is quite a bit slower, maybe 60-70% of FTP. I've been on a few club rides this winter and bailed on them both because it descended into racing. My main event isn't until August next year, no point being race ready in March.

For what it's worth, I'm doing an event similar to the OP and my own training consists of doing as much base pace distance up until Christmas, combined with some gym work. Then transitioning that gym work onto the bike with some low cadence training before doing hour long tempo sessions on the turbo to stimulate climbing a European climb.

Did much the same last year and most European climbs were ok as a result, but suffered on the really steep stuff, hence more lower cadence stuff this winter.

Alex_Simmons/RST

Base training is training that improves threshold power.

Pretty much anything that keeps you riding, motivated, includes efforts at all intensities, with the majority of work up to and including threshold power levels is base.

Tooling about at recovery / low end power levels all the time really is a wasted opportunity IMO. OK for a week or two for a break and some fun, or if you've had a long break and are restarting.

And for those who are indoors a lot in the winter, heck, up the ante on the trainer so you don't have to spend so much time on the turbo for good effect.

maryka

Pseudonym wrote:

it is 'old school' in as much as it was written a few years ago - but it doesn't mean it's no longer valid. Interestingly, Matt Brammeier still believes in the old school methods....

http://roadcyclinguk.com/blogs/guest-bl ... -rcuk.html

Anyone who's riding 4-7 hours a day like he is pretty much has to stick to "old school". I think there's no dispute that many pros whose races are 5-6 hours or longer during the season need to ride a lot in training. And they are pros so that's their job.

The question is what works best in training for regular everyday amateurs with a job, family and other obligations? The kind who can only ride 4-7 hours a week? That's where I think you'll find you can't apply "old school" methods so well and expect to come away with results. If you're doing so few hours, you're best putting in some intensity. Otherwise as Alex says you're just wasting your (limited) opportunity to train on low intensity miles which won't do much for you.