Training and memory

The Psycholist

I've not been cycling too long but now wanting to start on some actual training rather than just cycling randomly. I've started looking at some training plans to raise my fitness (the one in the Cycling Active magazine this month if anyone has read it).

The thing with intervals is - how do you keep focused on what zone you should be in at what time etc and stay focused on that? I find it hard to memorise that for ten minutes I should be doing max HR and ten minutes easy etc etc.

Anyone have any tips for this? I can imagine it would be easier on a turbo where there's less to think about - I do have one but not really the space to actually use it. Plus I hate it! SO this is more for out on the road.

Thanks

phreak

I never tend to do that kind of training on the road as it's not really suitable imo. On one hand you have changes of terrain to worry about so it's hard to stay in your right zone unless you have a power meter. Then you've got the important things to pay attention to (cars and stuff) to stay alive.

Far from ideal, so I do my intervals on the turbo and just stick a video or two on to keep me amused/inspired. Leave the road for longer endurance rides and to get some hills in

boggybrn

With some fancy cycle computers (e.g. Garmin 500) you can set up a workout in advance. Then when you are riding it tells you how hard to go in each interval and gives you a count down to the next.

The low tech version would be to write it on a small card and stick this to the stem where you can read it whilst riding...

It is however quite difficult to find a suitable road to do intervals on safely. I have a favourite hill which is around 5% gradient for about 10 minutes woth of riding. This is good for shorter intervals, with a roll back down between each.

ut_och_cykla

phreak wrote:

I never tend to do that kind of training on the road as it's not really suitable imo. On one hand you have changes of terrain to worry about so it's hard to stay in your right zone unless you have a power meter. Then you've got the important things to pay attention to (cars and stuff) to stay alive.

Far from ideal, so I do my intervals on the turbo and just stick a video or two on to keep me amused/inspired. Leave the road for longer endurance rides and to get some hills in

+1
PArt of the intervall effect is just that - keeping focussed - if you do time trials or similar you need to get your head with it too - not just the legs!

bigpikle

just keep it simple...

I see lots of programmes suggesting rides with all sorts of complex intervals spread through them, but much prefer rides with a single purpose eg 4 hrs endurance pace, 2 hrs tempo, a 2x20, 5x5 etc etc. I also believe that with a well designed programme these are just as effective, or maybe more effective, than getting too complex.

+1 for the road and intervals issue as well. I'm lucky as I have some quiet roads for doing some interval work on, but will only do intervals outdoors if the effort levels still allow me full concentration on staying alive - that really means threshold work maximum, or perhaps VO2 work up quiet hills, otherwise its on the turbo for me!