Maximising my commute

Chris MB

First time on the training forum for me. I have been riding throughout the winter months (70-100k) at the weekend and developing a reasonable base fitness. For the last two months I have been riding a 20 mile commute into work twice a week, the country roads and a few busy dual carriageways are too sketchy in the dark for a return journey. With the clocks about to change I will be coming home in the evening.

Going out for good distances at the weekend makes the commute feel short and I am conscious that I could be mixing up what I actually do in those miles to help my weekend rides. I have been reading a lot about interval training but there is so much conflicting advice about high cadence, low resistance and visa versa. Any thoughts on this topic and then also other ideas to mix it up rather than chasing a PB for the route.

Very much appreciate the support of all forum goers

sloppyschleckonds

Depends what you want to achieve?

simon_e

How about this for mixing it up:
- go for a PB some days
- work in a few 4mins hard / 4mins easy another day
- sprinting for signs or mashing up hills another
Spin easy on Friday and save your legs for the weekend ride.

danlikesbikes

Simon E wrote:

How about this for mixing it up:
- go for a PB some days
- work in a few 4mins hard / 4mins easy another day
- sprinting for signs or mashing up hills another
Spin easy on Friday and save your legs for the weekend ride.

^-^ I used to try this on my commute rides and was pretty bang on for me. Mixed up the days to fit in a longer tempo ride mid week but left friday a bit lighter for weekend warrior efforts.

gsvbagpuss

Sign up to Strava and get chasing KOMs?

Chris MB

Thanks for the replies everyone. Objective wise its really to get stronger all over. I am a reasonable climber but the group I ride with are fast on the flats and I struggle to hold a wheel. I have been talking to a few other riders and the common consensus is to ride long ish (4-5mins) high cadence (100-100) intervals with a view to dropping down gears as I get stronger. What do you think?

danlikesbikes

You can really mix up your intervals if & when you get all nerdy (like me) about it. Depends what you want to do & if your adding them into your weekly ride time then you can always do more than one session, as it would only replicate your weekend rides. Just be careful to not overdo it & not get as good gains due to overstraining.

Shorter sprint style intervals will help though as they can replicate the need to bridge a short gap where you loose the wheel, or if on a tight course/road with lots of up/downs in speed due to corners/junctions where if your at the back you need a quick jump in speed to make sure you don't get dropped.