Improving my KM splits.

peacock1987

Hello,

I am about to embark on a coast to coast, in the next few weeks, with a friend of mine. Whilst I am doing okay, stamina-wise, my pace is much slower than his and I am concerned about holding things up. Are there any tips with regards to improving my pace? My weight has dropped through cycling; perhaps I am too slim? No matter what I do, I cannot seem to drastically improve my average km pace.

Thanks.

pilot_pete

peacock1987 wrote:

I am about to embark on a coast to coast, in the next few weeks.....

I fear you don't have enough time left before your event to make any drastic changes. However, it depends how many miles you are currently putting in, and the intensity of those miles. A good base of fitness (from plenty of miles weekly) which I assume you have if you have lost weight through cycling, will be a good position to start from.

You can then start doing intervals where you push harder and get the heart rate up. Over time this will train your cardiovascular system and make it more efficient. This will allow you to then ride at a quicker pace than previously at a lower heart rate (a sustainable one) over the same course (other variables ignored such as wind).

It will take time though, and you need a structure and discipline. Start by going for an hour or so ride and after warming up for at least 15 minutes do 5 hard minutes up at your threshold (search this term in Google). If you have a heart rate monitor all the better, if not just ride hard so that by the end of the 5 minutes you are just hanging on to the higher pace. Warm down and recover and ride at your normal pace for the rest of the ride. Do this a couple of times a week as well as plenty of base miles on your other rides.

Each week increase the length of the interval(s) and within no time you will find that you can do 2 x 20 mins at your threshold within an hour, but keep mixing it up and some rides do 1 x 30 mins etc. eventually you will be able to an hour up a threshold and from there the rest is down to how much further you want to take it....

Good luck.

PP

P.s. I went from 20 miles being a struggle when I first got a bike 3 years ago in my mid 40s to become our club TT champion last year and riding coast to coast across the Pyrenees over all the big cols.... If I can do it, anyone can!