Starting Training - Been riding for 18 months

guttertrash
guttertrash Posts: 147
edited May 2011 in Training, fitness and health
OK, so i've been riding the road bike now for a good eighteen months, and made progress over where I was back then, but now I don't seem to be getting anywhere.

I don't have a lot of time for dedicated training sessions, but I do a round trip commute of around 22 miles a few times a week, and a long ride at weekends, where I can turn it into a pseudo training session.

I want to know if it worth me going 'back to basics' and putting in some time doing some base training at 65-75% HR? I've looked over a few past rides and they all seem to fall into the 75-82% zone, which I understand to be more aerobic/endurance than base training.

Is it worth me taking a step back in order to move forward? If so, how long should I persist, and what percentage of the ride should fall within that zone? Living on the edge of the Peak District its difficult to avoid the hills and the high heart rate that goes with it.

Cheers for reading.
Ribble New Sportive
Specialized Pitch Pro

Comments

  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    I did a heck of a lot of base work over winter, and its really helped me get a good kick start into this season.

    If you are going to do it, you need to be really strict about it and not let your HR rise out of the zone, this is when miles start to become junk miles (neither one thing, nor another).

    It depends what your goals are really, also, you need to have a good idea of your actual HR zones, not some theoretical bunkem figure.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I would suggest adding intervals to a couple of your rides each week.

    e.g. warm up then 10mins hard, 5 mins recovery 3 times, cool down.
  • guttertrash
    guttertrash Posts: 147
    danowat wrote:
    I did a heck of a lot of base work over winter, and its really helped me get a good kick start into this season.

    If you are going to do it, you need to be really strict about it and not let your HR rise out of the zone, this is when miles start to become junk miles (neither one thing, nor another).

    It depends what your goals are really, also, you need to have a good idea of your actual HR zones, not some theoretical bunkem figure.

    I'm not training for a particular end goal. Just a general kick up the backside is needed to get my fitness moving again. I'd like to get a bit faster, and be able to go at a higher intensity for longer than just a few seconds. My climbing needs some work too. I just wasn't sure if I should go back to the base training before doing more specific routines for each of the above. I guess I'd just like to be a jack of all trades but master of none.
    NapoleonD wrote:
    I would suggest adding intervals to a couple of your rides each week.

    e.g. warm up then 10mins hard, 5 mins recovery 3 times, cool down.

    Thanks, this did cross my mind, but wasn't sure if I should start from chapter one rather than diving straight in with some targeting training.
    Ribble New Sportive
    Specialized Pitch Pro
  • mattshrops
    mattshrops Posts: 1,134
    did you put in some good winter miles?
    +1 for intervals but dont do them exclusively mix it up with endurance, there must be a local club 10tt near you? why not try that as well?
    in general for all sports , we put a stress on our body the body adapts and improves. if you then dont change that stress/load (increase it in some way) the adaption(improvement)ends. changing your training around will have the same effect as increasing distance or intensity. get a few books and knock yourself up a training plan, and then after4/8/12 weeks change it.
    Death or Glory- Just another Story

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