Winter training?
Discussion
Not planned specifics, but going to go for a couple of weeks off the bike completely, but doing a bit of light running and swimming to keep ticking over, then i'll be going into a period of longer zone 2 rides and my commute (10 miles) trying to maximise my fasting and cut a bit of body fat off, then once January kicks around, start pushing harder rides, mostly focusing on using the Turbo to get the power going up, will increase my food intake at this point too to ensure muscle is being built in the right way.
thiscocks said:
okgo said:
Specifity is everything ponk. Running won't make you a better cyclist 
There also are people that are not cut out for some crit circuits. They are all different after all. I find elite races at hillingdon easy but crystal palace really takes it out of me.
I managed to atleast keep up in most road races I did this year but every time I did the mk bowl (legthened circuits) I got dropped like a stone. Managed to finish one at end of year but miles back. Resigned myself to accepting the track just doesn't suit me!There also are people that are not cut out for some crit circuits. They are all different after all. I find elite races at hillingdon easy but crystal palace really takes it out of me.
My aim is to get my 2nd cat license. I started racing this season very late due to other commitments and then was taken out for 6 weeks by a crash so it basically didn't happen and I never got near a peak. I've got 5 min power and threshold at mid-cat 2 on the coggan power chart and that's happened without having a targeted training plan or anything, so I think it should be achievable if I put my mind to it.
Next year I should be able to start a bit earlier in the season, and for the first time I'm going to have a full training plan defined. I'm just not sure what I'm going to put in it and what the overall strategy is going to be yet. One thing I am sure of is that I don't have the time for proper periodisation, there's no way I can fit 15+ hours of riding per week in, regardless of intensity.
Time for some research first. At the moment all I know is that I'm going to set some power numbers as targets, hit them, then go racing and do a full season of it.
Next year I should be able to start a bit earlier in the season, and for the first time I'm going to have a full training plan defined. I'm just not sure what I'm going to put in it and what the overall strategy is going to be yet. One thing I am sure of is that I don't have the time for proper periodisation, there's no way I can fit 15+ hours of riding per week in, regardless of intensity.
Time for some research first. At the moment all I know is that I'm going to set some power numbers as targets, hit them, then go racing and do a full season of it.
I can now no longer get out on my bike after during the week so this is quite relevant to me.
I'm considering joining a gym to swim and spin a few nights a week.
Come the weekend, I'll buy some winter tyres for my road bike and just keep riding. I'll also get out on the MTB more to mix it up.
Not really scientific but I hope it helps me prepare for a good, and hopefully lighter, 2015.
I'm considering joining a gym to swim and spin a few nights a week.
Come the weekend, I'll buy some winter tyres for my road bike and just keep riding. I'll also get out on the MTB more to mix it up.
Not really scientific but I hope it helps me prepare for a good, and hopefully lighter, 2015.
I said it a page or so ago but please keep a diary and this needs to include what you did, how you feel after and how you recovered. Then this can be used to review what you have done if it works for you or not. It gives you a datum to work from.
If you use Strave or any of the others you can add notes to the ride to reflect ow you feel.
If you use Strave or any of the others you can add notes to the ride to reflect ow you feel.
Rocksteadyeddie said:
Stick with it. The MK rides on a Thursday night attract some really handy lads. Before you know it you'll be getting in the break with a few of them.
I'll be back next year :-) I'm not where I need to be, I'm close but not there.
Another solid winter of CX and mountain biking as well as road miles and running - along with hill repeats and intervals should give me another big leap. Unless I'm done with newbie gains in that case it may be more a small hop lol
Gizmoish said:
Went along to the local CX race today. Wish I'd done so in Lycra and taken the bike - looked a lot of fun.
I raced in our local series today, then decided to send our lass off home in the car while I rode the thirty miles back over the tops. Only 31.4 miles with 3,442ft of climbing, but it was bloody hard work after racing for an hour.TheLemming said:
Rocksteadyeddie said:
Stick with it. The MK rides on a Thursday night attract some really handy lads. Before you know it you'll be getting in the break with a few of them.
I'll be back next year :-) I'm not where I need to be, I'm close but not there.
Another solid winter of CX and mountain biking as well as road miles and running - along with hill repeats and intervals should give me another big leap. Unless I'm done with newbie gains in that case it may be more a small hop lol
Reading all these plans is making me think I should try and formulate a proper structured winter training plan. I've just ordered a SuperSix, so I should make some effort to do it justice.
So far, my plan is the below:
Keep commuting 4 out of five days a week no matter what the weather (This nets me 132 miles a week)
Maybe enter one CX race a month
Loose a stone by xmas
Finally join a cycling club
After that, it will all go to pot as our baby arrives early Jan. Mrs Bakerstreet has said she is fine with me continuing to commute to work. Shes happy with that as she knows it saves money
So far, my plan is the below:
Keep commuting 4 out of five days a week no matter what the weather (This nets me 132 miles a week)
Maybe enter one CX race a month
Loose a stone by xmas
Finally join a cycling club
After that, it will all go to pot as our baby arrives early Jan. Mrs Bakerstreet has said she is fine with me continuing to commute to work. Shes happy with that as she knows it saves money
bakerstreet said:
Reading all these plans is making me think I should try and formulate a proper structured winter training plan. I've just ordered a SuperSix, so I should make some effort to do it justice.
So far, my plan is the below:
Keep commuting 4 out of five days a week no matter what the weather (This nets me 132 miles a week)
Maybe enter one CX race a month
Loose a stone by xmas
Finally join a cycling club
After that, it will all go to pot as our baby arrives early Jan. Mrs Bakerstreet has said she is fine with me continuing to commute to work. Shes happy with that as she knows it saves money
Just had another baby mate, get any big rides in now!So far, my plan is the below:
Keep commuting 4 out of five days a week no matter what the weather (This nets me 132 miles a week)
Maybe enter one CX race a month
Loose a stone by xmas
Finally join a cycling club
After that, it will all go to pot as our baby arrives early Jan. Mrs Bakerstreet has said she is fine with me continuing to commute to work. Shes happy with that as she knows it saves money
Commuting is good as it wakes me up after having no sleep + its about the about the only think that isn't bankrupting me at the moment!
TSCfree said:
okgo said:
How will you monitor improvement, i.e. whether this worked better than what you did last time?
I need to find a nearby friendly sports Uni with Vo2 Max measuring capability. 1 test at the start of winter training, the other at the end for future comparison.
I'm going to smash it every single ride
In all seriousness I need to decide whether I want to focus on racing or enjoying my bike riding. Currently I'm doing 6k+ miles per year with performance mainly monitored on how I'm doing on Strava (based on my own targets), I need to decide do I want to drop the mileage and errr more towards race training or simply keep up with enjoying my own riding with the occasional race thrown in. Realistically I enjoy my food as much as I enjoy riding; hence I'm too heavy to be competitive.
In all seriousness I need to decide whether I want to focus on racing or enjoying my bike riding. Currently I'm doing 6k+ miles per year with performance mainly monitored on how I'm doing on Strava (based on my own targets), I need to decide do I want to drop the mileage and errr more towards race training or simply keep up with enjoying my own riding with the occasional race thrown in. Realistically I enjoy my food as much as I enjoy riding; hence I'm too heavy to be competitive.
Thought I'd bump this back up with a quick question.
I've decided to change my training plans and focus on improving my aerobic fitness until Christmas. Effectively by doing the dreaded long steady miles.
Low intensity intervals have been suggested to me I.e. Sitting in zone one with a few trips into zone two.
Is there a minimum time spent that below which low intensity is just junk miles? Realistically I'll be doing one ride of 3-4 hours a weekend and 2-3 mid week rides or roller sessions of perhaps 1-2 hours.
I've decided to change my training plans and focus on improving my aerobic fitness until Christmas. Effectively by doing the dreaded long steady miles.
Low intensity intervals have been suggested to me I.e. Sitting in zone one with a few trips into zone two.
Is there a minimum time spent that below which low intensity is just junk miles? Realistically I'll be doing one ride of 3-4 hours a weekend and 2-3 mid week rides or roller sessions of perhaps 1-2 hours.
Ponk said:
Thought I'd bump this back up with a quick question.
I've decided to change my training plans and focus on improving my aerobic fitness until Christmas. Effectively by doing the dreaded long steady miles.
Low intensity intervals have been suggested to me I.e. Sitting in zone one with a few trips into zone two.
Is there a minimum time spent that below which low intensity is just junk miles? Realistically I'll be doing one ride of 3-4 hours a weekend and 2-3 mid week rides or roller sessions of perhaps 1-2 hours.
Zone 1 for recovery and Zone 2 for your base miles would be my recommendation with a fair bit of core training as well.I've decided to change my training plans and focus on improving my aerobic fitness until Christmas. Effectively by doing the dreaded long steady miles.
Low intensity intervals have been suggested to me I.e. Sitting in zone one with a few trips into zone two.
Is there a minimum time spent that below which low intensity is just junk miles? Realistically I'll be doing one ride of 3-4 hours a weekend and 2-3 mid week rides or roller sessions of perhaps 1-2 hours.
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