Getting "Fast"?

[JonGW]

How long does it take to get fast? Like, How hard & often do you have to train before you start getting fast?

I've only been road riding since New Year, But It's starting to annoy me now that I just can't keep up with the fast guys on realiabilty rides etc. I Ideally want to start racing, but I know i'm no where near the level I have to be to compete.

I'm trying to do 100miles a weekend, and get out once in the week, Hopefully I can get out more when mother nature switches the lights back on though.

In summary, How long does it take to get from Unfit & slow > Fit & Fast?


Cheers

Jon.

 

[roadiewill]

100 miles per weekend sounds a lot if you've only just started. Try building up slowly for the summer. It all takes time to develop the muscles and stamina needed to average high speeds, but other factors do contribute - your average could be 5mph slower in the winter than the summer for example

 

[RedBike]

Just keep at it. If you keep riding with quicker riders by summer you'll soon progress.

I wouldn't worry too much about reliability rides, they're not typical rides.

 

[gbb]

How old are you Jon ( if you dont mind me asking )
As RW says, 100 miles a weekend is a fair bit if you're not used to it...and the point is, you have to recover as well as get fit. Without recovery time you just get more and more tired.
Fast is relative...i'm fast (at 50) compared to 95% of cyclists i see on a daily basis...but i'm not really that fast compared with younger, more dedicated, club member cyclists.
Hard work, rest, more hard work...and so on. I really wanted to up my average speed over 35 miles a couple of years ago. I pushed and pushed as hard as i could, and over a summer managed to get my average speed from 15.5 to 17.5 mph over say 35 miles.
It doesnt sound much...but it was bloomin hard work. But then, i'm 50...recovery takes longer.

 

[JonGW]

I'm 18. It's 50miles a day though, Not 100miles in 1 go. I have monday-wednesday to rest afterwards.

I was just kind of wondering like, How long these fast guys have been riding, and how long till I can reach that level.

Road riding was orginally just going to be used for off-season training, But I fancy doing some Road racing now, The bug has got a big bite!

 

[fossyant]

Ideally you'll need to ride daily - any chance of commuting to work/college/uni ?

What is your base level - have you just started ?

 

[JonGW]

Can't really ride daily at the moment, When mother nature turns the lights back on i'll be out every night though.

Base fitness- Nothing special but I'm not overweight, Literally got my road bike about 25days ago. So yeah, pretty much just started.

Just ordered some lycra shorts! I'm a proper roadie now!

Cheers for all the advice

Jon.

P.S - Is it generally frowned upon to look "factory" kitted up when your not a pro in road cycling world?

 

[fossyant]

Wear what you like !!

 

[Randochap]

P.S - Is it generally frowned upon to look "factory" kitted up when your not a pro in road cycling world?

Actually, it is. It'll get you labelled as a "Fred." Why do you want to do free advertising for someone, anyway? Join a club and get a club strip. Classic old jerseys seem to get a pass as well. Just don't go out and buy a pro peloton strip (especially not Columbia) and parade around. So not cool.

I know it seems like everything has to happen yesterday when you are 18, but things will come in their own time. The one big advantage you have is that recovery is somewhat faster. But we all have to do the most important part of training. We like to call it "horizontal training." Learn to enjoy this.

Get a hold of Joe Friel's The Cyclist's Training Bible. Pay particular attention to his advice on recovery -- see horizontal training, above.

 

[jimboalee]

To be bluntly honest, you've started 10 years late.
The team riders in Cat 2 at Solihull started training and competing when they were at junior school.
1 or 2 of 50 junior riders make it to Elite.

I started riding a race bike when I was 12. By 15 I was riding in 'Devil' races at Birmingham track, and getting elliminated half way through the race. The other riders had been riding from age 7 and 8.

The Solihull Club has 4 Sunday rides. D ride is the shortest and slowest. A ride is approx 75 miles and they average 18ish mph. I have never been on an A ride in all my 40 years of riding.
The riders who go on the A and B rides have been cycling for about 15 years ( they are early twenties ).

Don't despair though. 50km every other day, with a lot of high protein food and rest between will soon have you up to a C ride - 50 miles at 15 mph average.
I would suggest you should be able to do a 100km Audax this summer at the upper speed limit - 18mph - if you get the muscle building food down you and the 100 miles per week behind you.

A note about 'trade' jerseys. Only if you have thighs which are the same measurement as your waist AND you have the team bike.

 

[Ravenz]

To be bluntly honest, you've started 10 years late.

...####You gotta be cruel to be kind in the right measure



Cruel to be kind, it's a very good sign####

 

[montage]

To the opening post, I began cycling just before new years and am also 18 years old.
100 miles a weekend is roughly what I do aswell, and the distance is fine. I try to get out on my bike during the week but the january exams have other ideas, so it wont be long until I am out almost every day.
I aim for a 20mph average no matter what ride I do, and if I see my speedo drop below 20 a piece of me dies inside. Luckily base fitness before I began was pretty decent, as I have been into long distance running for quite some time - though various injuries have held me back (joys of shin splints..).

Best way to train is with others, and when they say "are you sure you can keep up?" just go for it...even if this does mean you are in a pool of vomit, halfway up that bastard hill 40 miles into the ride.

Wish you best of luck. It would be nice to see how you are doing every now and again as you are in a similar situation to me

 

[nilling]

Try riding time trials at local club - racing against the clock rather than with other riders making it less competitive and allowing you to track your progress.

 

[jimboalee]

####....

I notice you stopped there and didn't write the third line of the chorus.

####


I could have said "Eighteen! You've missed the boat sonny. You'll never keep up with the Cat 2 riders however hard you train." but that would be untrue.

Just as a comparison. At the fittest I have ever been, I could keep with the Cat 2 riders on Sunday runs - about two-thirds the average speed of the TdeF riders on a flat stage. I was 33 years old.

Pro riders ride about 100 miles per day. They are spotted from the ranks of the Elite riders who get podium places in their national events.
They are the lads who started riding at seven or eight.

 

[jimboalee]

Try this approach.

Split your ride into three sections.
1/ 20 miles of steady 'warm-up' riding = 15 mph
2/ 20 miles of a pace equivalent to 2/3 the TdeF average = 18 mph
3/ 25 miles of 'balls out' race pace = over 20 mph average

On highly visible country A roads; and don't go over the 60 mph limit..