How to build up Stamina?

[rideswithmoobs]

Not sure sitting too close to bars or leaning too much would cause cramp/stomach pain. Drink plenty before, during and after rides in this weather. Surely you would have known last night if you were dehydrated, urine colour, thirsty dry mouth, etc etc.
Personally if your riding position is not good then you would feel it more in your back, that's were it use to hit me at first

 

[Ticktockmy]

I'm looking at building up my stamina after not using the bike for a while and I was wondering would you go short sprints as fast as possible. Or don't go as fast but do more miles?

Thanks

Firstly you need to have a aim, just bimbling around the same 2 mile circuit is going to become a pain in the arse. Get a 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map of your area. Then Plot a series of routes around your home location. Start at say 4 mile flat circuit, ride that a couple of times, then find another route say 6 Miles and flat, ride that a few times, by then you should be ok to do a 10 mile ride, plot a route which has a few not too high hills, avoid roads with black arrows showing on the map. After that you can plot ever increasing length routes as you feel yourself getting fitter.
Remember to start of your training at a easy pace, then slowly increase it until you achieve what you are aiming for.

 

[biggs682]

i am trying to do the same for various reasons .

i am trying to gently increase my ride miles up gradually for a couple of rides before increasing to the next distance .

also trying to keep a mix of terrain ie hills and gentle flatness , so far going well

 

[Chris Norton]

Check out strava or mapmyride which is particularly good at allowing you to plan routes.

2 mile loops are for warm up or cool downs. You will begin to hate that loop after a couple of weeks. Once you get to 15 mile trips you can start sticking a sprint or two in to get speed up too! 3 lamp post worth was how I started.

Single most important thing. Enjoy being on the bike.

 

[wxbull]

I started off in February doing 10 miles at 12mph average, just build up slowly, experiment with different routes near your home, you will find the prefect one in the end, after a bit of tweaking. I've now done three 55 mile plusses and addicted to a 17 mile circuit that has only about 5 miles on A roads, with smooth roads and a couple of nice pubs if it's a leisure cruise. I can now do that 17.3 miles in an hour bang on

 

[Pieface]

Just did my first 10 miles (happy with that as I only started training 4 days ago!) around that circuit. Starting to plan out different routes for the future now. I mean I do enjoy the route as it has a mixture of hills flats, roads and countryside roads. But it does feel a bit cramped (would love more chance to go downhill for longer). Now to have a shower because with this weather I'm sweating like anything!

 

[chernij]

I've been told that it's all down to time in the saddle. I put the time in and found a 3mph increase after 3 months

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I've been told that it's all down to time in the saddle. I put the time in and found a 3mph increase after 3 months

Yep just keep cycling.

Just did my first 10 miles (happy with that as I only started training 4 days ago!) around that circuit. Starting to plan out different routes for the future now. I mean I do enjoy the route as it has a mixture of hills flats, roads and countryside roads. But it does feel a bit cramped (would love more chance to go downhill for longer). Now to have a shower because with this weather I'm sweating like anything!

If your doing circuits the only way to go down hill longer, is to get up them quicker and slow down going down the hill.

 

[Pieface]

Yep just keep cycling.

If your doing circuits the only way to go down hill longer, is to get up them quicker and slow down going down the hill.

I love going downhill for the speed. Not the experience

 

[Nigelnaturist]

It's an impossible target then.

 

[procel]

If your doing circuits the only way to go down hill longer, is to get up them quicker and slow down going down the hill.

Or find a bigger hill

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Or find a bigger hill

No because you still got to get up it making it longer up the hill than down, mind you I spent less time climbing than going down this morning, so it can be done.

 

[classic33]

The trip down the hill is your reward for having got up it in the first place!
The bigger the hill, the bigger your reward.

 

[Pieface]

Just tried out a new route today at 8 miles long and their are some great downhill sections, but it gets tough (for me!) to go up some of the hills. Need to build that strength and stamina.

I'll keep my progress in the newbie progress thread from now on, but if anyone wants to see it my strava is

http://app.strava.com/athletes/350837

Thanks

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

It sounds like you have well and truly caught the cycling bug. Don't expect to see overnight results with increases in speed and stamina but do keep riding, then ride some more and then ride some more for good measure.The wider your base the higher your potential.