Improving fitness for a sportive

[Banjo]

i have been regular cycling for about 2 years now i am pleased with my progress but want to up my speed a bit before I do the Dragon Sportive next june.

I did the Merlin 104 mile sportive which is a hilly ride. I did the distance ok and enjoyed it but it took me 8 hrs 45.

The Dragon ride is quite hilly ,I have ridden all the route before but not in one go so know what I am up against. I think I may opt for the 120 km medio route instead of the 200 km gran fondo which I know I could do but suspect it would take me over 10 hours.

I live close to the route so my plan is to ride the medio route soon as I get a chance, going round at a fairly gentle pace. Then do a succesion of shorter faster rides maybe between 20 and 50 miles each with similar climbs then after a month or two try the medio route again and note any improvement.I have time to repeat this cycle a number of times before the event.

Is this a wise approach? I know at my age and experience level I will allways be well back in the ride but want to be able to keep up with at least some of the groups that form and not Pedal in on my own the last 20 miles or so as I did in the Merlin.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Have you thought about riding with / joining a local club?

 

[Banjo]

Have you thought about riding with / joining a local club?

Would love to but i work very irregular hours making any commitments hard to keep. I work 3 out of 5 weekends and get different days off each week. This was part of the appeal of cycling for me, when I have time off I can just jump on the bike and go.

Now and then I do get to ride with other riders and allways seem to go better, strange isnt it?

 

[amaferanga]

Threshold intervals - the infamous 2 x 20. If you have a turbo trainer then do some of these through the winter on it or if you have a suitable hill that takes about 20 minutes or so to climb then do them there. Ride them as hard as you can so you can just finish the 2nd 20 minutes without a drop in intensity. A heart rate monitor will help with gauging effort. If you do these a couple of times a week along with some longer rides then you will get quicker.

I think a lot of cyclists spend too much time cycling at a comfortable pace and don't do the hard stuff. No pain no gain as the saying goes....

 

[Garz]

A few weeks before make sure you can hit the full distance. Then taper off towards the event day keeping the fitness topped up with shorter hard sessions.

 

[jimboalee]

If you know where the route is going to be, do it.

Do it until you don't need a map. Do it until you know every pot-hole and drain cover. Do it until you can do it both ways round on the same day.

 

[adscrim]

Would love to but i work very irregular hours making any commitments hard to keep. I work 3 out of 5 weekends and get different days off each week. This was part of the appeal of cycling for me, when I have time off I can just jump on the bike and go.

Now and then I do get to ride with other riders and allways seem to go better, strange isnt it?

You may find that there are people in the club that also work irregular days. It's always more fun with other people. They push you on, can offer advice and conversation. Worth a look in my book.

EDIT - it's also worth mentioning the benefit that drafting can make. Going out with a group of guys will allow you to practice riding in a group and close on a wheel. You go faster for longer which provides an excellent pychological boost. It also means that you can increase distances and effort and still have some help getting home!

 

[jimboalee]

You may find that there are people in the club that also work irregular days. It's always more fun with other people. They push you on, can offer advice and conversation. Worth a look in my book.

EDIT - it's also worth mentioning the benefit that drafting can make. Going out with a group of guys will allow you to practice riding in a group and close on a wheel. You go faster for longer which provides an excellent pychological boost. It also means that you can increase distances and effort and still have some help getting home!

Think of drafting as a 'bonus'. Don't think its always going to happen. Train to complete the ride on your own. If there is a group to get behind, it means you need to eat less.

 

[amaferanga]

If you know where the route is going to be, do it.

Do it until you don't need a map. Do it until you know every pot-hole and drain cover. Do it until you can do it both ways round on the same day.

Why?

 

[Fiona N]

I guess because the more familiar you are with a route, the better you can gauge where to work and where to rest. It's only by risking failure, that you can achieve your best - so knowing where that fine line lies is always useful I think of it as killing dragons - the real horrors get easier the more you face them

However, I would do 2 x 20 and similar threshold training on a regular basis and only start using the route nearer the time as it's easy to get fed up with a route.

 

[vorsprung]

Why?

well I guess the "do it again and again until it is burned into your memory" idea is taking it a bit far but having done a few of the descents a few times is going to help, wouldn't you think?

 

[vorsprung]

Threshold intervals - the infamous 2 x 20. If you have a turbo trainer then do some of these through the winter on it or if you have a suitable hill that takes about 20 minutes or so to climb then do them there. Ride them as hard as you can so you can just finish the 2nd 20 minutes without a drop in intensity. A heart rate monitor will help with gauging effort. If you do these a couple of times a week along with some longer rides then you will get quicker.

I think a lot of cyclists spend too much time cycling at a comfortable pace and don't do the hard stuff. No pain no gain as the saying goes....

I absolutely agree with this
If you can't find a 20 minute hill then a 10 minute hill will do to start with

 

[koro]

Threshold intervals - the infamous 2 x 20. If you have a turbo trainer then do some of these through the winter on it or if you have a suitable hill that takes about 20 minutes or so to climb then do them there. Ride them as hard as you can so you can just finish the 2nd 20 minutes without a drop in intensity. A heart rate monitor will help with gauging effort. If you do these a couple of times a week along with some longer rides then you will get quicker.

I think a lot of cyclists spend too much time cycling at a comfortable pace and don't do the hard stuff. No pain no gain as the saying goes....

Hey Banjo,

You have already got me interested in doing the Dragon next year, lol. I just got a Tacx turbo for winter after reading these forums... Now I have to ask what the `infamous 2 x 20 1 actually are?

Cheers
Koro

 

[koro]

Threshold intervals - the infamous 2 x 20. If you have a turbo trainer then do some of these through the winter on it or if you have a suitable hill that takes about 20 minutes or so to climb then do them there. Ride them as hard as you can so you can just finish the 2nd 20 minutes without a drop in intensity. A heart rate monitor will help with gauging effort. If you do these a couple of times a week along with some longer rides then you will get quicker.

I think a lot of cyclists spend too much time cycling at a comfortable pace and don't do the hard stuff. No pain no gain as the saying goes....

Hey Banjo,

You have already got me interested in doing the Dragon next year, lol. I just got a Tacx turbo for winter after reading these forums... Now I have to ask what the `infamous 2 x 20 1 actually are?

Cheers
Koro

 

[Banjo]

Hey Banjo,

You have already got me interested in doing the Dragon next year, lol. I just got a Tacx turbo for winter after reading these forums... Now I have to ask what the `infamous 2 x 20 1 actually are?

Cheers
Koro

Hi Koro I think 2x 20 is a form of interval training ie ride your heart out for 20 minutes get your breath back then do it again.

Would be great to have some company for a recce ride around the route sometime if we could get it together.

The routes are different this year due to predicted road closures due to windfarm constructions. The medio route only has one major climb now but its quite a long pull of about 13 miles up the Afan Valley from Port Talbot onto the Bwlch.