Is there a point you get too...

[MattHB]

I really want to bring my speed up. In normal conditions I can sustain about a 16mph over even hilly rides, but it's not anywhere near enough to be able to join in the more frequent club rides that at the moment I have no chance in keeping up with!

I've read around and it looks like everyone seems to recommend interval training. Would you all agree with this?

 

[VamP]

This!

For me a few years ago my motivation for riding was purely not having to deal with commuting to work by car & I had motivation to ride reasonably quickly due to the distances I was covering on the bike. However I'd stagnated at around 18-24mph, depending on conditions) which I could hold for around 2 to 3 hours but I couldn't actually go much harder over short distances. I then got involved with a very competition orientated club in Italy. Cue me going from doing hard rides when I felt like it to serious properly scheduled training. The result has been massive gains in power & speed.

I would be interested in seeing your training plan, is that something you're able to share with us? Mainly just curious if it's similar to what I am doing or if there are dramatic differences.

 

[VamP]

I've read around and it looks like everyone seems to recommend interval training. Would you all agree with this?

Yes.


But do you have a broad enough base to build on, is the first question. Until you've got a base of around 3000 odd miles (since you started cycling regulalrly) any peaks you develop with interval training will be short-lived. The best way to structure your training will be around your goals for the season. Lot more reading on training plans is recommended. I am happy to expand on mine, if you're interested, but as they are specific to my goals, it may not be directly relevant to you.

Also I would say if you can make the times (I can't) then go and join the club rides you are refering to. You might not stay with them for the duration, but just the effort of trying will show you how big the gap is and what you have to do to bridge it. It's also great training, and the technical ability of riding in groups is an essential skill, that you cannot learn any other way.

 

[MattHB]

Good advice cheers. I'm upto a base of about 2200 miles since October, so it's getting closer.

My goals this year are all centred around completing the century sponsored ride within 7.5 hours. I'm confident that by then (July) I'll be fine for that. So maybe I should just keep focus on that and keep the distance going and then worry about intervals afterwards when my base is more?

I'd be very interested in anything anyone's got to say on training plans!

 

[Edge705]

Good advice cheers. I'm upto a base of about 2200 miles since October, so it's getting closer.

My goals this year are all centred around completing the century sponsored ride within 7.5 hours. I'm confident that by then (July) I'll be fine for that. So maybe I should just keep focus on that and keep the distance going and then worry about intervals afterwards when my base is more?

I'd be very interested in anything anyone's got to say on training plans!

If you carry on as you are you will find eventually you will plateau and it's then you would need to decide if you want to get better than your plateau level

Many moons ago I asked and old head what he did to become so good and his simple reply was lots and lots of miles riding and little else

Take my commute for example I've done nothing away from the bike i.e gym or diet and I cover the 28 miles without thinking about it now yet 15 months ago it was somewhat an effort. I've done over 3000 miles in that time and nothing else my average is up from sub 20mph to post 20mph so I figured this bloke was correct.

I seemed to haves reached my plateau which is still below most but I've no desire to race unlike yourself but if I did I would probably not do any more than O do now and just be content with the taking part

For me it's a life Balance I Iove riding a bike but I also like lazy days, cake, and chocky biscuits I'm not ashamed to get off and push on a steep hill nor am I bothered when I get dropped on my commute but it's clear to me those who are good do train, do diet, and do spend lots of time on the bike and I admire their dedication and commitment for what for most is just self satisfaction

 

[GrasB]

I would be interested in seeing your training plan, is that something you're able to share with us? Mainly just curious if it's similar to what I am doing or if there are dramatic differences.

Okay. The schedule is intense to make the most of the time I have available & floats about a lot but this is what I've got for the next fortnight.
PE is relative to ride length. I do 1:2 (rest:exertion) time on intervals.

            am                pm
23rd    60min @ PE6    4x8min @ PE2/7
24th    75min @ PE4    8x5min @ PE2/5
25th    90min @ PE7    8x5min @ PE4/7
26th    45min @ PE8    2x16min @ PE2/6
27th    75min @ PE5    10x2.5min @ PE1/8
28th            25min @ PE1
29th 8x30sec @ PE1/10, 30min PE2, 8x1min @ PE3/9
30th   90min @ PE5    6x6min @ PE4/7
1st    45min @ PE7    4x8min @ PE3/5
2nd    60min @ PE4    3x10min @ PE3/8
3rd    90min @ PE3    30min @ PE8
4th    30min @ PE8    60min @ PE3
5th            25min @ PE1
6th            40min @ PE10

 

[amaferanga]

Good advice cheers. I'm upto a base of about 2200 miles since October, so it's getting closer.

I think you'd see some significant improvement from just riding more. 2200 miles since October ain't much really. Is it motivation that's stopping you riding more or family/work/dog?

 

[amaferanga]

Okay. The schedule is intense to make the most of the time I have available & floats about a lot but this is what I've got for the next fortnight.
PE is relative to ride length. I do 1:2 (rest:exertion) time on intervals.

            am                pm
23rd    60min @ PE6    4x8min @ PE2/7
24th    75min @ PE4    8x5min @ PE2/5
25th    90min @ PE7    8x5min @ PE4/7
26th    45min @ PE8    2x16min @ PE2/6
27th    75min @ PE5    10x2.5min @ PE1/8
28th            25min @ PE1
29th 8x30sec @ PE1/10, 30min PE2, 8x1min @ PE3/9
30th  90min @ PE5    6x6min @ PE4/7
1st    45min @ PE7    4x8min @ PE3/5
2nd    60min @ PE4    3x10min @ PE3/8
3rd    90min @ PE3    30min @ PE8
4th    30min @ PE8    60min @ PE3
5th            25min @ PE1
6th            40min @ PE10

Worth pointing out that this is totally unsuitable for someone who has never even done intervals before! I reckon they'd be done in by day 2....

 

[GrasB]

Worth pointing out that this is totally unsuitable for someone who has never even done intervals before! I reckon they'd be done in by day 2....

It's also a particularly intense example as my coach knows I've just got back from a break in Italy so in a rested state. For this reason it's totally unsuitable for the typical rider even if they're used to intervals, I'd normally have 2 days of short tempo rides in the afternoon & have more lower PE morning rides.

 

[VamP]

That

It's also a particularly intense example as my coach knows I've just got back from a break in Italy so in a rested state. For this reason it's totally unsuitable for the typical rider even if they're used to intervals, I'd normally have 2 days of short tempo rides in the afternoon & have more lower PE morning rides.

Thats' mentally intense! How did you get to the point where you can recover sufficiently overnight? Naturally good at recovery, or did you gradually get there over time? Any tips?

PE is perceived effort with minimum 1 and maximum 10?

 

[GrasB]

Thats' mentally intense! How did you get to the point where you can recover sufficiently overnight? Naturally good at recovery, or did you gradually get there over time? Any tips?

These 2 weeks are a little more intense than normal. Typically I'd be doing intervals or fast tempo on Mon, Weds, Fri & then a PE 3 or 4 ride Tues, Thurs. I'm also down on one 'rest' morning tempo ride. All honesty though I was doing 25-35 miles each way at PE 5-8 5 days a week before I got into this regime so I've developed a lot of coping mechanisms for dealing with recovery.The only time I had problems was when I started riding my 'bent & I was getting a big speed drop-off towards the end of the week for about 6 month.

I've always recovered well & I've slowly got better at recovery. Also after exercises clothing, off bike straight into compression tights, at the end of both rides is very important as well as immediate intake of protein after stopping.

PE is perceived effort with minimum 1 and maximum 10?

yes & no. 8 is maximum safe effort on public roads. 9 & 10 are turbo & competition effort levels only.

 

[MattHB]

I think you'd see some significant improvement from just riding more. 2200 miles since October ain't much really. Is it motivation that's stopping you riding more or family/work/dog?

None I'm riding out of my skin and loving it just want to take it to the next level is all

I shall build some more base and quit being so impatient!

 

[amaferanga]

These 2 weeks are a little more intense than normal. Typically I'd be doing intervals or fast tempo on Mon, Weds, Fri & then a PE 3 or 4 ride Tues, Thurs. I'm also down on one 'rest' morning tempo ride. All honesty though I was doing 25-35 miles each way at PE 5-8 5 days a week before I got into this regime so I've developed a lot of coping mechanisms for dealing with recovery.The only time I had problems was when I started riding my 'bent & I was getting a big speed drop-off towards the end of the week for about 6 month.

I've always recovered well & I've slowly got better at recovery. Also after exercises clothing, off bike straight into compression tights, at the end of both rides is very important as well as immediate intake of protein after stopping.


yes & no. 8 is maximum safe effort on public roads. 9 & 10 are turbo & competition effort levels only.

But if you're only doing them on RPE then you have no idea if you're actually recovered enough to hit the wattages you're capable of. I suspect that the wattage you do after 3 or 4 hard days is way down on what you'd be doing if you were fresh, even if PE feels exactly the same. Obviously your training still works, but if your coach was prescribing by Watts I bet he wouldn't have you doing 4 or 5 back to back days of short high wattage intervals.

 

[GrasB]

But if you're only doing them on RPE then you have no idea if you're actually recovered enough to hit the wattages you're capable of. I suspect that the wattage you do after 3 or 4 hard days is way down on what you'd be doing if you were fresh, even if PE feels exactly the same. Obviously your training still works, but if your coach was prescribing by Watts I bet he wouldn't have you doing 4 or 5 back to back days of short high wattage intervals.

We've found the best way for me to train is to work of PE & monitor the wattage. These are then compared back to the last set of maximal effort data to see if the training is to intense/relaxed.