Pitfalls of Interval Training

[VamP]

I am sure there's a quite a few on here who have intervals slotted in somewhere in their training schedule. They are a very effective and time efficient way to target specific energy production systems and have been shown to deliver dramatic performance improvements.

This thread is more about the practical issues that we can come across while scheduling intervals into our daily schedules. The longer duration ones are easy. You just go consistently fast for 5 or 10 or 20 minutes. But what about the short ones, or the odd ones?

Example: Last night I tried a new type of interval (to me) - it's a bit of an unusual one - but it's very popular in the cyclocross circles. Basically it consists of three 10 minute sets of 15 seconds on and 15 seconds off. Two 15 second sprints (all out) every minute for 10 minutes.

So far so good. The trouble comes when you encounter other traffic while mid interval. Obviously, to complete the workout, you need to adhere to your timings. It is not beyond the bounds of preparation to select sections of road where you will not encounter junctions that will interfere with your timings. What you can't influence is the traffic that you encounter. Cars get confused when they start to overtake a freewheeling cyclist, only for him to suddenly unleash 800 watts and either start to keep up, or extend the overtaking zone significantly.

Other cyclists are even more of a potential problem. Around 4 minutes into my third set I caught up with a commuter. Mudguards, hi-viz, panniers, the lot. I passed him (rapidly) during one of the 15 second bursts, only to become aware of him panting behind me towards the end of each and every 15 seconds of freewheeling. He must have thought I was playing some twisted on/off racing game with him, and he was busting a gut to win it! Hilarious, but also not exactly safe as he gets closer to overtaking me on successive intervals. Luckily my 10 minutes are up, and I can let him by, and get a bit of oxygen back into the bloodstream. He turned off within 50 yards(!) of overtaking me, so I never did get a chance to explain what I was up to. I wonder what he thought?

Any other bizarre interval experiences? Tabatas are usually good for a laugh as well.

 

[endoman]

all of my shorter intervals are done on the turbo.

 

[VamP]

Well that is one way. But it doesn't capitalize on the saved time in commuting, and also I find anything that takes me over 800 watts is just too unstable on the turbo. That might be a limitation of my turbo set-up.

 

[Dusty Bin]

all of my shorter intervals are done on the turbo.

Mine too. The only exception is hill reps, but I'm not doing any of them at the moment.

 

[Rob3rt]

I only do intervals on the turbo or on a circuit where the problems above don't happen. I've been asked some funny questions by onlookers though, fat bloke eating a sandwich in his car at the top of a hill saw me come up the hill for the second time, he shouts "going for a 3rd", I told him "no, that was my 5th". Been asked "how many times a day do you ride up and down this hill?" by a pair of alcoholics, also had a bloke stop in his car to ask me about my gear ratio's, that was fairly bizarre.

 

[Crackle]

I've only done it running so far and on my third loop of a short ramp run, the dog stopped and waited for me at the top, he was plainly fed up going around in circles. he didn't move until he was sure I wasn't going around again.

 

[jazzkat]

Intervals on the road seem a bit dangerous too me, unless you are happy to bin that particular interval if the road conditions demand it.
Turbo for me every time, except for the occasional and rare set of hill reps.

 

[Dan B]

Come to London and do traffic light fartlek

 

[MrGrumpy]

Not a serious training aid I`m sure for some of you but I find Strava segments quite good for intervals. My typical commute consists of mostly intervals

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Personally do all intervals on turbo at the moment. I use software though which would allow me to track progress and make a session specific to my current requirements.

IMO there are too many variables doing these on shared use roads, especially busy ones. You might not get the best out of your training. That being said if it is due to time constraints, hence during commute, then it is probably time well spent.

Most of my training this winter will be on the Turbo 3-4 times a week. Recovery, club rides and rides for pleasure will take place outside these sessions. They seriously hurt but i'm not a believer in the "build an endurance base over winter" theory. The idea is to be stronger and faster every year. So far so good.

One thing about intervals though, more to the beginner though, is to make sure and listen to your body - to not over do it. I went pretty hard with them in the spring, without enough recovery or rest, the accumulation of fatigue was much faster than normal. Had to factor in at least one rest day and one recovery ride per week.