trust your base training

[JasonHolder]

It was slightly tongue in cheek given the cringeworthy prose of the OP.

Albeit there are quite a few peeps (pros included) that seem to be moving away from base training.

Plus it depends upon what you are training for.

Everyone does base. Simply don't realise it. You don't just jump into heavy workouts intervals/hills whatever... After having ridden nothing do you? Or maybe you do, in that case you should take note.

 

[JasonHolder]

[QUO50000tears, post: 3035941, member: 33243"]I have an idea of the level you have ridden at so your numbers will be very different to mine. Can you give an indication though of the kind of miles you are doing per week for your base and perhaps what an aspiring club rider should be aiming for?

Interested in this myself as having had a lot of my winter work, having only started riding properly in September, being done on a stationary bike and interval based (largely due to the crappy weather) I am now looking to build a solid base myself over the next ten weeks. My last week was just over 160 miles but that was helped by a Sportive ride, but am thinking along the lines of 150 miles a week for the ten weeks.[/QUOTE]
Hi
Personally for me its 5-6 hour rides that I feel give me the best return. ⁴ hours you can sort of run tempo hard. 3 is a heavy hill climb day later on.
If you start at 150miles. That's 2x75 mile rides. and bear in mind we aren't grinding gears here. So your muscles arent being minced every ride.
Id probably put another 3 rides in there of maybe 50miles a piece or build them up from say 20 or 30 a piece. That's already 300 slow steady miles. Nothing mad.
Just my opinion but I don't know you so gauge for yourself.

150miles a week is just 30 miles a day split over 5 days. Not endurance really.

10 weeks disciplined base is pretty hard unless you like riding slow for hours and hours just to get out the house. Boredom must not be underestimated.

Drink well, eat well, ride well paced and you can do any distance you like

 

[cyberknight]

Nice , chance would be a fine thing !
2 young kids , wife with health issues and shift work are not the best ways to get the miles in .

 

[50000tears]

Agree with Cyber. Whilst I would love to have the time for those type of rides they are not realistic for me. Also wife 2 kids and a full time job. Throw dog walking duties in and finding time for longer rides is hard. 2 hours an evening during the week with hopefully more at the weekend is best time allows.

At the moment those 150 miles would be split over 5 days. Whilst that might not sound much I do live in a hilly area so even trying to avoid the tougher hills a 50 mile ride would still involve 4-5,000 ft of climbing. Hard to stay in level 2 with so many hills. Back to back long rides are tough due to this and of course my current fitness level.

 

[JasonHolder]

Endurance base still remains the foundation for a long-term improvement. Not clowns who do 2 HIT sessions, think they're the nuts and then disappear because they are unprepared.

Base is bollox.

 

[Cuchilo]

I'm interested in why you think doing mileage on a flat course for 100 miles is good rather than mixing it up over less miles ?
I don't really train for anything but I ride a fair bit . If there isn't a hill in the ride to make me realise im pathetic then whats the point ?

 

[JasonHolder]

The point is you don't require a base because you have no targets.(base is what gets guys who have targets in a condition to train hard enough to reach them.)
And that's fine. I realise this thread isn't for the everyday guy. Please try and realise this too

 

[Cuchilo]

I'm no every day guy baby
I understand that you are doing hills after a few flat days but I still cant see the point in hitting 100 miles on flats .

 

[50000tears]

The point is you don't require a base because you have no targets. And that's fine. I realise this thread isn't for the everyday guy. Please try and realise this too

Cuchilo makes a fair point though. Can you clarify as to why lots of easy miles is more beneficial than a more testing shorter course which demands more of a mix in training intensity?

The need for pros and *cough* national level riders to have a proper base of lots of high mileage days is clear due to the demands of the events they take part in. But for the club rider who may not aspire to such lofty heights with long single rides being something done just a few times a year rather than week on week, then surely there are more efficient ways to boost their fitness and performance for the far lower demands a club riding season will place on them?

 

[Cuchilo]

Mr Tears .
I am 40 years old and have spent all my working life in the building trade . I have seen pumped up men bigger than trucks turn up on sites and they are bloody useless when given any kind of task . All they know is what they know from training .
Base train for what you want to do , Lifting a bag of sand 300 times a day is fine but lifting it and walking 300ft is another thing .

 

[JasonHolder]

I dont think he does. As both club riders and pro guys both ride bikes.

If you want to be the best you can for your Sunday clubs. Then do a good base period. Then move onto the shorted harder stuff so you can actually function and not be limping for 3 days after your pace work.

And I'd like to just add. I work on cadence alot. And upping your cadence just doesn't stick when you ride short. Its when you master it that it becomes efficient too. Not the firdt time. First time you tried I bet you were slower just like me. And blew up just like me.

 

[Cuchilo]

"I dont think he does. As both club riders and pro guys both ride bikes."
I will have to take a look into that one and get back to you if that's ok

 

[Rob3rt]

You seem to say that a lot . Does someone need a cuddle ?

I need a hard surface against which to bang my head... that is what I need!

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I've not read so much horsecrap for a long time

 

[uclown2002]

This could be fun while it lasts