Winter training... what are you doing this year?

[ColinJ]

What did you do last year? Did it work?

I think most people who read my posts know what I did last year! (Or rather, what happened to me.)

Did 'it' work? Well, it certainly caught my attention! And it finally put an end to my creeping weight gain. I have plunged down from 16 st 9 lbs to about 13 st 2 lbs, so I am now a much better weight for cycling over the big local hills. All I need now is a pair of lungs that work properly ...

Banging out high mileage over Christmas or sticking to the turbo?

The aforementioned damaged lungs do not like breathing in lots of cold air, so winter cycling could well be a problem.

Also - I am a bit paranoid about falling off my bike and injuring myself now that I am taking anticoagulant drugs. Even a minor head injury could be very serious for me, so I will not be riding when/where there is any risk of ice.

I have my gym bike lined up, ready for action. It's a bit cheap and cheerful, and I had to modify it to get a sensible position on it (it seems to be designed for small people; anybody over about 5' 9" tall would struggle to get the saddle high enough). The heavy flywheel is good though.

I've done long, hard winters indoors before now and been very fit, come the Spring.

Summer bike been put in the loft and replaced by the steel steed yet?

I ride my steel 'winter' bike all year round - my 21 pound Basso, complete with Crud Roadracer guards.

I have an 18 pound Cannondale which is a fairweather bike, but it hasn't had much use since I became too fat and unfit to climb big hills in a 39/29 gear.

 

[zizou]

Ive never got on with following structured training plans, it kills my enjoyment and motivation so will keep things pretty unstructured apart from racing track each week and a long ride at the weekend.

The rest depends on the weather, if its decent weather and i have the opportunity i'll try and get out when can if its not then will do some sufferfest videos, roller sessions or some trail running. Starting to introduce some weights too, will give it until christmas to see if there is any benefit if not will stop.

 

[50000tears]

Have a spring sportive so lots of winter training for me. Lots of hills, lots of threshold and interval training, and still need to get those long weekend rides in when the weather allows. Won't go out on ice, heavy rain or gales again after only really appreciating just how hard strong winds are to cycle in last week. Have a gym exercise bike to use when the weather won't allow an outdoor ride.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

My cycling will pretty much stay the same through winter. I've already dropped the commute to around 40 a day but that coupled with riding out with my new club on a Sunday sees me get enough road miles in. I'm currently contemplating building an extension onto my workshop to house my turbo, rollers and my good lady's treadmill but that project won't start until spring.

 

[VamP]

Lots of LSD rides (not that kind anymore) to get my left leg used to cycling again (5 months since femur was broken). Nothched over 300km last week, so think it's fine .

Will start introducing intervals end of the month when I'm sure the leg can handle it.

Great news on the recovery.

 

[Herzog]

Great news on the recovery.

Thanks, yep, pretty pleased.

One leg is like Chris Hoy's and the other is like Harold Steptoe's on steroids!

 

[Hacienda71]

I compete in a series of challenges set up for people who work in the same profession as me in the winter months, so my riding will not diminish that much. The challenge normally takes the form of a hill climb or combined climbs timed via Strava and each one is open for a period of a month. It is quite competitive with the majority of riders current racers, tters and hill climbers of a pretty high level. There is normally one group ride so you can go head to head and you are free to tackle the challenge individually. The current challenge is The Cat and Fiddle and I am lying in second. I need to find an extra 1 mph to catch the leader which is a big ask. It is certainly good motivation to keeping your miles up during the winter.

 

[Rob3rt]

I compete in a series of challenges set up for people who work in the same profession as me in the winter months, so my riding will not diminish that much. The challenge normally takes the form of a hill climb or combined climbs timed via Strava and each one is open for a period of a month. It is quite competitive with the majority of riders current racers, tters and hill climbers of a pretty high level. There is normally one group ride so you can go head to head and you are free to tackle the challenge individually. The current challenge is The Cat and Fiddle and I am lying in second. I need to find an extra 1 mph to catch the leader which is a big ask. It is certainly good motivation to keeping your miles up during the winter.

What's your current time? Hope you get a tailwind! Makes a huge difference on the Cat!

 

[Hacienda71]

I am just over 25mins the guy leading is just under 24. I need to get my average speed up to 16.4 to catch him and I am currently only at 15.5 James from your club punctured on the group ride but I think he could set a good time on a good day. A tailwind is needed.

 

[Rob3rt]

How you climb the Cat can make all the difference too, with a tailwind, I would smash it up to Walker Barn, then recover a bit for the next mile or 2, then go into a steady but hard effort up to the cafe. If it is a headwind, I would go conservatively up to Walker Barn then go into time trial mode to the end. I recon I can do a mid 20 min ride on the Cat on fresh legs, my best time was just over 21 mins but I had raced a 25 on the concrete mountain the day before and when I tried to smash it in the 1st part, I just didn't have the top end and had to compromise. You need to get friendly with Bhima and get some of the trade secrets, hah, he knows the climb inside out and knowing the climb counts for a lot (he beat me on the Cat by a minute or so).

I've not seen James for ages, not since maybe Feb/March when we headed off into the hills around Bollington with the CX guys!

 

[Hacienda71]

Bhima said the same as you, nail the first third of the climb. I was his minute man on the Westmead HC and held him off until just before Walker Barn then he just flew off into the distance.
I need to lose some weight and do some speed work.

 

[400bhp]

I compete in a series of challenges set up for people who work in the same profession as me in the winter months, so my riding will not diminish that much. The challenge normally takes the form of a hill climb or combined climbs timed via Strava and each one is open for a period of a month. It is quite competitive with the majority of riders current racers, tters and hill climbers of a pretty high level. There is normally one group ride so you can go head to head and you are free to tackle the challenge individually. The current challenge is The Cat and Fiddle and I am lying in second. I need to find an extra 1 mph to catch the leader which is a big ask. It is certainly good motivation to keeping your miles up during the winter.

Weight.....you can borrow my body if I can keep your power ;-)

 

[400bhp]

and do some speed work.

Please don't do that on saturday rides :

I would post a smiley but smileys don't work in the office....

EDIT. did the smiley work?? I can't see it but I typed "surrender" between semi colons.

 

[Herzog]

Please don't do that on saturday rides :

I would post a smiley but smileys don't work in the office....

EDIT. did the smiley work?? I can't see it but I typed "surrender" between semi colons.

It worked

 

[Rob3rt]

Bhima said the same as you, nail the first third of the climb. I was his minute man on the Westmead HC and held him off until just before Walker Barn then he just flew off into the distance.
I need to lose some weight and do some speed work.

Did he win the Westmead HC?