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So I've got this 80 km cycle race thingy on 1 May and the question now is what sort of training to do?
My immediate reaction is to overlay a basic running programme i.e. aim for 4-5 sessions per week, with one long slow distance, one tempo, one interval and 1-2 others.
Ideally I want to finish the race somewhere between 2:45 and 3:00 which would put me somewhere between mid-pack and three-quarters.
Most of my training will be indoors for the first 4-5 weeks and I have access to a stationary cycle and a turbo trainer.
How far should I aim for my LSD?
I was thinking that my tempo sessions would comprise 5 minutes warm up followed by 20-30 minutes at tempo pace followed by cool down?
Any advice? Does anyone use an HRM on a bike?
My immediate reaction is to overlay a basic running programme i.e. aim for 4-5 sessions per week, with one long slow distance, one tempo, one interval and 1-2 others.
Ideally I want to finish the race somewhere between 2:45 and 3:00 which would put me somewhere between mid-pack and three-quarters.
Most of my training will be indoors for the first 4-5 weeks and I have access to a stationary cycle and a turbo trainer.
How far should I aim for my LSD?
I was thinking that my tempo sessions would comprise 5 minutes warm up followed by 20-30 minutes at tempo pace followed by cool down?
Any advice? Does anyone use an HRM on a bike?
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What about hill training? Even if the race is not hilly, the leg strength it gives you will come in handy. I would personally substitute the tempo workout for hills. Maybe 1-2 minute hills with 3 min recoveries, using a heavier gear each time for 4-8 repeats. Obviously this will give good threshold training at the same time. You can do this on the turbo by putting a riser under the front wheel.
However, when you can, train outside, as that is the real thing, and will improve other things like bike handling and gearing for various inclines, headwinds etc. I use the turbo for recovery, as it is completely controlled, and for pedalling drills, like spin-ups where you try and spin your legs as quickly as you can without bouncing in a relatively easy gear. Also good is one legged pedalling where you can just pedal with one leg while the other rests on the frame. Try intervals of 1 left 1 right 1 both. Again an easy gear is important. These teach smooth efficient pedalling. Some do intervals on the turbo, I don't as I like to go fast, not just suffer for nothing!
Intervals at threshold, which for me is 160-168 BPM. I do 3-6 minutes with 3 min recoveries.
LSD of 100k if combined with a decent taper will be plenty.
I use an HRM on every ride, to stop myself pushing too hard, or to make sure the intervals are right. I personally think that tempo riding is less efficient than intervals, hills, lsd, and plenty of recovery.Others will probably disagree though. This is what works for me. However, I think the biggest difference between moving from running to biking is the greater demands on leg power, especially in the hills. As such I think you need something to address this.
I agree with you advice on hill training. I live in a very hilly area so I expect that hills will form part of my regular training and as soon as it is light enough to get outdoors then I expect to do just that.
I also would agree that handling is one area where I will gain time. Riding the other day downhill as just under 60kmh I felt a little scared! I'm sure this is just practice though.
A couple of other questions:
1. On the hills on my mountainbike I'm used to staying in the saddle - do you think its beneficial to stand up?
2. You mentioned your threshhold of 168 bpm - How does this compare to you max? At the moment I find that my cycling HR is significantly lower than my running HR for a similar perceived effort - although this could be just that I'm not working hard enough!!
My bike workouts are very similar to my running workouts. I do long slow sessions, intervals and threshold as well as speed training. Here are some examples of my sessions:
1)warm up for 5 mins in high gear 95-100rpm
5x30 secs each leg in the same gear as warm up
drop dowm one gear and repeat
drop down another gear and repeat
spin 120 rpm for 2-3 min
4x1 min low gear hard, 30 secs recovery
4x1 min lower gear hard, 45 secs recovery
4x1 min lower hear hard, 1 min recovery
warm down spinning for 5 min
stretch
2)warm up, pin for 10 min in highh geat 100+ rpm
6x2 min progressive heart rate= from aerobic threshold (85% of max heart rate)
1 min recovery in between
20x30 sec each leg alternating
warm down: spin for 10 mins
3)warm up for 10 min in high gear 90-100rpm
6x5 min at high aerobi pace- anaerobic pace about 85% hear rate
5 min recovery
30 secs slow spin recovery
5x100 rpl
warm down for 10 mins
4)warm up
3x10 min fast with 1 min recovery in between
warm down
5) 10 min wup
20x30 secs fast with 30 sec easier
5 min recovery
20x30 secs fast with 30 secs recovery
10 min cd
5) long ride of 1 h to 1 30 h changing gears to simulate different terrains. The long ride should be shorter than the ones outdoors as you work harder on a turbo.
Also, Chris Morris email is very helpful and I like the hill sessions very much
I hope it helps
good luck with you cycling
Climbing out of the saddle uses more muscles than sitting down so it does enable you to exert a bit more effort but it also takes more out of you. Guys who tend to sit down on long climbs generally use smaller gears, Lance Armstrong for example, whereas the big strong guys will get out of the saddle more often and use bigger gears. There's no right or wrong, just do what feels best for you.
Since you have a good base level fitness, you will find your cycling fitness can be improved quite quickly.
If you do 2 weeks of 4-5 days at an hour with 1 long ride this will establish your base cycling fitness then you can cut back on the shorter rides to 2 or 3 per week
On your weekly long ride just treat it like your long run – take it easy an just enjoy the ride - I would aim to build up to 20% longer than you are racing that way you will know you are quite capable of 'doing the distance'
Will
Thanks Spud/Drew some great sessions to try out - you've also raised an interesting question in how important is it to develop 'spinning' speed? Generally, most of my cycling at the moment has been relatively constant spin speed, working with the gears to maintain leg speed - generally I'm cycling at about 100rpm.
Although you will drop to climb
I have signed up for the london to Birmingham bike ride (120 miles) at the end of April for the British Heart Foundation, and although it seemed like a good idea at the time I am now a little worried.
I did 50 miles on Saturday in just over 3 hours and my thighs were in pieces.
What have I done???
Yes the rpm definitely drops on uphill stretches, although I find now that I have a decent bike (light, 27 gears) that at least I can maintain a speed of around 14-15 kmh on all but the steepeest hills.