The training thread: How was yours? (today/yesterday/etc)

[Cul]

Any tips to help stop those 'I'll just stop after this interval' thoughts? Or do I just need to harden up and stick it out?
NB. I typically have music going and watch past editions of upcoming races while I'm training. Training is done on a Kickr w/ TrainerRoad.

I'm the same, just can not handle long intervals especially on the indoor trainer - for the last year I have programmed 2x20's weekly into my program and I would be lucky to have done only a handful of them on the trainer as they just number the brain, I always end up doing something else!...

My only advice is don't do them! Lately I have been replacing long steady state intervals with shorter steady state intervals at higher intensities - 4 x 10mins (AT) 100% FTP or 5 x 8mins (AT) 105% FTP is a great one, sure they are painful but if you are actually completing the workout instead of naffing around then it's going to be better training in the long run.

Edit: Another alternative I find myself doing when I have Zwift on is 1hr (AT) ~85% FTP doing the climbs, and sprints at full effort!

[ft_critical]

I too watch the previous days/weekends race on YouTube. However, during intervals I can't actually remember what happened so I have to watch them again during a recovery session.

....

I do a set of 3x20min. What this actually is, is a series of over and unders. The overs are either 5min (AT) 110%, 1min (AT) 125% or 30s (AT) 190%; unders (AT) 90% - either 2 or 4 of each. The variety is such that time passes quickly. Sure, they hurt...

The genesis of the idea is that I used to do my intervals with recovery to like 50% of FTP. Where as what you need in a race is to quickly recover to near FTP. There is still a place for the pure efforts in intervals but Under/Overs are the secret sauce in my opinion.

[jules21]

chaotic bunchie last night. no crashes, but the wild weather in Melb meant only 5 people were at the start line. 1 guy was caught on the other side of the busy road and missed the roll-out, didn't see him again. another guy was dropped early on, then another turned off about 10km in. so there were 3 of us. we finished anyway. didn't get rained on much

[g-boaf]

I'm getting used to riding with some orthotics I had made up recently. They feel a bit odd to start with. But getting more normal each time.

I'm hoping this is the end of the injury niggles I've been struggling with. Seems like it.

[Xplora]

Struggling to stay motivated, FTP from ramp test was crap, my lifting has been stalled and I have not even gotten solid results in B grade now. Feel like I just need time on the bike, but I don't feel any urge to ride. Think I will rest up after the Road Titles.

[g-boaf]

That's the point to have a week or two off, sleep in, maybe do a lazy 50k ride in the afternoon.

Or what everyone else I know is doing, going to Italy with their bike. sigh...

[cerb]

Taking some time off for recovery is actually PART of training! Enjoying a beer or two while you recover can't harm either... right?

[Xplora]

I got ritually destroyed at the Ken Dinnerville - time for a break. Might buy a guitar or something LOL

[foo on patrol]

I think your a bustin a gut in the gym to much, Xplora.

Foo

[jules21]

I think it's hard to stay motivated when winter closes in. This week I've hit a brick wall and had to pull the plug on a few training sessions. I'm in good form but I just haven't felt like riding this week. Lots of sleep following what was probably a few weeks of too much intensity and not enough rest and recovery. That's OK - soak it up and bounce back. I'm getting on the trainer for some 5 minute efforts now

[jasonc]

What's this Winter you speak of?
Solution: Move north

[jules21]

What's this Winter you speak of?
Solution: Move north

tempting... I did actually apply for a job in Brissie. didn't get it though.

I don't mind the cold, but it takes a couple of weeks for me to acclimatise. after some prolonged balmy weather, it hit like a punch in the face this week.

[g-boaf]

Enjoyable 100km today - quite good once it warmed up. A shorter ride yesterday and not a whole lot Saturday. A bit of commuting during the week and that's it.

[Damiansd]

Casual 10k ride with my boys

[koshari]

Blimey. Little bit less time on the bike due to weather, social and work commitments really hits your pace. 35km/h gusty winds dont help either. Was weak as a kitten on the 50km i did this morning. Right back to 23km/h ave from about 27 mid autumn. Picked up 2 PRs purely due to only riding the segment once before!

[jules21]

good ride last night on local bunchie. hit year-high power numbers on some of the short climbs. felt good. and crucially, didn't get dropped

[Damiansd]

Casual 20km with 2 of my boys.

[jules21]

training has plateaued a bit for me. been hitting it for a while now and built up some decent form. I have 1-2 target races approaching over the next 2-3 weeks. after that I'll back off and will take a week off in late July. I've 'broken down' a couple of times over the past month or two - just mentally (or physically? I can never judge which) had to take a few days off. the challenge is to hit it hard to peak for these last races, taper, race, then relax..

there's no build in my training at the moment, I'm just hanging onto numbers.

[cerb]

Just stop riding now and your form will go through the roof right??

Seriously though, I know what you mean. I haven't been racing and targetting events through winter like you, but I still got burnt out on TR sessions mid May and just haven't had the legs or head to go back to them. I've got into Zwift for the past month or so and this seems to have helped me - more just changing things up than anything else?

As it's more fun, I've been more motivated to get on there, or do a longer session. So i've actually been building my form again after a few months of just maintaining it. I even levelled out my trainer and set everything up nicely again - allowing me to hit some new max. power PB's in the past couple of sessions (PB's for on the trainer, anyway!).

[jules21]

nice one - hitting PBs means you are doing something right.

I struggle to stay motivated if I'm not racing. I need to be able to visualise performing in a race to gain satisfaction from training. on the other hand, I probably do too many races and have been advised as such - that the intensity of racing does not allow me sufficient recovery. but it's fun.

I need to get into some of those interactive training programs like TR and Zwift. it's just me and YouTube music on my computer at the moment

[g-boaf]

Riding down around Picton, Razorback, Menangle today.

Not bad, except for the tip-truck who close shaved me perilously close on Woodbridge Road.

[filipw]

Lack of focused training is starting to show in my racing. Maybe time to take a break from racing and just ride ? I'm going on hols for 4 weeks in September, so no riding then. A bit nervous that i will lose my fitness while my opponents are training their little black hearts out.

[Reave05]

Lack of focused training is starting to show in my racing. Maybe time to take a break from racing and just ride ? I'm going on hols for 4 weeks in September, so no riding then. A bit nervous that i will lose my fitness while my opponents are training their little black hearts out.

You may want to take what I say with a grain of salt, as I've just worked out that I raced against you on the weekend.

So, to address the purely physiological question. Given you are on holidays for 4 weeks in about a months time (I am assuming no cycling during the holiday period), you could use the next month to get some solid structured training in. You could actually load up your last week of training with a heavy "training camp" style block (as you will have 4 weeks of "recovery" directly after this). You will lose some fitness in the 4 weeks off, but perhaps not as much as you expect (studies are varied but some suggest only a 3-5% loss). You can certainly keep racing during this next months training period. I've personally been doing Base training on Mon/Wed/Fri and racing on Sunday's (although sometimes I've had to dial the Monday session down a bit). I've been able to manage the fatigue so I am slightly fresher coming into race day.

If you have an indoor trainer, you could look at doing a month of TrainerRoad (full disclosure - I work for them, so I am biased). I'd recommend the first three weeks of the "Sweet Spot Base" training plan and then something like the "8 Days of California" as 8 hard days of training before your holiday.

Your post suggests that you might be a bit mentally drained. Your holiday will certainly give you a good opportunity to freshen up that side of things. Only you will know if you really need more time off from racing than that. However, if you treat the next few month as a block of base training, you could treat the weekly races as a bit of fun or even use them to try new tactics or work on specific skills.

I wouldn't worry about anyone else. People will train; or not train; will go up grades; will go down grades. The important thing is to continue having fun in this great sport. Everyone in the race on Sunday had you marked as the "danger man". You must be doing something right!

[cerb]

I've also got 4 weeks away from late August through to mid September and am expecting a reasonable fall in fitness. I've been trying to hold on to fitness since crit season finished in March and have done this fairly well using a combination of TrainerRoad and Zwift.

I've planned to do basically that which has been suggested - hard sessions in the week prior to going away in order to hit peak fitness and then just try and find a gym to do a few sessions while away so the legs don't foget how to pedal >.<.

Once back, it's only a couple of weeks til crit season - so it's a bit annoying timing wise, but at least we'll be fresh! A couple of weeks with specificity should bring me back to the right fitness-ballpark for racing come the first weekend of October.

[filipw]

Yep, I’ve been doing trainer road twice a week since the end of daylight savings with racing on Saturdays or Sundays with very good results in my grade. The last 3 weeks have been getting the better of me and training motivation has dropped off and it easier to do nothing than to do a TR workout. Winter always gets to me though and I really slacken off once it’s cold and dark. Hence it takes me a while to get back in the groove of things and October is normally a write off. At work I’m always looking forward to the workout but once I come home and I fall in the arms of my wife, I tend to forget about it .
Reave05, I also read your race report and it is I’m indeed the guy with the new wheels. It’s quite eye opening to read the different experience of riders in the same race. You did very well as we, and the wind, didn’t made it easy. If only you could have jumped after the rider who attacked in the straight, in the mean time sacrificed your chances and I could have taken your wheel and battled it out for victory.