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Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:22 pm
by Brenchen
Hi all,

I'm a new road rider, still trying to get totally stuck into it. However, I enjoy riding in a group so I've put in one of the local 100km rides for June.

I know not training for it before going for the ride would be stupid, so I would like to work out some kind of training schedule, hoping to find some help and advice on what I could do.

My schedule is very packed for work mostly, basically takes out my Monday to Thursday (working beyond normal hours). Friday is only normal hours (9-5). After digging around here and the web, it seems most of the training schedules I can not fully follow, therefore I might not get the result I am expecting from it.

Therefore I ask whether there are any suggestions for 3 days a week training?

Bit more info, I ride to work 4 days a week, each way about 11km, taking me 25-28 min depending on my condition. During the ride, mostly flat, with minor hills. I generally try to keep my cadence.

Equipments for exercise I do have are:
  • HR monitor with advance features, such as program workout, HR analysis, haven't fully worked out how it works
  • Alloy road bike (quite heavy with my spares and my bag)
  • Bike computer
  • RunKeeper to track my workout
So having said that, no cadence monitor. But to practice cadence, when I get puffed, I tend to keep a breathing rate and pedal to that, or think of a song and pedal to the beats.

Other than that, any suggestions on how I should train for this long 100km ride?

Thanks in advanced.
Brendan

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:41 pm
by foo on patrol
Welcome Brendan!

Other than this 100k ride, what are you goals?

Fridays' I would aim for 30klms at a moderate pace Saturday I would do 30ks again but at a lower pace and Sunday 40ks at a steady pace. Do these for a month whilst doing one day of hard riding to work and the next a little bit slower than the hard eg; if you're riding at 25kmh now, then for the hard days, try and do it at 28 to 30kmh or look at knocking 45/60sec off your normal commute. Don't laugh at the 45/60sec, this can be harder than you think, over short distances! :lol:

It is really hard to know how to give you direction for this ride, considering it is only 5 weeks away and whether they are, serious riders and how fit you are. :wink:

Foo

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:18 pm
by toolonglegs
Without stating the obvious.... you are riding to work 4 days a week and you only have 3 days left to train... sounds like riding 6 or 7 days a week to me?.
Can you lengthen your commute by 15-19 km's on one of the legs once or twice a week?.

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:48 am
by Brenchen
I usually take about 26 min to do about 11.4km on a normal commute (one way). Sometimes a bit faster, sometimes a bit slower.

However I see where this is going, either way, it seems that I will have to do some training on my working legs. Since now Monday's are out (don't have time at all).

Lengthening the leg sounds like the way to go I guess, as well as doing those weekend rides.

Having said that, with all those rides, pretty much 7 days a week, is there need for me to have recovery time or am I not riding hard enough to need recovery time?

As for the question about myself, I am a casual rider (do push myself while I ride to work as well). I wouldn't say I'm terribly fit compared to probably most cyclists, but I'm reasonably fit for the usual commute. If I take it easy (average at about 20km/h - 25km/h) going to work, I don't sweat too much or even breath hard, so guessing I'm not too bad in that respect.

The event I'm participating is a charity ride, so it won't be too bad I take it; but it is my first year, so I don't know what I can be expecting. Either way 100km isn't small to me, so I need to make sure I can finish it (or at least try to).

I'll take in all those note and see how I go. Thanks for the tips guys, much appreciated :)

Brendan

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:02 am
by gururug
Start smashing yourself safely once a week on the way to work, anywhere there is space, turn it on. Win-win!

With regard to stepping up to 100, it is just as much about nutrition, hydration, comfort ( flexibility/ fit ), as it is about fitness. So i'd suggest a long ride every weekend 1 month coming up to the event. e.g. 40,60,80,100.

That way you can accustom yourself to the longer forte. If you'll be riding long or fast regularly, a more structured and intensive training regime would be in order.

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 11:53 am
by nickdos
I've just started reading The Time Crunched Cyclist, that is aimed towards cyclist with only 6-8 hours available for training a week. The basic premise is to do a lot of interval training, working at or above your lactate threshold. Although its not a proper replacement for traditional training methods, it states it is a viable alternative to those who simply don't have the time for the traditional approach, so its better than nothing. There are some caveats to it - you can't keep it going all year long but need breaks of 6-8 weeks between programs.

I haven't started the program yet but it should complement what I'm already doing myself, which is mainly short hill climbs and TT-like 30 min rides at lunch, plus decent rides on the weekends.

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 9:19 am
by ft_critical
Less frequent, longer rides, with more variety of pace - some hard and some recovery.

If you can get out of the habit of just commuting, you can use that riding as training instead. Get up earlier, ride longer planned rides that end at work. Recovery ride back to home at the end of the day.

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 10:26 am
by Brenchen
From all the replies, the summary I am getting is that training is to be built into my commuting schedules with weekend to more or less strengthen my stamina (or at least get use to) with the longer rides.

So my thought would be, since I have no time after work to do longer rides most days (after the main working hours, there are other appointments that follow immediately after), I will try to do something like 20-30km rides instead of my 11km ride as I do usually.

Will build the interval training in as well during these ride.

Have I correctly summarised the points raised above? Please let me know if I had misunderstood anything.

Thank you very much for the hints and tips, they were very much useful.

Brendan

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 2:44 pm
by foo on patrol
Pretty much!

Leave 30mins earlier on your normal commute days. :idea: :wink:

Foo

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 11:07 am
by teak81
When you do finally do the 100km ride. Just pace yourself and remember that you are there for the long haul, no doubt people will try and break you down just resist the temptation to burn too much energy. And take at least a banana and 2 water bottles. Good luck. :)

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 8:40 pm
by Brenchen
Thanks. Did some longer rides during the weekend, and it feels good (except my rear end is still not very used to long distances).

Last week I did up to 50km, I'll try to step that up a bit this weekend. Though 50km didn't feel too bad, didn't feel very difficult.

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 8:33 pm
by foo on patrol
Good onya, you'll get there now. :)

Foo

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 7:46 am
by Brenchen
OK, I went on a ride with some more senior riders this morning, but I am just not able to keep up with the pack the entire way, so dropped off about half way through the ride.

The problem I felt, was that:
  • For me, climbing hills, I do it too slowly, whereas the pack does it a lot quicker.
  • After any hill, the pack were able to easily resume the speed and rides off, which for me, didn't happen, I just wasn't able to keep up
Does this mean I just need to do more hill climbs at my own pace, push it if and when I can? Is this how you usually do hill training?

Cheers

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 12:35 pm
by marty_one
Brenchen wrote: Does this mean I just need to do more hill climbs at my own pace, push it if and when I can? Is this how you usually do hill training?
Cheers
With the limited riding experience I have, YES, definitely do more hill climbing as training. It only gets easier, the more you do it. When I was doing hill climbing training my eventual aim was to get to the top of the 1in20 without stopping to recover. The closest I got was 2 stops over the length of the climb, when I first started I was at nearly 10 stops. Like with everything to do with exercise you have to build up to things like this very few people are able to tackle something like that with very little training.

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:34 pm
by Toolish
How heavy are you?

Weight on hills is a killer! Even a slight grade any extra weight will hurt you massively.

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 9:06 am
by Brenchen
Toolish wrote:How heavy are you?

Weight on hills is a killer! Even a slight grade any extra weight will hurt you massively.
I am not a sports person by any means, though for health reason I want to get more into sports, especially cycling (because I like it). Therefore, I always think with any sport, I am not only not built for it (short arms, legs, height) and I just don't have any slightest talent. I can do it, but not do it well.

With that said, I am on a small frame (50cm), 62-63kg, BMI 22.2.

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 10:07 am
by tripstobaltimore
Increase your mileage by 10-15% a week. Don't worry too much intensity. Try to build (say) your morning rides before work, with an easy spin home. Weekend rides build until you can comfortably cover 100km. Its a simple equation, as a quite successful cyclist once said: ride lots :wink: :lol:

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 10:27 am
by Brenchen
tripstobaltimore wrote:Increase your mileage by 10-15% a week. Don't worry too much intensity. Try to build (say) your morning rides before work, with an easy spin home. Weekend rides build until you can comfortably cover 100km. Its a simple equation, as a quite successful cyclist once said: ride lots :wink: :lol:
While you're mentioning the longer rides, 100km (or more) means non-stop? Or I can do like 40km in the morning, and 60 in the afternoon?

Currently I've increased my morning rides to 30-40km (only started this week).

And when you say "Don't worry too much intensity" do you mean just do it at my comfortable pace?

Re: Help with Designing a Training Schedule

Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 12:04 pm
by tripstobaltimore
I meant don't worry too much about doing intervals or anything similar. Your goal is to (slowly) increase your mileage, so do it at an intensity that allows you to complete the distance without destroying yourself. Its better to do the rides all at once (without long breaks). You'd want to build up to (at least) doing one 100km ride every couple of weeks.