Been cycling for about 4 years now. Have been promoted up to "B" grade in my club but struggling. At 51, it seems my legs need a long time to warm up. If I can stay with the bunch for the first half of the race I usually put in a good show (have even won a couple of crits) but for most races in this year's road season my legs get cooked before I get myself up to speed. Because of the small size of our club, most of our races are handicap so there is considerable time between race briefing and my start time, so even if I warm up properly before briefing I still cool down before starting.
Does anyone have specific training tips to help me improve my ability to go hard sooner?
Training to start quicker
-
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2010 2:04 pm
Training to start quicker
Postby alanfw » Sat Oct 19, 2013 6:17 pm
Never too old to try - just too old look cool at the same time!
- toolonglegs
- Posts: 15463
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
- Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!
Re: Training to start quicker
Postby toolonglegs » Sat Oct 19, 2013 6:37 pm
What do you do the day before the race?.
-
- Posts: 936
- Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:33 pm
Re: Training to start quicker
Postby you cannot be sirrus » Sun Oct 20, 2013 6:14 pm
Can you take a stationery trainer and ride on that between the briefing and your start time.
It takes me a while to get warmed up too but I can usually warm up until a couple of minutes before the off
It takes me a while to get warmed up too but I can usually warm up until a couple of minutes before the off
-
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2010 2:04 pm
Re: Training to start quicker
Postby alanfw » Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:49 pm
Good question! Training has been variable for a while - far from ideal - and I'm trying to get back to a good routine. Previous day is usually a rest or swim day, but on Saturday morn (race day) I join in a group social ride (60ish k) and try to hold myself back from the traditional end-of-ride sprint session. If I take part in the sprint I'm usually pretty screwed for the race.toolonglegs wrote:What do you do the day before the race?.
ATM, I'm training for a tri, coming back from calf injury, so I've been running sometimes on Friday too.
PS Our club races are usually 2 or 3 pm Sat
Never too old to try - just too old look cool at the same time!
- toolonglegs
- Posts: 15463
- Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:49 pm
- Location: Somewhere with padded walls and really big hills!
Re: Training to start quicker
Postby toolonglegs » Sun Oct 20, 2013 10:10 pm
For me ( 44 ) ... I need a hard'ish short ride the day before... an hour or so max, couple of 1 minute high rpm spin outs, couple of hard but not full out 1 to 2 minute efforts and 10 or 15 minutes at sub TT pace. That's if it is an important race... otherwise just a normal 2 hour ride. I also find I have to be careful not to go too hard 2 days before a race as I feel it.
I certainly wouldn't be doing a 60 km group ride in the morning before an afternoon race ( unless the race is just training )... if you want to get the km's in ride to the race, race and do some 20 minute efforts on the way home... then have a quiet day the day after.
I certainly wouldn't be doing a 60 km group ride in the morning before an afternoon race ( unless the race is just training )... if you want to get the km's in ride to the race, race and do some 20 minute efforts on the way home... then have a quiet day the day after.
- nickobec
- Posts: 2271
- Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 12:51 am
- Location: Perth or 42km south as the singlespeed flies
- Contact:
Re: Training to start quicker
Postby nickobec » Sun Oct 20, 2013 11:24 pm
+1toolonglegs wrote: I certainly wouldn't be doing a 60 km group ride in the morning before an afternoon race ( unless the race is just training )... if you want to get the km's in ride to the race, race and do some 20 minute efforts on the way home... then have a quiet day the day after.
I am 52, been racing a couple of years and would never dream of a 60km social ride the morning of an afternoon race.
I will do the moderate social ride on Saturday before crit racing on a Sunday. The full on social ride is save for weekends without racing.
I did suffer the same problem as you, but that was more to do with being on beta-blockers. Need to change when I took my drugs.
my blog Nick Cowie, member of Peel District Cycling Club
-
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:17 am
Re: Training to start quicker
Postby nailsaslegs » Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:21 am
Day before a race for me is always 1hour with 3 x sprints at 90%. Protein straight away afterwards. And if its a Important race then Ill rest as much as possible.
It is more likely not the day before but what you do pre race, I either ride to the race (47kms) and ride just below tempo (helps having a power metre) or get to the race very early and go for a 30min spin, Ill start at warm up, then build my cadence, then spinning, then do short burst 10 secs very high cadence and go back to ticking the legs over.
It is more likely not the day before but what you do pre race, I either ride to the race (47kms) and ride just below tempo (helps having a power metre) or get to the race very early and go for a 30min spin, Ill start at warm up, then build my cadence, then spinning, then do short burst 10 secs very high cadence and go back to ticking the legs over.
-
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2010 2:04 pm
Re: Training to start quicker
Postby alanfw » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:58 am
Thanks for the tips fellas.
Never too old to try - just too old look cool at the same time!
-
- Posts: 548
- Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:58 pm
Re: Training to start quicker
Postby Cul » Tue Oct 22, 2013 11:04 am
30min easy spin, with spin ups (short burst, high cadance) will really wake the legs up pre race, this could even be done riding to the race - often a few short sprints or even just seated change of pace stuff will also help.nailsaslegs wrote:Day before a race for me is always 1hour with 3 x sprints at 90%. Protein straight away afterwards. And if its a Important race then Ill rest as much as possible.
It is more likely not the day before but what you do pre race, I either ride to the race (47kms) and ride just below tempo (helps having a power metre) or get to the race very early and go for a 30min spin, Ill start at warm up, then build my cadence, then spinning, then do short burst 10 secs very high cadence and go back to ticking the legs over.
The 60km group ride the morning of the race probably isn't helping unless it's done solely in Z1.
Jump to
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Cycling Brands
- Cannondale
- Garmin
- Giant
- Shimano
- Trek
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+11:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
Brought to you by Bicycles Network Australia | © 1999 - 2024 | Powered by phpBB ®
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.