Biking training rides
470
Member
390 days
TryScott posted 10 weeks ago.
Unless my wife tossed the magazine, there's an article in my house somewhere that gives a detailed 8 week plan for bike training. It gave instructions on how to find personal HR training zones, and then it listed how to repeats of x min in zone 1, y min in zone 2, then repeat z times, etc... If I find the article, I'll post a link, since I'm guessing it's online also. If I don't find it, you can blame my wife for throwing it away.
I'd love to set a target, but I find myself just biking as much as possible. If I knew how much I could bike, I'd think about getting a coach and asking them what I should do with that time in order to maximize my results/time.
For the last 2 weeks, I've been on my bike exactly twice. How do I manage to bike so incredibly much with a 4 year old while my wife is doing her 2 weeks of National Guard annual training? I skip work. Take a vacation day, drop off the kid at daycare, get on the bike for 70 miles, sleep for 2 hours, then back to pickup the kid.
Last year I set a goal of 80 miles/wk. I think I've done it twice. I don't remember why I picked 80. Maybe I wanted to get 4,000 miles in for the year or something. My race goal is 20MPH in a 40k, and I've done 19.8MPH in my first race with way way less than 80 miles per week.
88
Member
108 days
cutiger95 posted 10 weeks ago.
Man 20+ average for a 40k race is getting on with the get-go.
Guess I better start logging more miles and working on the overall hill training. My flats are generally in the 23-25+mph range but when I have to climb I am done for, but that is the same problem that I have always had with my MTB. I can climb any technical section or flat fly on the flats but put a nice long grinder in front of me and I am in the smallest ring quicker than you can say rumplestiltskin chugging along at 5-6 mph.
508
Member
225 days
jsk85 posted 10 weeks ago.
Yeah, I'd say just get out and bike more...occaisonally push yourself more than usual, like find bigger hills or do a sprint interval.
I've seen pretty substantial gains in 4 yrs by keeping it simple...ride harder...ride longer...ride harder longer. Without upgrading any equipment I've gone from racing sprint tris at an 18MPH avg my first season to having a goal pace for my A olympic race of over 21mph. My two sprints this year have been easily over 21mph. I feel like I'll have to do more focused bike training in the future to keep the gains up, but for now just volume and occaisonally pushing the intensity has made a huge difference
Also, switching to a higher cadence instead of mashing like I used to added a lot of speed...and helped on the run.
133
Member
119 days
azmojo804 posted 10 weeks ago.
I'd second, or third, what TriScott and jsk85 have said. I'll also add that since I've been commuting to/from work 1 time per week (I live a ways away from work) I have been getting faster, giving the benefit to my backpack. It weighs about 20 pounds. I did actually weigh wyself with and then without the bag. When I bike without the bag now, I feel like I'm flying! And, I'm going an extra 2-3 mph too! Without any extra effort...actually, easier! :)
Alright so I have biked for a long time, but never really trained to bike. What type of targets should I be setting for myself.
Currently I am hitting the following on my training rides:
Shorter than 10 miles: Average about 17.5 - 19.5 mph (Depends on if wifey is tagging along, 17.5 with and 19.5 without)
Rides 10 - 20 miles: Average of around 17 - 18
Rides 20 +: Average 15 - 17 (standard ride is 24.5 miles but extend or decrease depending on traffic)
My routes are what could be called small hills. Basically 200 - 300 foot elevation gains and losses over each mile or two. Not flat but no serious climbs either.
Just wondering what I can do to gain speed and positively affect my training. Currently doing 1 of each ride per week and typically am solo training, but was thinking of joining a group close by on Tues. nights that trains.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.