Originally Posted by
PeteHski
I would recommend following a good structured training plan. Either from an app like TrainerRoad, SYSTM or a suitable plan from Training Peaks. Obviously something age/riding style/time specific. A good structured plan should be annual based with periodisation, including any key cycling events in your calendar.
I do a lot of unstructured riding too, but I find following a structured plan helps to keep it all sustainable over the long term and consistent training is the key. There's no point in for example thrashing yourself to death on Zwift for several weeks until you can hardly move or just plodding around aimlessly without riding hard for months on end. Once I started training with a purpose in 2019 I made more gains over the first winter than I had in the previous decade of just random riding around.
You are absolutely correct. On Zwift there are a variety of training plans available. The tough part will be figuring out, since I prefer to ride outdoors when the weather is decent, how to work one around the other. I am not looking to compete, but just retain what I have and improve a bit before the inevitable backslide of aging really hits. I figure the farther I am ahead then, the fall won’t be so great. I was reading about decline in VO2 (aerobic capacity) of senior ‘athletes’ and it was quite startling how fast it will decline if one either stops their activities or just noodles around. Being surrounded by hills, I need to be able to continue to climb well or I will forever feel like I am flogging myself on the hills or my rides will be restricted to a very small valley area - which would be just too boring.
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Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Last edited by rsbob; 11-17-22 at 01:15 PM.
Reason: Too has two o’s or does it?