Year long training plan with a focus on cyclocross season?
01-10-10, 04:52 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 211
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Year long training plan with a focus on cyclocross season?
After doing my first cross race back in August, I pretty well made up my mind that I wanted to race as much cross as possible and make it the focus of my training. I moved up to the B's after my 2nd race and have done just about every Florida Series race this season (with still two left next weekend). I plan on racing road this coming season, but just when it's something close or convenient, and want to use that to keep up my fitness more than anything else.
Does anyone have any advice on how to train this spring and summer for the next cyclocross season? Links to articles, etc would be especially helpful!
Does anyone have any advice on how to train this spring and summer for the next cyclocross season? Links to articles, etc would be especially helpful!
01-10-10, 05:07 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,119
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Take the road racing more seriously, and it will transfer to cross. It will also give you more motivation to train. Take a short break at the end of the summer and then get into your cross-specific work and you'll be ready to hit it.
01-10-10, 07:57 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,869 Times
in
1,439 Posts
I've been putting together an annual plan for myself based on Joe Friel's The Cyclist's Training Bible.
One of the things Friel emphasizes is that any successful training plan has to be specifically tailored to the individual cyclist. A general training plan will have less than optimal results because it doesn't take into account your particular strengths and weaknesses.
Friel doesn't specifically address cyclocross. In fact, you'll need to apply a lot of external information regarding which abilities you need to emphasize and even disregard some of his comments, like the claim that you don't need to develop your deltoid muscles because they're only useful when lifting your bike. Of course, given the focus on individualizing your plan, this is not really a problem. The other caveat I'd make is that you really need to read almost the entire book before you're ready to use it to develop a plan. There's nothing simple and formulaic in his method. That said, I'm very pleased with the book so far. I've got a preliminary plan in place. Ask me again next November and I'll tell you how it worked. :-)
One of the things Friel emphasizes is that any successful training plan has to be specifically tailored to the individual cyclist. A general training plan will have less than optimal results because it doesn't take into account your particular strengths and weaknesses.
Friel doesn't specifically address cyclocross. In fact, you'll need to apply a lot of external information regarding which abilities you need to emphasize and even disregard some of his comments, like the claim that you don't need to develop your deltoid muscles because they're only useful when lifting your bike. Of course, given the focus on individualizing your plan, this is not really a problem. The other caveat I'd make is that you really need to read almost the entire book before you're ready to use it to develop a plan. There's nothing simple and formulaic in his method. That said, I'm very pleased with the book so far. I've got a preliminary plan in place. Ask me again next November and I'll tell you how it worked. :-)
01-11-10, 07:07 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,119
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Let me offer a word of caution: The entire Friel approach works for a certain subset of the population, but IMO fails to give an accurate, holistic vision of what it means to be a competitive amateur cyclist. The idea that you choose your number of annual training hours first is a bit...insane. Also, the idea that you'd do six E1 rides per week in base training...unrealistic. Finally, a lot of the physio science underlying the approach has been questioned, specifically the emphasis on highly structured periodization, every fourth week being a rest, etc etc. Don't get discouraged if you find yourself straying from the plan.
That said, the emphasis on choosing specific goal races, and scheduling in down time to the year, is excellent. In cross, you see a lot of attrition over the course of the season, people who come in like lions and leave like lambs. They probably raced too much during the summer, peaked too soon for cross, and got burned out on all the racing, travel, bike-cleaning, laundry, rushing through household chores late Sunday afternoon when you'd rather just be watching the game, etc etc.
That said, the emphasis on choosing specific goal races, and scheduling in down time to the year, is excellent. In cross, you see a lot of attrition over the course of the season, people who come in like lions and leave like lambs. They probably raced too much during the summer, peaked too soon for cross, and got burned out on all the racing, travel, bike-cleaning, laundry, rushing through household chores late Sunday afternoon when you'd rather just be watching the game, etc etc.
01-11-10, 08:55 AM
#5
Full Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 201
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Here's a set of articles on CX training plans. The last one has some thoughts on combining road / CX.
https://home.comcast.net/~mjbirner/Cy...CXMagazine.htm
https://home.comcast.net/~mjbirner/Cy...CXMagazine.htm
01-12-10, 01:26 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,869 Times
in
1,439 Posts
Actually, straying from the plan is part of the plan. One of the things he recommends is keeping yourself flexible and changing things constantly based on real-life intrusions and your individual experience with the training plan.
That said, I really do appreciate your feedback and it is encouraging for me personally.
I'm not convinced the implied target audience for Friel's book actually exists at all. Based on my reading of it, he seems to be writing for elite athletes who are self-coached. His anecdotal examples are all people who have goals like "podium at state road racing championships." I don't doubt that's the kind of people Friel is used to working with. My own goal for next year is to break into the 50th percentile in a Masters C race. It's definitely an open question whether Friel's methods apply to me. I think I can make it work.
On that note, it may be of interest to the OP to see a general outline of my (currently vague) plan for the year.
As stated above, I'm a lower C "Masters" racer. I bike to work, 7-15 miles each way, which gives me an opportunity to fold some types of workouts into my commute. Also, there are about 40 miles of well-paved farm roads out the back door of my workplace, and my workplace has a well-equipped gym, so I have some nice options for lunch-time workouts.
My goals for the year are: (1) finish the Seattle-to-Portland 1-day ride in mid-July, (2) 50th percentile finish in a Master C Cross Crusade race. To get there, I'll need to build a lot of endurance for STP. For the cyclocross goal, I plan to lose 20 pounds (from 190 to 170 pounds) and I need to improve my overall force and my anaerobic fitness.
January 3 - 24: Preparation -- This will be mostly anatomical adaptation phase weight training (3 days a week) and the beginnings of a running program (30-40 minutes, 2-3 days a week) for aerobic endurance.
January 25 - February 21: Base 1 -- This will be the maximum strength phase of my weight lifting, trying to develop some force in a hurry. By this time, I hope to be comfortably running 30 minutes at a time three days a week for aerobic development. There's a TT race on February 21 that I plan to enter just to see where I am.
After February 22, I'll be doing strength maintenance weight lifting (because I'm old and lose muscle easily) one or two days a week throughout the rest of the year. I plan to also continue the running, maybe 40 minutes a day, three days a week, because the stop lights on my commute make it easy for my aerobic fitness to deteriorate, and I want to be ready to do some sprint/hill running later in the year.
February 22 - March 21: Base 2 -- During this phase I'll focus on hill climbing to try to transition the strength I just developed into force on the bike.
March 22 - April 18: Base 3 -- Around now, I'll work on building up my weekly mileage, continuing the hill work. I may start doing some bike handling skill drills around this time. I want to find a way here to get in some 60+ minute aerobic efforts on the bike.
April 19 - May 9: Base 4 -- Friel's general plan would call for a Build period here, but given that my first goal is a double century and that my overall starting fitness is low, I think more base work is appropriate. This will be a lot like Base 3.
May 10 - June 6: Build 1 -- Here I start brining in more intervals, hill repeats, etc. to really develop the force. Because of the STP goal, I'll also be starting my ramp of long weekend rides, culminating with a hilly century in early June. I'll be looking even more at workouts that emphasize muscular endurance rather than just aerobic endurance during this time.
June 7 - July 4: Build 2 -- The main focus at this time has to be the long weekend rides. Whatever workouts I can fit in to also build power and force without compromising the distance building will fill my weeks. There's probably also going to be a vacation week or more in this time. I also want to work more on my off-road handling skills, maybe with some short track mountain bike races.
July 5 - July 16: Peak -- In Friel's plan, this is about hard workouts to optimize performance. For me, this will be figuring out what I need to do to be ready for STP on July 17, which will probably involve a lot of rest with one or two long rides.
July 17: STP
July 18 - August 1: Transition -- This is planned lazy time. No specific workouts or hard rides.
August 2 - 22: Base 3: From here on, my mind is on CX. These weeks are to re-establish my base aerobic and muscular endurance fitness. I'll start working on hill running around this time. I'll definitely be spending much more time on CX skills.
August 23 - Sept 12: Build 1 -- Workouts here will focus on developing force and anaerobic endurance. I'll be working hard on foot sprints and hill running. I'll also be practicing CX-specific skills like dismount-remount and barriers. The first local CX race is Sept. 12, but I'm viewing it as a low priority in terms of results -- mostly a checkpoint to see how ready I am.
Sept 13 - October 10: Build 2 -- Like build 1, but more intense. Hopefully my skills will be sharp by now, but I still want to improve force and anaerobic endurance. The Cross Crusade begins October 3.
October 11 - October 24: Peak -- Here I probably will follow Friel's plan in terms of trying to put a fine edge on my fitness.
October 25 - November 21: Race -- This is too long for a "race" period according to Friel's theory, but I think it's the only thing that makes sense given the local race schedule. If I managed to peak around October 25 as planned, I'll just be trying to maintain that level as well as I can without burning out. This will probably mean one hard effort midweek, plus my regular commute, and then the weekend race(s).
November 21 - Decemeber 31: Transition -- This will involve a lot of beer drinking, story telling and bemoaning the shortness of the CX season, but no actual workouts.
So that's my preliminary plan. I don't know if it would be a good plan for anyone other than me, but I think it gives a good idea of what the "Friel" method produces. I'll be planning specific workouts week by week. I expect it to change as I go along. I'd welcome any comments or feedback anyone has.
BTW, I did find this link, which offers some professional comments on cyclocross training that more or less assume something like the same model Friel uses:
https://www.a2coaching.com/crossplan.htm
That said, I really do appreciate your feedback and it is encouraging for me personally.
I'm not convinced the implied target audience for Friel's book actually exists at all. Based on my reading of it, he seems to be writing for elite athletes who are self-coached. His anecdotal examples are all people who have goals like "podium at state road racing championships." I don't doubt that's the kind of people Friel is used to working with. My own goal for next year is to break into the 50th percentile in a Masters C race. It's definitely an open question whether Friel's methods apply to me. I think I can make it work.
On that note, it may be of interest to the OP to see a general outline of my (currently vague) plan for the year.
As stated above, I'm a lower C "Masters" racer. I bike to work, 7-15 miles each way, which gives me an opportunity to fold some types of workouts into my commute. Also, there are about 40 miles of well-paved farm roads out the back door of my workplace, and my workplace has a well-equipped gym, so I have some nice options for lunch-time workouts.
My goals for the year are: (1) finish the Seattle-to-Portland 1-day ride in mid-July, (2) 50th percentile finish in a Master C Cross Crusade race. To get there, I'll need to build a lot of endurance for STP. For the cyclocross goal, I plan to lose 20 pounds (from 190 to 170 pounds) and I need to improve my overall force and my anaerobic fitness.
January 3 - 24: Preparation -- This will be mostly anatomical adaptation phase weight training (3 days a week) and the beginnings of a running program (30-40 minutes, 2-3 days a week) for aerobic endurance.
January 25 - February 21: Base 1 -- This will be the maximum strength phase of my weight lifting, trying to develop some force in a hurry. By this time, I hope to be comfortably running 30 minutes at a time three days a week for aerobic development. There's a TT race on February 21 that I plan to enter just to see where I am.
After February 22, I'll be doing strength maintenance weight lifting (because I'm old and lose muscle easily) one or two days a week throughout the rest of the year. I plan to also continue the running, maybe 40 minutes a day, three days a week, because the stop lights on my commute make it easy for my aerobic fitness to deteriorate, and I want to be ready to do some sprint/hill running later in the year.
February 22 - March 21: Base 2 -- During this phase I'll focus on hill climbing to try to transition the strength I just developed into force on the bike.
March 22 - April 18: Base 3 -- Around now, I'll work on building up my weekly mileage, continuing the hill work. I may start doing some bike handling skill drills around this time. I want to find a way here to get in some 60+ minute aerobic efforts on the bike.
April 19 - May 9: Base 4 -- Friel's general plan would call for a Build period here, but given that my first goal is a double century and that my overall starting fitness is low, I think more base work is appropriate. This will be a lot like Base 3.
May 10 - June 6: Build 1 -- Here I start brining in more intervals, hill repeats, etc. to really develop the force. Because of the STP goal, I'll also be starting my ramp of long weekend rides, culminating with a hilly century in early June. I'll be looking even more at workouts that emphasize muscular endurance rather than just aerobic endurance during this time.
June 7 - July 4: Build 2 -- The main focus at this time has to be the long weekend rides. Whatever workouts I can fit in to also build power and force without compromising the distance building will fill my weeks. There's probably also going to be a vacation week or more in this time. I also want to work more on my off-road handling skills, maybe with some short track mountain bike races.
July 5 - July 16: Peak -- In Friel's plan, this is about hard workouts to optimize performance. For me, this will be figuring out what I need to do to be ready for STP on July 17, which will probably involve a lot of rest with one or two long rides.
July 17: STP
July 18 - August 1: Transition -- This is planned lazy time. No specific workouts or hard rides.
August 2 - 22: Base 3: From here on, my mind is on CX. These weeks are to re-establish my base aerobic and muscular endurance fitness. I'll start working on hill running around this time. I'll definitely be spending much more time on CX skills.
August 23 - Sept 12: Build 1 -- Workouts here will focus on developing force and anaerobic endurance. I'll be working hard on foot sprints and hill running. I'll also be practicing CX-specific skills like dismount-remount and barriers. The first local CX race is Sept. 12, but I'm viewing it as a low priority in terms of results -- mostly a checkpoint to see how ready I am.
Sept 13 - October 10: Build 2 -- Like build 1, but more intense. Hopefully my skills will be sharp by now, but I still want to improve force and anaerobic endurance. The Cross Crusade begins October 3.
October 11 - October 24: Peak -- Here I probably will follow Friel's plan in terms of trying to put a fine edge on my fitness.
October 25 - November 21: Race -- This is too long for a "race" period according to Friel's theory, but I think it's the only thing that makes sense given the local race schedule. If I managed to peak around October 25 as planned, I'll just be trying to maintain that level as well as I can without burning out. This will probably mean one hard effort midweek, plus my regular commute, and then the weekend race(s).
November 21 - Decemeber 31: Transition -- This will involve a lot of beer drinking, story telling and bemoaning the shortness of the CX season, but no actual workouts.
So that's my preliminary plan. I don't know if it would be a good plan for anyone other than me, but I think it gives a good idea of what the "Friel" method produces. I'll be planning specific workouts week by week. I expect it to change as I go along. I'd welcome any comments or feedback anyone has.
BTW, I did find this link, which offers some professional comments on cyclocross training that more or less assume something like the same model Friel uses:
https://www.a2coaching.com/crossplan.htm
Last edited by Andy_K; 01-12-10 at 02:12 PM.
01-12-10, 02:10 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,869 Times
in
1,439 Posts
I was shocked how much my aerobic fitness had deteriorated. I pulled a calf muscle in September and hadn't done any non-race running since then. The first day out, I could only run about one minute before my heart rate spiked. Hopefully, my previous (still low) level of fitness will come back quickly.
I actually started the weight lifting at the end of December, and I can definitely see improvement already there.
I actually started the weight lifting at the end of December, and I can definitely see improvement already there.
03-31-10, 05:30 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 106
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Andy - you and I are very similar, my man - I'm a lower C Masters racer too (42 yo and 193 lbs). I took up racing last year and got hooked - did 9 races including US Gran Prix (Mercer Cup in NJ).
I don't know how tall you are but be careful about losing too much weight - if you're 6'0 or so - 170lbs is going to be very light - especially if you are used to being 190lbs. Just be careful you don't lose all your hard earned strength - since for Cross, I've found plenty of guys heavier than me finishing in the front of the pack so I don't think the weight means that much. Also. +1 on the weight training - I'm a huge believer in that for both injury prevention and general fitness.
Keep me posted on how your training is going - when I have more time - I'll post my routine - which is similar to yours - focused on power/strength in the winter - now doing longer rides and trail rides w/some high-intensity and intervals mixed in. Come summer - I'll switch to more high-intensity - there's a Cross race at the NJ State Fair - SpectraCross - end of July - it was my first race last year so I want to nail it now that I have a season under my belt. Good luck!!
I don't know how tall you are but be careful about losing too much weight - if you're 6'0 or so - 170lbs is going to be very light - especially if you are used to being 190lbs. Just be careful you don't lose all your hard earned strength - since for Cross, I've found plenty of guys heavier than me finishing in the front of the pack so I don't think the weight means that much. Also. +1 on the weight training - I'm a huge believer in that for both injury prevention and general fitness.
Keep me posted on how your training is going - when I have more time - I'll post my routine - which is similar to yours - focused on power/strength in the winter - now doing longer rides and trail rides w/some high-intensity and intervals mixed in. Come summer - I'll switch to more high-intensity - there's a Cross race at the NJ State Fair - SpectraCross - end of July - it was my first race last year so I want to nail it now that I have a season under my belt. Good luck!!
03-31-10, 10:50 PM
#10
Team Beer
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Sacramento CA
Posts: 6,339
Bikes: Too Many
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 114 Post(s)
Liked 159 Times
in
104 Posts
+1. Work on fitness and the weight will come off anyway. You may actually be fighting to keep some on. I dropped 15lbs last season and wasn't trying. I hadn't been 165 since just after high school and I'm 37.
__________________
I'm not one for fawning over bicycles, but I do believe that our bikes communicate with us, and what this bike is saying is, "You're an idiot." BikeSnobNYC
I'm not one for fawning over bicycles, but I do believe that our bikes communicate with us, and what this bike is saying is, "You're an idiot." BikeSnobNYC
04-01-10, 05:58 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,869 Times
in
1,439 Posts
Cynikal, didn't I just see you in another thread talking about the difference a lighter bike made? 
I'm 5'9" so I wouldn't be overly lean at 170. Even in the ideal case of losing only fat, 170 would still leave me with about 15% body fat. That said, I am trying to be careful how I lose it. I'm at 181 as of today. This is the least I've weighed since I was about 19, and I'm 40 now. Keeping weight on has rarely been a problem for me.
Being 40 has made the running a constant battle. It seems like every couple of weeks I've got some new muscle tweak forcing me to take time off from running, but I am comfortably running about 3.5 miles when the legs aren't hurting. Some knee and calf issues also made me decide to cut my strength building program short by a couple of weeks. I now think those issues were related to poor cleat position on new shoes, so I may do another cycle of strength building at some point.
The hill climbing is going well. A local hill that used to kick my butt with a 30x27 gear has been doable this year with a 39x27, so I guess the strength training is paying off. Beyond that, in a couple of weeks I'm moving to a house that sits on the top of a road that gains 200 feet in about 1/4 mile, so doing that five or six days a week should reduce the number of hills that look like run-ups.
All the work associated with buying and selling a house has kept my mileage a bit lower than I would have liked it to be at this point, but I've been getting a solid 100 miles a week. The move, a camping weekend and a week out of the country on business are making the next month look bad, but I think I can mix in some rides during lunch to keep close to plan.
I'm 5'9" so I wouldn't be overly lean at 170. Even in the ideal case of losing only fat, 170 would still leave me with about 15% body fat. That said, I am trying to be careful how I lose it. I'm at 181 as of today. This is the least I've weighed since I was about 19, and I'm 40 now. Keeping weight on has rarely been a problem for me.
Being 40 has made the running a constant battle. It seems like every couple of weeks I've got some new muscle tweak forcing me to take time off from running, but I am comfortably running about 3.5 miles when the legs aren't hurting. Some knee and calf issues also made me decide to cut my strength building program short by a couple of weeks. I now think those issues were related to poor cleat position on new shoes, so I may do another cycle of strength building at some point.
The hill climbing is going well. A local hill that used to kick my butt with a 30x27 gear has been doable this year with a 39x27, so I guess the strength training is paying off. Beyond that, in a couple of weeks I'm moving to a house that sits on the top of a road that gains 200 feet in about 1/4 mile, so doing that five or six days a week should reduce the number of hills that look like run-ups.
All the work associated with buying and selling a house has kept my mileage a bit lower than I would have liked it to be at this point, but I've been getting a solid 100 miles a week. The move, a camping weekend and a week out of the country on business are making the next month look bad, but I think I can mix in some rides during lunch to keep close to plan.
04-03-10, 01:26 AM
#12
Principiante
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 242
Bikes: Masi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Good job Andy and good plan for the season.
I would not worry too much about lifting or running, they can be dangerous at our age and if our body is not used to. I just jog a bit on soft trail (Nike berm) just before cross season start.
Which is the local hill that you ride?
We ride Thomson, Springville or Old Cornerlius at lunch.
I would not worry too much about lifting or running, they can be dangerous at our age and if our body is not used to. I just jog a bit on soft trail (Nike berm) just before cross season start.
Which is the local hill that you ride?
We ride Thomson, Springville or Old Cornerlius at lunch.
04-05-10, 02:09 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,869 Times
in
1,439 Posts
I like Thomson, in a sadistic sort of way, but it's a bit far to go for lunch, leaving from Jones Farm. What's the traffic like around Old Cornelius at lunchtime?
04-08-10, 01:14 AM
#14
Principiante
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 242
Bikes: Masi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Jackson is a good grade, have you tried going right at the top and continue on Mason? It keeps going and going.
Mason from the bottom has a couple of steep grades, they are hard.
Old Cornelius is not very busy and you can continue on Skyline East or West.
A couple of good ones are Logie and Kaiser/Brooks up to Skyline.
Have you tried Pumpkin ridge?, it is a bit far for us so we do it in the summer when there is more time. The road is a bit rough in spots.
It is a great area to ride.
Mason from the bottom has a couple of steep grades, they are hard.
Old Cornelius is not very busy and you can continue on Skyline East or West.
A couple of good ones are Logie and Kaiser/Brooks up to Skyline.
Have you tried Pumpkin ridge?, it is a bit far for us so we do it in the summer when there is more time. The road is a bit rough in spots.
It is a great area to ride.
04-08-10, 12:02 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,869 Times
in
1,439 Posts
Yeah, it is a great area and I've just begun to explore it. I'll have to give the routes you suggested a try. Thanks.
04-27-10, 10:43 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Denver
Posts: 619
Bikes: Road and Mountain
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Awesome plan Andy.
My plan is real simple:
Base - January to July 1st = ride lots. I've been doing about 100-150 a week
Rest - Early July take a week or two off = chillax
Build - July through August slowly increase intensity with intervals, mad intervals end of August
Maintenance - Sept to early Nov race on weekends, train hard on Wednesdays, run a couple times, skills
Build - kick it up a notch in Nov to re-peak for States/nats
Beer - late Dec - January
The point is to peak for the 1st part of the season so I can secure a descent call-up and repeak for States and Nats.
I just don't have the attention span to commit to anything else. I don't have a power meter, and I hate logging my miles so it's best to make things simple. I'm also doing a couple mountain bike races, a road race and tour.
My plan is real simple:
Base - January to July 1st = ride lots. I've been doing about 100-150 a week
Rest - Early July take a week or two off = chillax
Build - July through August slowly increase intensity with intervals, mad intervals end of August
Maintenance - Sept to early Nov race on weekends, train hard on Wednesdays, run a couple times, skills
Build - kick it up a notch in Nov to re-peak for States/nats
Beer - late Dec - January
The point is to peak for the 1st part of the season so I can secure a descent call-up and repeak for States and Nats.
I just don't have the attention span to commit to anything else. I don't have a power meter, and I hate logging my miles so it's best to make things simple. I'm also doing a couple mountain bike races, a road race and tour.
04-27-10, 11:18 AM
#17
.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Posts: 3,981
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Comp, Soma ES
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Jackson is a good grade, have you tried going right at the top and continue on Mason? It keeps going and going.
Mason from the bottom has a couple of steep grades, they are hard.
Old Cornelius is not very busy and you can continue on Skyline East or West.
A couple of good ones are Logie and Kaiser/Brooks up to Skyline.
Have you tried Pumpkin ridge?, it is a bit far for us so we do it in the summer when there is more time. The road is a bit rough in spots.
It is a great area to ride.
Mason from the bottom has a couple of steep grades, they are hard.
Old Cornelius is not very busy and you can continue on Skyline East or West.
A couple of good ones are Logie and Kaiser/Brooks up to Skyline.
Have you tried Pumpkin ridge?, it is a bit far for us so we do it in the summer when there is more time. The road is a bit rough in spots.
It is a great area to ride.
__________________
Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
05-04-10, 12:42 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,869 Times
in
1,439 Posts
No, the June century is the Pioneer. The second half of it is actually flat as can be, but it's got a steep climb up Sawtell Road about 25 miles in that just crushed me the first time I did it.
05-11-10, 10:53 AM
#19
Officially Foul Mouthed
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Raleigh
Posts: 228
Bikes: Ti IF PlanetX, etc.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
just spent 30 minutes on a reply; BF logs me out and tosses my reply when i hit Post Quick reply
05-14-10, 03:53 PM
#20
In the top 42%
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 220
Bikes: Salsa CCC
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So I'm just curious, what's the point of 3+ hour rides when the races (for a cat4 like myself) are 30 mins? I would think it'd be good for burning fat, but anything else?
05-15-10, 02:35 PM
#21
Full Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 201
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I like to do long rides because the weather is nice and I love time on the bike. I figure the "base" fat-burning helps in some ways. To make it relevant i do pedaling drills. High cadence, back and forth, scrape my feet, etc...
05-15-10, 10:09 PM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,869 Times
in
1,439 Posts
Yeah, I do long rides mainly for the love of long rides too. I think the theory is that you're building an aerobic and muscular endurance base. The fitness you develop from short, hard rides is "thin" fitness and you lose it quickly without maintenance. The base building is supposed to raise your long term fitness level.
06-13-10, 10:46 AM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,119
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Check out the table of physiological adaptations and training levels.
Training long and at moderate intensity prepares you for short and intense. The gains you get from short and intense training plateau relatively quickly, while those from long and moderate are incremental and plateau only after years and years.
The long rides should still be difficult. If you're just tooling along and never break a sweat, you aren't going to get much physiological adaptation. They should include significant climbs, easier sections, "power" sections, etc.
06-19-10, 06:47 AM
#25
In the top 42%
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 220
Bikes: Salsa CCC
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks! I'll check this out. If I keep training like this, I'm going to have to change my username!
https://www.freewebs.com/velodynamics...ninglevels.pdf
Check out the table of physiological adaptations and training levels.
Training long and at moderate intensity prepares you for short and intense. The gains you get from short and intense training plateau relatively quickly, while those from long and moderate are incremental and plateau only after years and years.
The long rides should still be difficult. If you're just tooling along and never break a sweat, you aren't going to get much physiological adaptation. They should include significant climbs, easier sections, "power" sections, etc.
Check out the table of physiological adaptations and training levels.
Training long and at moderate intensity prepares you for short and intense. The gains you get from short and intense training plateau relatively quickly, while those from long and moderate are incremental and plateau only after years and years.
The long rides should still be difficult. If you're just tooling along and never break a sweat, you aren't going to get much physiological adaptation. They should include significant climbs, easier sections, "power" sections, etc.
