Road Cycling - Part 2 - The Beginnings - Goals & Base Mileage

Part 2 – The Beginnings – Goals & Base Mileage

Before we get into base mileage, we need to look at your next season goals. Do you want to ride a certain time in your local time trial? Do you want to finish that century faster? Goals are the final result of your training. Training acts as a road map, and your goals act as your final arrival point. Most people will say that you should base your goals on standards that can be easily measured, which I’ll call performance goals. In other words, you should not base your goals upon results you want to achieve in a certain ride or race. Personally, I disagree with this theory. I think it is important to put your focus into results you want to achieve, also. Without picking out races or rides you want to excel in, you will not know what you need to work on. For instance, lets say your goal is to win the state road time trial championship. You need to choose workouts and training sessions that will help you with aspects of riding a time trial. Another example: if you think that you need to work on your sprinting speed, you might put a lot of effort into it, but what will you use your extra speed for? Why is it important to you? If you have a result goal to go along with your performance goal, you can say that, “I want more sprinting speed, so I can win my favorite local criterium.” You need to have a performance goal as well as a result goal complimenting it.


The first part of the winter season can be the hardest for some, and the easiest for others. These early winter months mean that we need to get some base mileage in. By getting some good miles in the saddle now, we will be in shape for the high intensity or speed work to come in the later winter months. Base mileage is your foundation for your winter in the saddle, and the season to come.

The way to gain base mileage in your legs is probably the simplest of all training. Ride! Base mileage should be attained in rides that are fairly long, with low intensity. If you go too hard during this phase, your reserves will be worn out, and you will be cooked by March.

So, what is your program? Start out easy. Depending on what level of fitness you are, or how much you normally ride, your hours will vary. Whatever amount of time you start with, try increasing it by 1-3 hours each week, taking it easy the fourth week, and doing it for the next 8 weeks. That is correct. Spend eight weeks in the base phase. Lets say you start with 10 hours a week. You will ride 10 hours the first week, 12 hours the second week, 14 hours the third week, then take it back down to 12 hours. You will then repeat 12, 14, 16, and back down to 14. Then you will be ready to change your program out of the base phase.

This is the time of season to take your time, think about your plans, and start your program toward achieving them. Get out there and ride!

Thanks, Velo! I don't know if you saw my post in T&N (Conditioning in the off-season (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17253)), or if you just read my mind. Good timing.

I didn't read your post actually. I'll have to check that out, later. I'm going to be posting articles all winter long about training, though. This is the second part (1st one is in the racing forum, but I decided to relocate here). Hope they help you. :)

ah ha! Thanks velo!!!

Velo, what you say makes absolute sense and I have read similar things in other places tooSetting goals is of great importance, but it can be hard for one who has not raced before and is trying to train to get into it. Time trail goals can be set, but it is hard to know if they are reasonable. Is there any advice that you can provide?

Velo,

That is great stuff... I fully agree with getting the base miles in.. I just started back riding in the late spring, after about a 10 year hiatus... it took me most of the summer to get back into decent cycling shape.. I'm still not that fast... I can average about 16-18 mph for a 2 hour ride (still not quite fast enough for the group rides around town, the "Old Man" street ride here was avg. about 20-21, adn dropped my like a rock) But since I live in SoCal, I've been getting out during the weekends and trying to get some gym time in, either in a spin class, or just on the crappy gym bikes... hopefully getting a trainer at xmas time.. can't wait for next season now... my goal is just to keep up with the Group and finish the 35 mile ride... it's not the distance that gets me, jsut the speed... thanks again for the posts... I'll look forward to reading more

Thanks

Jeff

Thanks, but it might have been a little too late for me. Being very eager to be good, I did overtrain. Till now, I'm still trying to recover and taking it very easy as I do not wish to overtrain again. Luckily, I have a HRM now and won't overtrain because I listen to my HRM a little too much. I'm also building up my mileage right now before I start to install more speed.

Originally posted by Spire
Time trail goals can be set, but it is hard to know if they are reasonable. Is there any advice that you can provide?

Experiement. Go out and try a time trial, or whatever else you'd like to work on. See what you can do. If you have the information of what you can do, then you should be able to set a reasonable goal by looking at the data you gathered.

It takes time, but you can gather the info., analyze it, and set a good goal.

Velo, would someone like yourself do more hours than what you have posted here?

Originally posted by fubar5
Velo, would someone like yourself do more hours than what you have posted here?

Well...the hours vary a lot. It depends when your season goals are, also. My personal goals fall in the mid-summer. So, my riding time right now is about 11 hours, plus other activites (weight training & plyometric training). It won't increase until a little later since I don't want to peak in the spring.

And, also, you have to remember that personally, I'm not training for major road races. But, I am training for major track races, which don't require as much base mileage as it does other types of riding. If I was training for major road racing, my base mileage would be greater, and my time in the other activities, less.

velo



P.S. - Weight training and plyometric training will be coming up soon

Do I want to peak in the spring since I am going to do road racing? I've got to do at least ten races, my plan is to move up a category(It takes ten mass starts to go from 5 to 4), but more than ten would be great. I did a couple criteriums (non USCF, they were local stuff) and it was a friggin blast. The competition and pain is stuff to live for..:rolleyes:

Hey Velo,

thanks for the tips.

What is the reasoning behind the easy week #4? Is it just a general burn-out prevention or is there something physiologically important about it (i.e. what is that)?

By the way, when you say "major track events," do you have Worlds in the back of your mind? (I read, with much enjoyment, your Nationals reports.)

Cheers,
Jamie

fubar,

When are those 10 races in the season? If they're all around the same time, that is when you want to peak. So, if they're not in the spring, then your peak obviously won't be in the spring. If the races are spread out, then you will have to try to maintain close to max fitness through the time period.

(I'm glad to hear you want to become a 4!)



jmlee,

The easy week four is sort of a safe guard against burning out, yes. Physically, it's smart to take a short break after a while. Your muscles (and mind) need time for recovery. The 4th week is very convenient in an 8 week plan; its right in the middle.

Worlds are slowly coming from the back of my mind smack to the front. This season, I am still a year to young to qualify, but I am preparing, now. In the U.S., you can ride up to the 17-18 (world qualifying age) group in timed events if you are 16. So, I plan on doing that in the pursuit this year. Maybe some others for the heck of it, but the pursuit is my focus. If I can win it this year, it will almost guarantee my spot on the team the following year, when I will be old enough.

i am confused here. it is nov 12th and the weather is absolutely delightful. it was 55 degrees and sunny here today and i worked a 1/2 day and went for a ride. my point is: i am having some of my more productive rides of the year now. my rides are all essentially intervals since they are rolling hills with some level riding. today i avg'ed 18.6 mph over 34 miles, with some wind.

so my question is: since i want to milk this season for everything its worth and i am in the upper midwest of usa, when does my 'winter training' begin? is it a prescribed 3 month interval? can i keep my riding schedule but not exceed 70% HR max on any ride?

p.s. my goal: keep up with local A club rides. i am barely keeping up and getting dusted when the speeds pick up after 25-30 miles and i am cashed.

So, fellow die-hards, what is your goal?

I'm a diesel, and really need to develop a sprint, but for now it's to hold 30mph for 2 minutes on a reasonably flat road, calm winds, no drafting. I think I can get there early next spring... not even going to try until base is over (January), then I'll pick my next target.

:irritated - not irritated... focused and red from exertion!

Jeez.. I'd be happy to hit 30 on a flat... the fastest I've been on a flat is about 25.. and I couldn;t only keep it a few seconds... my main goal for next year is to right the "Old man Como Street" ride near my house.. it is about 35 miles, a few hills and the "old guys" do it at about 22-25 mph... I got dropped in the first 5 miles.... I need to work on my high speed endurance... get it up, and keep it up... my only excuse this year, is that it was my first year riding a lot since I was 16.. I'm 27 now, so spent most of the summer building base miles up... now it;s time to train togo faster and longer... just not sure of the regimen to do this... any ideas anyone ?

Jeff

Originally posted by RiPHRaPH
so my question is: since i want to milk this season for everything its worth and i am in the upper midwest of usa, when does my 'winter training' begin? is it a prescribed 3 month interval? can i keep my riding schedule but not exceed 70% HR max on any ride?


Again, when do your goals occur? It's usual to have 3-5 full months of "winter" type training. That means, not 100% all the time, trying to keep your fitness at a reasonable level. If you still feel good at this time of the year, keep it going. Just push your "winter" training more into the spring if you feel you need to.

They are spread out velo, besides, I want to race all season like Merckx. I don't want to be a pansy racer who shows up for what he needs and then calls it quits for the year.

Well then, fubar, you're in for some long training periods. :)

did you ever go on that training ride with a group and you think that you are doing a good job of hanging with the group (avg'ing ~20mph with stoplights, etc) and 25-30 miles in the group gets really quiet and you realize that in a few seconds you are going to be dropped hard because they still had a reserve and you are toast and get dropped like you are standing still....

i need that reserve.

how/when can you train for that?

Originally posted by velo
Well then, fubar, you're in for some long training periods. :)

That's cool. Have you ever seen/used PC coach?

Originally posted by RiPHRaPH
and 25-30 miles in the group gets really quiet and you realize that in a few seconds you are going to be dropped hard because they still had a reserve and you are toast and get dropped like you are standing still....

i need that reserve.

how/when can you train for that?

Oh yeah, been there, done that. :( You need the ability to kick it up a notch from semi-comfortably cruising to an all out effort. You need to practice riding just below your lactic threshold, or your max. heart rate (the point just before you're going to blow up). Basically, training a lot at this point helps the most. There's really no way around it. Do some trainer time trials, road time trials, or sit behind someone who is a bit faster than you. Start with short periods of time, and build them up. You can research some good specifics for this. Just keep trying those hard rides! You'll get there.



fubar,

I've seen the advertisements for PC coach. I've never seen it used, or used it myself. I've never had a use for computer software; I have real live people to push me harder. You take what you can get, though. Are you planning on using it, or all you already?


velo

Originally posted by velo


fubar,

I've seen the advertisements for PC coach. I've never seen it used, or used it myself. I've never had a use for computer software; I have real live people to push me harder. You take what you can get, though. Are you planning on using it, or all you already?


velo

Well, I've got it. But after setting up a training program it doesn't tell me to ride anywhere near what you have said, it puts me in the weight room alot more. Plus it has cross-training (running I guess). The weights I don't mind, the cross training is so so, and the lack of time is a problem for me. I think I'll continue with what I'm doing now until January(that when 10 weeks since I started is up) and then plug in a training program. What do you think? Should I stick with the PC Coach program or do my idea?

I don't want to cut any corners with training.

Originally posted by fubar5
What do you think? Should I stick with the PC Coach program or do my idea?

I don't want to cut any corners with training.

How often does it put you in the weight room? Two, three days a week? That is a good number. Even 1 would be okay, since you mentioned you have a time issue. If it's anymore than that, drop the PC and do your program with more riding involved. The same with the cross-training. If it takes too much time, cut it out and ride more. You'll benefit from it more.

velo

It has me in the weight room 3 days a week, cross training 2 days, and riding 4.

Actually, the reduced riding time might not be so bad. 13 hours of school, 14 hours of riding, trying to work as much as possible, plus my duties around the house make for late nights and early mornings.

I made some adjustments to the information I plugged in and it has a better prgram setup now. I may try it and see what happens.

Originally posted by fubar5
I may try it and see what happens.

That program seems okay. Like I said, you might want to cut back on the weights & cross-training if you want. Let me know how it's going.