training on short days

[sbskates]

any tricks for riding intervals outta the saddle etc, that i can get as much of workout as i can when i cant ride my normal 3 + hr day .

[DannoXYZ]

Huh? Out of the saddle would be for sprints and 100% efforts in order to get maximum force and leg-extension out of the quads and hamstrings. But it's very inefficient and you don't work out your aerobic system much compared to the muscles. In-the-saddle intervals would be more helpful. Try 1-2-3-5-3-2-1 minute pyramids. Takes about 1-hour with sufficient recovery down to 60% MHR or so in between each one.

Another good one would be hill-intervals. Find a 0.5-0.75 mile hill. Ride at a steady intensity and pace above LT so that your HR steadily increases and hits MHR at the very top, coast down the back side to recover, turn around and do it again, and again, and again...

[LowCel]

On top of what Danno said you can also do some threshold intervals. 3x15 minutes with a five minute break between each at threshold or 2x20 minutes at threshold. You can do these in a little over an hour (including warm up and cool down).

Another good exercise is put it in a gear that you can only turn about 50 - 60 rpm. Every two minutes sprint for 20 pedal revolutions. Do this for about 20 or 30 minutes.

Another one is 30 second intervals, I did these a couple days ago and they hurt! Warm up well then go 30 seconds all out, 30 second recovery, do ten of these. Recover for five minutes then do another set of ten. This will help you with recoveries.

Also check out Joe Friel's book Cyclist Training Bible. It has a lot of good information in it.

You won't be getting the same workout you would get during your three hour workout, you will be getting a different workout. You should be changing them up anyway so this could end up helping you.