Training & Nutrition - Taking LSD as part of training

I train Hard and I am afraid I occasionally overdo the training. This is when I find that I have to take a change in routine and resort to LSD. One training session with this regime and I am on the road to recovery..LSD? by the way--a Long Slow Day. This means that instead of going for a 3 hour blast round the forest trying to out do the 30 year olds. I go for a 4 or 5 hour ride at a far slower pace, lose the more drastic hills and have time to look at the scenery that is so enjoyable in my part of the world.

One session of this, and I find the legs have improved, heart rate drops, brain gets together, and I can stay with the youngsters for the next ride.

I'm sort of the opposite from you. Most of my riding is LSD with the occasional Lance Armstrong fantasy blast. Not recommending my style Just observing that the great thing about the bike is that one can enjoy it on so many different terms.

I train Hard and I am afraid I occasionally overdo the training. This is when I find that I have to take a change in routine and resort to LSD. One training session with this regime and I am on the road to recovery..LSD? by the way--a Long Slow Day. This means that instead of going for a 3 hour blast round the forest trying to out do the 30 year olds. I go for a 4 or 5 hour ride at a far slower pace, lose the more drastic hills and have time to look at the scenery that is so enjoyable in my part of the world.

One session of this, and I find the legs have improved, heart rate drops, brain gets together, and I can stay with the youngsters for the next ride.

Intellectually, I know how important LSD is, I just cannot seem to slow myself down. Today, I decided to be a good boy and basically spin. We had a nice little pace line set up at about 24 mph. We entered the sprint zone, and no one went. Suddenly, a guy on a tri bike comes blasting by. Like a greyhound and a rabbit, I was on his wheel, and then of course I had to blow by him, and hold my speed until the end of the sprint zone. I am really tired today, but tomorrow I ride with the fast group, so there will be no rest for the weary.

I just got a look at some sample workouts from the software PC Coach, and candidly, I don't think I can train as slow as some of the workouts recommended.

When I was a competitive runner, I trained very fast, and often trained twice a day. I was always philosophically arguing with the LSD guys (Long Slow Distance in runner's parlance). Although I got sick more than I should have from taking it over the edge to often, I would kill them on race day.

Although I am 65, I am very keen on racing. On the 7th and 8th of May, I have two time trials and two road races scheduled within 24 hours. I guess I am just too driven and too competitive. Cycling seems to be no where near the stress of hard running fortunately, and I never seem to get sick as I did with running.

Someday perhaps I will be able to force myself to do some leisurely rides.

Wow, I had a much different idea of what this thread was going to be about...

And here I was thinking of Lake Shore Drive. ;)

LSD (aka Lake Shore Drive, aka lysergic acid diethylamide, aka Long Slow Distance) is actually Long STEADY distance. I don't know why people call it long slow distance, except they must think you just have to go slower for a long distance. The idea is to be able to ride at a consistent pace over a long distance. Hopefully, you'll be able to build up your speed while still maintaining an aerobic (or near aerobic if you're working on tempo training for racing and stuff) heart rate.

Koffee

I just got a look at some sample workouts from the software PC Coach, and candidly, I don't think I can train as slow as some of the workouts recommended.

It is tough to go that slow or with that low of a heart beat. I was using PC Coach to help me prepare for a half marathon back in 1999 and on several of the long runs I actually had to walk to keep my HR in the proper zone.


Someday perhaps I will be able to force myself to do some leisurely rides.

Find someone to ride with that's slower than you and use those days for long steady distance.

This means that instead of going for a 3 hour blast round the forest trying to out do the 30 year olds.
Dude, you just made this thirtysomething's day. Thanks for that. :)

And here I was thinking of Lake Shore Drive. ;)

I thought this was going to be about Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

Every time I plan a LSD ride (which for me would be right around 65-70% MHR, I guess) I am foiled by one of two things. Either my saddle is uncomfortable (last five rides have been on a too-narrow seat) which cuts me off short of "long" (I'm in agony by 2 hours at the longest); or I am feeling my oats or riding with a partner who's much stronger than I, causing me to sprint all the hills and ride hard on the flats at an average of ~85% MHR which doesn't really bring the "steady" into play either. :P

Blah, I thought this thread was going to be about The LSD.

or I am feeling my oats or riding with a partner who's much stronger than I, causing me to sprint all the hills and ride hard on the flats at an average of ~85% MHR which doesn't really bring the "steady" into play either. :P

It's for this very reason that I prefer to do my LSD rides solo. Hopefully you'll find a saddle that works better for you.

On LSD days I ride with no one... (except my sister). It is hard to keep a lower constant aerobic pace with someone because it always turns in to a sprint.


Intellectually, I know how important LSD is, I just cannot seem to slow myself down. Today, I decided to be a good boy and basically spin. We had a nice little pace line set up at about 24 mph. We entered the sprint zone, and no one went. Suddenly, a guy on a tri bike comes blasting by. Like a greyhound and a rabbit, I was on his wheel, and then of course I had to blow by him, and hold my speed until the end of the sprint zone. I am really tired today, but tomorrow I ride with the fast group, so there will be no rest for the weary.

For a second there I thought that I read that you were doing 24 MPH solo as a aerobic ride :eek: . second time through a read 24 MPH pace line. That would be much better because your average is probably less than that and on flat roads 24 MPH is not too bad, a little fast for a LSD for me though.

LSD training helps you to learn how to pace yourself. that has been one of the most difficult things for me to learn. but now, when i head out i tend to think more about the last 20 miles than i do about the first 20.

I tried LSD but my bike kept melting.

Seriously...does anyone have suggestions for me? I have trouble maintaining the self-discipline for steady speed. I always want to go faster at some point (usually about 2 minutes into the ride). How do you hold yourself back? Also, I live in the middle of the city. How do you all ride steady when road and traffic conditions keep changing? Do you only do this on country roads? I have to do at least one hour of a three hour ride in town, just to get to the country.

Roody: Force yourself to ride in the small chain ring.

If you need one of them there Limited Slip Differentials for your training ride, then I would suggest that you head on over to the mountain biking board.

Mark

Get a coach. Someone that knows the benefits of LSD will be able to beat you back down if you just can't figure out in your mind why LSD is important to work with.

Koffee

It's for this very reason that I prefer to do my LSD rides solo. Hopefully you'll find a saddle that works better for you.

Thanks, I've got one on its way that I've got high hopes for.

I need to stop telling my bike-racer friends where and when I'm riding, so they won't hang out with me and challenge me. ;) Not that I really feel that I need to be putting in long base miles at this point. I like a little fartlek in my rides. :D

Thanks for the suggestions. I never head of limited slip differentials for bikes (But I do notice the initials and wonder if this is a snipe hunt) but I will research it a bit.

I will try again with sticking to the small chain ring, but if my legs are moving fast, does that count as LSD?

One more question. Is there any physiological advantage to cycling for LSD? Would it be plausible to walk when I want to go slow and ride when I want to go fast?

Again, it's not long SLOW distance. It's long STEADY distance. You can totally keep up a good speed while doing the longer rides. Hopefully, if you've trained correctly, you'll be aerobic during the rides, just riding faster.

Look at the pros- they'll ride 6 hours continuously riding at a fast, steady pace. They didn't get to do this by riding a 2 hour fartlek.

You want to go fast? Train for it. But realize, this takes YEARS. You have to train consistently and smart, and over time, your long steady rides can top 25 miles per hour over hours at a time. But it won't come from a year or two of riding like this- it takes time. The problem is, there aren't that many people that want to take the time. They want the results NOW, and if they don't see it, they just move on to the next gimmick or trick they've read about to see if they can get to the point they were already on their way to achieving before they decided to give up.

Koffee