LongT

Just wondering. I tend to just follow how I feel. If I feel good I go a bit harder. If I feel crappy I just cruise.

I have tried to start using some structure as I am preparing for the MS City to Shore 150 ride from Cherry Hill NJ to Ocean City NJ, 75 miles each way.

Bill

bigfred 

Flawed poll. Failure to define how you would like to use the word "structured" and no option for "regularly" or "weekly" as part of a structured training program.

I get 3-4 rides in per week.

Thursday is structured intervals usually on the trainer using Sufferfest.

Saturday is a local group ride of 2:30-4:30 in duration (65-120km).

Sunday may be a club ride or a ride with Mrs. Fred.

Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday I get another ride in. If solo it will usually be hill repeats. Or, it may be a Tuesday morning group ride or Wednesday evening group.

I've not been doing a very good job lately of following my intended structure for my training program as a whole. Which would include gradually increasing distance and intensity over a three week period and then a recovery week of reduced total fatigue. After every third such cycle I would then anticipate an extended recovery of 2-3 weeks.

IBOHUNT

I go out with a plan on every ride (Thanks Chasm).
It may not be as 'structured' as some plans however there is a plan - could be hill repeats (sit and spin or out of the saddle) , muscle tension (slow cadence/high output focusing on pedal stroke and engaging all of the leg muscles), High cadence rides (no big ring), VO2 max intervals with various 'duty' cycles and a recovery ride.

Once every 8 weeks there was an FTP test to determine my new numbers to go by. Had my first one after the accident last night. Painful.

Jarrett2

What is a structured ride? I do 15 miles a day. Thinking about upping that to 18.5 miles a day. Then on the weekends I do 20+ mile rides since I have more time. Is that a decent plan or is there a better way to go about it?

bbeasley

Every ride has a fitness goal. Well that's back when I could actually ride a bike, being off sucks!

jsigone

I like to ride fast in general, but hate intervals. For that type of workout I grab my singlespeed MTB and head for the hills. Same thing accomplished but having more fun at it.

Chitown_Mike

I should probably make my rides more structured. Usually the only structure is the time in which I have to workout in, and the distance I want to conquer. That means I do a 5-10 minute warm up and then know what my average has to be to get done in time.

However when I solo ride the MUP by me there are a few places I intentionally do sprints on, and on those days I go all out, same thing with a few of the bridges/inclines I go over. However those sprints are spread out so between them I make sure I go hard when I am on a training ride.

Otherwise I take it to the streets! Werd, dawg!

But seriously, in Chicago the amount of stop lights and stop signs is ridiculous, UNLESS you want to get some interval training in. I offhandedly made a comment about that to someone and realized it would be a good idea, so when it is late at night I will make my way into downtown Chicago and either spring to make lights, or sprint coming off them.

Or drafts a bus to work on higher speed/high RPM cadence.

DX-MAN

For the wags who responded here, a 'structured' ride is simply one that's about more than fun or getting from A to B; it may include specific mileage, intervals, a particular cadence, hill-climb training, etc. -- any or all of these. But if the ride is for a specific fitness-related purpose, over and above the fun or transport values, then it can be classified as 'structured'. Come on, if you need that explained, you need to shut off the computer and go ride -- just for fun this time, no 'structure'.

Black wallnut 

Every ride I do starts out with a plan, usually just the route I will take. Rarely do I plan a ride based on effort or workout goals. Often though I will try for an improvement in a Strava segment. Even then sometimes I will start a climb and not "feel it" part way up and abandon my hopes for a pr and drop gears and just spin to the top rather than sprint. I watch my speed and at speeds less than 20 I try to stay in the small ring with the thought that I will be improving my cadence.

Mostly I just ride; free my mind and let my guns free! Rule#6

MikeRides

I started out just riding from point A to B, not caring how long it takes me but recently I realized riding slow isn't doing much for the fitness which is part of the reason why I ride. So I'm working on improving my cadence now, spinning more than mashing and increasing my speeds. The roads I usually ride on have a bunch of rolling hills and a couple ~10% grades, so I even get some minor hill training thrown in I guess. I feel relaxed when I ride, so some days I just ride not caring what my speedometer says.

CommuteCommando

Occasionally. On some rides I consciously work at interval training, usually using set distances and landmarks (traffic signals-duh) instead of time. I usually have a plan as far as route goes, though how hard I hit it depends on how I feel after warming up for a few miles.

LongT

Part of the reason I set up the poll is because I never did one before. As soon as I posted it I knew it wasn't very good. I was a little bored at work and didn't think enough about it! Oh well.

Bill

LongT

Sorry. I mean set routines like intervals and recovery repeatedly, time trial where you push as hard as you can. Do these on set days.

LongT

Yeah what he said!

Thanks that is exactly what I meant.

Bill

Pamestique 

Never for me... I just ride; my only plan is generally point A to B nothing more... I have been known to veer off to look at something "shiny"...

CraigB

More than occasionally, but less than every ride.

cyclokitty 

I don't have a structured plan on my rides other than if the ride is to a particular destination. My rides are mostly along the lines of "I wonder where this road/trail goes?".

steve0257

What's a training ride? I just get on the bike and ride. I'm not training for anything.