newjunior

This is a bit of a challenge for you geeky types who want a fresh racer to experiment on. I really need a coach for motivation and a bit of structure for my training and I thought maybe someone on the forum would be up to the challenge. I have a Garmin Edge w/ HRM, no power. I am a junior, so expect to see rapid improvements (this is based on everyone saying, "Oh you're a junior you'll get fast, fast". I can put in 8hrs a week on avg. I diet pretty well. Basically I'm looking for someone to give me heart rate zone based workouts and get on my @$$ if I don't stick to it. In return, you get to test your training theories and feel satisfied that you helped a fellow rider improve! Please respond!

hammy56

because the 'geeky types' in the 33 have nothing better to do than try to motivate you...

motivate yourself, and if you want to get faster, ride/race as much as possible.

Jancouver

https://www.usacycling.org/coaches/search.php

TMonk

1) What is your cat
2) How old are you
3) How long have you been riding

Unless you answer all three accordingly, I suggest that you read The Cyclist's Training Bible and learn about these things yourself. Hopefully you will become knowledgeable and subsequently, enthusiastic about developing your own training plan.

FWIW, I still use the LTHR number (and scaled zones) that I obtained from the 30-min Friel method out of the Bible about 5 years ago.

echappist

make a check payable to the collective wisdom of the 33 for $200/month, and we'll coach you.

newjunior

1. Cat 5 almost 4
2. 16, racing age 17
3. 2 years, plus like 4 years recreationally.

hammy56

at your age you shouldnt need help with motivation. See post #2.

Enthalpic

If you really are 16 and want to race keep posting your questions here no matter how much flak you get. Some of us will help support junior development.

mattm

Buy that Training Bible book, it's a pretty good coach.

As for motivation.. if u can't motivate yourself just quit now.

Good luck!

newjunior

Appreciate it
How do I make do with HR? Every damn person I talk to harps about power meter this and FTP that. Can't I just find LTHR from HR?

And what kind of rider am I? is my sprint good? climbing? long endurance? I don't know myself, so its hard to optimize race strategy. I know that you can't tell over the internet, but I'll go out and do some tests if you give me a workout plan.
And if i don't know my weaknesses, I'm never gonna be able to focus my training plan.

I just want someone to tell my my strengths and weaknesses and a few workouts to improve my weaknesses with HRM.
Sorry for the long post.

newjunior

And I guess motivation is the wrong word. I just have a really ****ty training plan right now, no structure just go out and ride until you bust. And I don't see what that is improving. I want someone to tell me "Hey, you sprint like a grandma riding a trike, go fix it. " I go out, motivated to do a set of sprints. Its not motivation so much as lack of focus or goals.

Enthalpic

Of course you can. average last 20min of 30min effort.
new

newjunior

So does new mean a balanced training program? Work a little on cadence, sprint, climb, and endurance?

Enthalpic

Report back with your lthr following the above protocol.

ericm979

Read the Friel book. There is a chapter on figuring out your strengths and weaknesses. The book covers how to address them and how to build a training plan.

There are plenty of books on cycling but if you wanted two that covered what a racer needs to know it'd be Friel, and Prehn's Tactics book.

dnuzzomueller

Get JKS to coach you...

rkwaki

Is this Botto's sock puppet?

rkwaki

I know several pros that don't use power, don't use HRM and don't have a computer on their bike. Their computer is their watch. They ook at the time when they leave and then look at the time when they get back.
You can become strong as a bull without all that technology.

johnybutts

I'm not a pro, but the only thing I use is my phone for strava.

kensuf

I've met him, so no he's real.

carpediemracing 

First you need to realize that racing is part of training. You can't treat every race like it's important. The pros don't try and win every race they enter. They enter them to get experience (at their level usually it's working with staff, other riders, learning who is going well, learn a new course or a stage that will appear later in the year), to get fitness, to get some efforts in.

At the beginning, once you have some group rides under your belt, you should choose to race virtually all the time. Unless you've gotten shelled hard in the last 6-10 races you did then there's no good reason to not race. If you get shelled then you should train after the race. Race race race race race. That's what you need to do. Look around, see what the others are doing.

In Holland there are 10 races a week in a 10 mile radius, on I think 4 dedicated courses. Around here I'll race Sunday, Tuesday. I want to race Wednesday also, and I'll try to race Saturday. For training on a 4 race week I'll warm up for 30 minutes before the first race day - no other training needed. I do intervals and such during the race.

Also, unless you can run a 4:30 mile, you may be better off doing the Category races, i.e. with the "old people". Junior races are basically Cat 1-2 races. Around here there was a Junior that won everything for a few years, it made the races really unpleasant for everyone else. He is racing for Jelly Belly this year, his 2nd year as a Senior I think. If you entered a Junior race around here you'd have had to race against him. If you entered the Cat 5s/4s you'd race against normal people.

For "what type of rider you are" it's you that answers that question. If you accidentally start dropping people without meaning to, on hills or on flat roads or in sprints, that's your answer. Seriously when this kind of thing happens you'll question if you were trying and no one else was trying, maybe no one was sprinting for the town line sign, maybe it was wasn't the last lap of the race. A sign that you have talent: you feel guilty for riding too hard when no one else was riding hard. The thing is that at some point you'll realize that everyone really was riding hard - you just annihilated them by accident. If you don't have these "accidental win" experiences then you probably shouldn't think about focusing on one aspect of your racing.

For now just follow the old Eddy B schedule:
Mon: easy/rest
Tues: sprint intervals (up to 60 seconds each, 3-10 sprints) or Tues Night training race (if there is one)
Wed: longer ride, whatever a long ride is for you (for me I'm tired after 2-2.5 hours)
Thu: 3-5 minute intervals, usually hill work, 3-5 intervals.
Fri: easy (if racing Sat)/rest (if racing Sun only)
Sat: Race/Easy(if racing Sun only)
Sun: Race

That's all you need. You don't need any more than that. If you have a smart phone or Garmin then use Strava just to track your own stuff, like your favorite loop etc. I use Strava because when I train I basically do a 15 mile loop. My times vary by 20 minutes (45-65 minutes). I know I'm good if I accidentally do a 45 minute time. I know I'm not good when I'm doing 65 minute times. It gives me a range. What really counts is how I am the next time I race.

If you can't find motivation then you should either stop or realize that it's not all about just training. I've ridden 4 times this month, the last time was almost 2 weeks ago. I'm racing Sunday. It'll be fine because racing is training.

island rider

Yeah, but you will never know how weak you are. It takes a power meter to really know that you are so far below the bottom of the Coogan Wattts/kg scale that you would be off the page. Tell me technology doesn't have it's utility.

rkwaki

Well I became a Cat 1 with nothing but downtube shifters.

How can I learn how weak I am? Well if I am in a race and I lose in a sprint then I need to work on my sprint. If I get dropped on every climb then I need to work on climbing.

I'm not saying that it doesn't have it's utility, it does, but it isn't a requirement. If on a limited budget choose race fees and consumables (tires, hotels, etc) if you want to be a racer.

I learned about my body and it's capabilities and limitations years ago, technology cannot teach you that. My riding reflects my strengths and weaknesses.
I have had both an SRM and Powertap. If given the choice I'll take more wheels.
I have done TTs with nothing other than a bike, no computer, no HRM, no power just the internal cadence counting of whatever gear I can push at 90 rpm.

You want to learn your weakness - ride with stronger riders.

island rider

...um kidding... But I see no reason to disagree with anything you said there.

rkwaki

Sorry, apparently I have not had my sense of humor pill today.
I apologize to the 33 for responding like I am in the 41. Won't happen again