Tips for getting faster on long rides?
Hello all I want to be able to ride faster. At this point I am able to ride long distances of road quite well. Long distances i
do between one to 2 long rides a week of 100km. With a few shorter distances in between. I am almost at point of able to ride well for the 100km, with no stopping, unless i stop to stretch if leg gets sore. What I want is a plan or formula to work on or training plan to be able to ride faster. Increase my speed overall. I am more of a recreational rider, no plans to race again soon, as i am not fast enough But what would be an ideal plan to work by for increasing my speed for long distances? or just in general, any distances? I ride often in large chain ring on harder gears, less spinning. i am about early 30s male, 175 lbs, so what can you all come up as a solution/ thanks |
Spinning will make you faster.
I ride with some racers. They spin all the time. They say they only use the big ring when racing. |
I found a local club ride where the guys mainly ride as fast as I can or a little faster, and so it's a real challenge to try to keep up, and that gives me a good speed workout.
Otherwise, what seems to help me is getting more miles in and losing weight. Oh, and riding in the drops. |
Originally Posted by worldtraveller
(Post 12846271)
Hello all I want to be able to ride faster. At this point I am able to ride long distances of road quite well. Long distances i
do between one to 2 long rides a week of 100km. With a few shorter distances in between. I am almost at point of able to ride well for the 100km, with no stopping, unless i stop to stretch if leg gets sore. What I want is a plan or formula to work on or training plan to be able to ride faster. Increase my speed overall. I am more of a recreational rider, no plans to race again soon, as i am not fast enough But what would be an ideal plan to work by for increasing my speed for long distances? or just in general, any distances? I ride often in large chain ring on harder gears, less spinning. i am about early 30s male, 175 lbs, so what can you all come up as a solution/ thanks Ride your two long rides a week at a slow pace but extent the distance. Get use to going 120-140 km. Do at least one short ride a week at the fastest pace that you can manage (individual time trial) 20-40 km. Do at least one medium distance ride a week at a fast pace where you go in and out of lactic threshold. Or are riding right at lactic threshold for several minutes at a time. 60-80 km. Train three days then take one day off for rest. Repeat. |
Intervals.
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Two hard rides a week, providing you have a good base and can recover between those rides will make you faster. I would do one 10-15 mile Time Trail and one day of hard climbing or hard intervals. Do not forget an easy recovery ride in between. Another option to ride with a club that is faster than you and try not to get dropped a couple of times a week.
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Originally Posted by Andrey
(Post 12846930)
Two hard rides a week, providing you have a good base and can recover between those rides will make you faster. I would do one 10-15 mile Time Trail and one day of hard climbing or hard intervals. Do not forget an easy recovery ride in between...
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What several folks said - shorter more intense rides, intervals. A few years ago, Bicycling published a "Fast Century" training plan. It's probably still accessible on their site. Basically, 4-week cycle of increasing distance rides on weekends. 2x/week were 1hr interval sessions; short intervals on one day, longer intervals on the other. The long rides build endurance and help you solve any nutrition and fit issues. The intervals get you accustomed to the effort to go faster. Other days are rest/recovery rides/or cross-training as you prefer. You could use the same plan just targeting a shorter long ride distance. Andrey & chewybrian's suggestion summarizies the same idea.
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As far as spinning goes I would add a recovery (flat) ride in small chain ring only for 15-20 miles and cadence about 100-115 rpm. You legs will recover faster from the hard ride before and your spinning will improve. Also compression tights, socks, bandages will help you recover faster between the rides. If you start over-training take a week off or just skip both hard rides for that week.
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so u say ignore the big chain ring and just ride in the smaller one for now on?
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Some good advice above.
Another way to look at it: Most "slow" rides are done too fast and most "fast" rides aren't fast enough. Your "long" rides should be comfortably within your aerobic zone. Can you put out that effort all day long? If not, slow down. Your fast rides, on the other hand, should be an hour or two (max), and you should pretty much kill yourself on them. I've found that I can train harder and more effectively in a group of people who are also trying to kill themselves. I can't ever seem to push myself as hard when I'm riding solo. YMMV. A good, fast group ride will be an interval workout. It'll roll very slowly (when guys recover) or full out. You'll be anaerobic when pulling and you should be getting below AT when you're in the draft (if you're not, you're going to blow up very soon!). Forget about the competitive aspects that some riders will bring to those groups. For them, they might think this thing is a race. For you, stay focused on your goals: it's a workout, nothing more. So who cares if you get dropped or blow up? That's the point here. As a pro mountain biker once said to me (on one of these rides), "If you're not getting dropped, you're not riding hard enough." The last thing you do before you blow to pieces should be to launch an attack! Not for everyone, sure, but I've found doing spirited group rides to be a fun and very effective way to get those twice-a-week interval workouts in. |
Octopus is on the right track. Definitely get in some short, intense rides. Do intervals, hill repeats, fast group rides, or whatever you can.
If you just do long rides at a sustainable pace all the time, you'll get to the point where you're very comfortable in the saddle, but you won't necessarily be getting faster (unless you happen to be losing weight from those rides). You only really need one long ride a week. The rest should be a mixture of recovery and intervals. |
Originally Posted by worldtraveller
(Post 12847724)
so u say ignore the big chain ring and just ride in the smaller one for now on?
|
But what would be an ideal plan to work by for increasing my speed for long distances? The beginning of any plan - starts with a goal. If you really want to improve you'll need to learn the "how and why of training." If getting a book seems too much trouble - then just remember that to get better - you have to ride really fast sometimes and really easy some of the time. If you are at all serious - you need to start recording how your rides go each day. |
First, what is this throw away comment about the leg getting sore?
No advice, no plan, is worth squat unless this sore leg issue is understood. If you don't solve / address the sore leg, and what makes it sore, you wil always be limited by the sore leg. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After you have addressed the above, concentrate on being smooth when cycling, not fast. Learn to relax and be smooth while pedaling will result in less wasted effort, etc., etc., etc.. |
thanks for advice, what is the name of the book and author, i will check it out
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Try The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling, by Burke and Pavelka
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As many have already said: ride less, ride harder.
SP Bend, OR |
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