Need Training Suggestions to Develop Specific Skill
08-08-09, 08:54 AM
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Need Training Suggestions to Develop Specific Skill
Greetings all - I have been riding off and, on, about 3K miles per year or so, for the past 3-4 years. Occasional races. Age = 41. This year I have been training regularly since about March, averaging about 500-600 miles per month. Racing regularly, Category 4. Most training to date has been base/LSD and tempo rides when I'm alone, hard group rides on the weekend. Within the past 6-8 weeks have started doing 3-5 minute intervals and occasional sprints.
Anyway, on the weekend group rides with my club, I am able to keep up with the Cat 2s doing the 28-30 MPH pacelines, doing some pulls, sprinting out of corners, and chasing down some gaps at 32+ MPH. However, I can only keep this up for about 30-40 minutes...then I pretty much blow, riding tempo on my own for the rest of the ride as legs just shut down. I can't keep it up for the 2 hours or so that the higher racers can.
So, it appears I need more "power endurance" for lack of a better word...being able to keep that tempo longer without blowing. Anyone have any recs for workouts to develop this? Is it more tempo riding at 80% Max HR? Longer base rides? Is it just increasing the number of intervals I'm doing? Is it just time in the saddle (i.e., will it just come with more years of riding)?
By the way, I train with HR and don't have any power equipment.
Thanks for any input.
Anyway, on the weekend group rides with my club, I am able to keep up with the Cat 2s doing the 28-30 MPH pacelines, doing some pulls, sprinting out of corners, and chasing down some gaps at 32+ MPH. However, I can only keep this up for about 30-40 minutes...then I pretty much blow, riding tempo on my own for the rest of the ride as legs just shut down. I can't keep it up for the 2 hours or so that the higher racers can.
So, it appears I need more "power endurance" for lack of a better word...being able to keep that tempo longer without blowing. Anyone have any recs for workouts to develop this? Is it more tempo riding at 80% Max HR? Longer base rides? Is it just increasing the number of intervals I'm doing? Is it just time in the saddle (i.e., will it just come with more years of riding)?
By the way, I train with HR and don't have any power equipment.
Thanks for any input.
Last edited by teetopkram; 08-08-09 at 09:07 AM.
08-08-09, 11:20 AM
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Keep in mind I know nothing, but more tempo is likely not your answer.
Where does the pain really come in? Do the sprints kill you? Chasing down the gap at 32mph? Is it just the pace?
Sound like you aren't doing badly. Probably the best training for this ride is the ride itself. Just keep pushing yourself to stay in contact for a longer period of time each ride.
I would also figure out what really does you in and focus on that.
Keep up the good work.
Richard
Where does the pain really come in? Do the sprints kill you? Chasing down the gap at 32mph? Is it just the pace?
Sound like you aren't doing badly. Probably the best training for this ride is the ride itself. Just keep pushing yourself to stay in contact for a longer period of time each ride.
I would also figure out what really does you in and focus on that.
Keep up the good work.
Richard
