Originally Posted by
milmo
Allegheny, AZ thanks for the replies. As a newbie I'm trying to figure out a cycling plan to get me in shape first for some late April through early June races, then again for a Columbus Day race. There'll be one or two in between but those wouldn't be "A" races.
Allegheny, I'm in awe at your college running accomplishments. I started running at 30 and continued through my mid 40s. I eventually figured out a yearly progression that worked for me, but it was sort of the opposite of what most people who write on cycling, like Joe Friel, recommend. I focused on short races first, doing just enough distance to handle the fast tempo runs and intervals necessary to train for 1 to 5 mile races, then around July I started to stretch that speed out for half marathons and a marathon. Even though it's now been a while since I was a runner it's hard for me to the "get fast then get long" template out of my mind when I think about the bike. It just seems natural to do a couple hard workouts a week even though it's only early winter.
I'm indoors almost exclusively since I'm in Massachussets. In general I'm doing one longish z5a session, at LT HR for 50 to 60 minutes straight; one interval set that at points gets to z5b (in the Joe Friel/Gale Bernhardt nomenclature); and one longish z3 workout, now at about 2 to 2.5 hours each week. The other days are z1/z2 recovery at an hour or less. I do a couple weeks like that then take an easier week with maybe one hard session, maybe none, then start the three week cycle again. Each cycle the z3 day gets a little longer as do some of the z1/z2 days and I try to get the over the ground speed of the long z5a day up just a bit while keeping HR at LT, but that doesn't always work.
If I understand your lactate tempo effort you're going 12 minutes straight, no interval, building to 60 seconds at 120rpm. Yeah, I can see that's a bit intense in least few minutes. That's the kind of "base building" that makes sense to me.
Thanks again to both of you, and if our zone designations aren't in sync please let me know.
My event in college was the decathlon with the longest event taking around 4.5 minutes. Bicycle racing is much different since there is no resting between events which is why we need to train differently. In a crit I may have to do 10 to 20 really hard efforts over the 45 minute race then let it all out out in the sprint. Compared to running a crit is a 10K run at tempo with attacks that you must respond to then save enough of yourself to be able to run an all out 300m to the finish. Training for cycling races needs to take into account the type of racing you will do. For me it's crits, circuit races and road races.
Your workouts seem a little heavy on the hard stuff for this early in your season. I don't see any technique work in your schedule. Here is my workout for this week the first week in the newest cycle:
Monday, 1-3: AM: Bike – Rollers. WU in the little ring for 15 min to a low Z3 HR, this by dropping down a cog every 3-5 min and holding the same cadence. Main set is a long OG where you’re holding great form with NO bobbing or weaving from side to side. Do this OG for 45 min solid, changing hand positions from tops, hoods, drops and no handed. When no handed try to remain nice and still. You can even hold your hands behind your back like a speed skater. Do several min per hand position. WD 15 min doing the reverse of the WU. Resistance – Group 1.
Tuesday, 1-4: Bike – Outside for 2 hrs total. Main set is 1:25 hrs Z3 CT smooth and steady. The rest is Z2 WU and WD. Resistance – Group 2.
Wednesday, 1-5: Resistance – Group 3. Bike – Excel In Cycling indoor class.
Thursday, 1-6: Resistance – Group 4.
Friday, 1-7: Bike – Rollers same as Mon.
Saturday, 1-8: Bike – Choice: EIC indoors
.
Sunday, 1-9: Bike – Outside on X or Mt bike for 2.5 hrs total all HC at 95-110rpm.
You got it right that the Lactate tempo drill is 12 minutes. At first you may not be able to go all the way through. Our class started out only going to 20/40 then adding 5 more seconds to the 120 rpm side each class.