Originally Posted by
Tavish
This is actually very similar to what i was going to ask. I am:
19yrs
6' 1.5"
148lbs
willing to train from 10-16hrs per week
Ran XC/Track all through high school and freshman year of college putting up 90miles per week
Sub 9:20 2miler.
1 thing, I used to xc mtn bike race from 8-14 competing in Norba races then I had to stop because my dad stopped racing and my mom was petrified that I would get hurt.
How many hours per week should i ride? After a couple months should I follow the cyclist training bible program?
One additional piece of advice from me...don't underestimate the value that long base miles will give you and accept early on that Road Racing is a completely different sport with different tactics and strategies. The only thing that will transfer and help you are bike handling skills, snap from the high torque component of MTB riding, and the mental fortitude/discipline.
I used to race MTB at a high level, took time off from the bike, and then decided to move to road. Last year was my first year road-racing and I finished in the top 3% of racer points (Cat 4/5) for the state of Washington. I realized just how fast I was,
and how I needed to build my muscular endurance if I wanted to be successful at this sport. I was golden if I had matches left for the field sprint, my problem, was that I was inexperienced and burnt what few matches I had too early in races and disadvantaged myself more often than not.
Oh, and, crashing on pavement hurts a lot more than on dirt and in shrubs (minus Blackberry bramble), get ready to accept this and buy some Tegaderm.
http://www.amazon.com/Tegaderm-Trans...f=pd_sim_hpc_1