Originally Posted by
revcp
I started bike commuting again about a year-and-a-half ago. I got back to it for three reasons: 1) I needed to slow down in general and on my bike in particular. I felt like I was flying through life without seeing things and bike commuting was a way to dial things back and look around. 2) There were too many times when I would go 2 or 3 weeks between rides, so I was always kind of falling out of shape and having to catch up. 3) I had started tinking with older bikes and was developing a stable that I wanted to ride regularly (my commuter is a baby blue powdercoated 1991 Stumpjumper, with only the seatpost and seatpost binder remaining from the original bike, with Soma Sparrow bars, platform pedals, dynohub with front and rear lights, rack, etc., etc.). It's been great.
So, I've ridden much more since I started bike commuting again, mixing in road rides with my go fast and my tourer, singletrack with various MTBs and my fatbike, and winter riding with the fattie. My fitness is good, but not topflight, and I haven't had the time to put in a lot of road miles. I have a January cycling event coming up, however, so a few weeks ago I decided to lengthen my commute and go harder (from about a 12.5 mph average to 17.5 or so). I miss the easy cruising, but this is really helping. I'm curious how many of you occasionally use commuting as a way of ramping up the fitness before a race.
I actually started commuting in order to train. I was preparing for a triathlon and scheduled my rides after work. But I was finding it too easy to blow off after a long day at work, then ride the bus home, get changed, get out the bike, etc. I figured that if I had my bike with me at the end of work, I would have no excuse, I would have my bike and I could do my training session and get myself home all in one shot. I would ride to work in my normal office clothes and bring my shorts and jersey in a backpack. Worked great, no longer skipped the training rides, and discovered that I preferred riding to work over riding the bus or driving. So I kept bike commuting.
Since then, I've switched from triathlon to road racing and continue to incorporate commuting into training. Or incorporate training into commuting. Whatever, it doesn't matter. You have to get yourself to work and back AND you need to get in a certain amount of training time so it makes all the sense in the world to combine the two. I know lots of racers who do the same. A former teammate is a district TT champ. He will occasionally commute on his TT bike just to get time in the saddle on that bike.
My typical week:
M: FTP ride. I drop my bag at the office and meet my training partner at the trail. 2x30'. Ride back to the office, hop in the shower, dress, and at my desk by 8:40
T: VO2max or neuromuscular. These are short and hard; the entire workout is less than 60' so I can usually get them done at lunch or on the ride home. I bring my shorts and jersey in my backpack.
W: Same as Monday
T: Tempo or group ride. Tonight is the Airport Ride and I'll try to make that, catch the group at 6, do the ride, ride home.
F: Recovery day, just an easy commute
S: Race or group ride
S: Race or very easy ride with the kids.
So if your event is in January, you have plenty of time to get fit for it. I would suggest putting together a training plan and then seeing how you can fit it into your commute.