Originally Posted by
vinnyvincent
I've been working toward that sweet spot where my legs aren't burning too much and I'm not huffing and puffing. I'd say currently I'm a little faster when I rely more on cardio and ride at a higher cadence. Do you think it would be more beneficial for me to focus on increasing cardio, or since my cardio is already a little better, would I maybe get more benefit from training my leg muscles?
I guess I am just trying to figure out which area would be best to focus on first.
Maybe I should look into local riding clubs? At first I didn't think I'd be into that kind of thing, but it is starting to seem like it makes sense to help push myself harder.
I've read that you should push yourself to the point that you are just barely able to converse without puffing and wheezing. That gives your heart and lungs the best workout. Maintain that pace for a long period (30 minutes, or more), and you'll quickly build the fitness to start driving your legs. Don't neglect your strength training, in the meantime. Do your lifting, and your core workouts, so that your muscles and joints are prepared for the spanking your heart and lungs will give them. You should continue to work on your cardio fitness. Without a strong heart and lungs, you won't be able to train your legs. Don't pick one over the other, though. You need all of it.
Join with a local riding club, and see how it goes. You may find that you get dropped in the first couple of miles, but you can still complete the course and get the workout in. After a few weeks, you'll start keeping up with the pack, and, a few months later, you'll be hanging with the leaders. You can't skip any of the steps, in between. Just don't stop. That's what matters, the most.