Fat Boy

I'm doing a big base this year. Longer than 6 weeks. The STUCI intervals are killer. I started doing them 1/2 way through last summer. It took about an hour-hour+15 to go through the workout, but by the time I was done, I was burnt. It really makes you think about pacing through the workout. It's more than just pedal like hell for X minutes.

I completely under-did base last year and paid the price, it's not a mistake I'll make this year (I'll come up with newer, better mistakes).

kenkayak

Ha ha Fat Boy 10/4 on more and better mistakes/;This is off your training subject but I felt it a good place to stick this antidote//In mountain bikeing your going to want to stand on the pedals for quick rise in the terrain I find it is best to pre-determin the cluster gear used with the top bottom bracket ring.; On my Shwinn its 5gear with my Trek its the 3gear; SO as I approch a quick rise in terrain I shift to those gear positions and peddal standing with much added power.

Grumpy McTrumpy

huh?

procrit

My base plan has changed a few times, but it looks like this now:

Between Nov-Dec:

50 hours (~1000 miles) of tempo, SST, and threshold work
50 hours (~1000 miles) worth of group rides on the weekends
one day in the gym doing lower body only

gsteinb

Man. 50 hours....that's a long week.

ldesfor1@ithaca

everyone responds differently to different workouts, so if you want to be "scientific" about it:

take 2 rest days, then do an all out 20' TT, record average power output and other important variables.

Train* for 4-8 weeks.

take 2 more rest days. do 20' TT on sme course controling as many variables as possible. Note increase/decrease in FTP.

-------------------------------------------------------

^ a simplification of course.... but:

Many of us do efforts in the 88%-115% (of FTP) with interval durrations ranging between 3 and 90 minutes in an effort to boost threshold.

There are those of us who seem to be able to "push" our lactate threshold up by doing longer workouts in
the 88-94% range. This is refered to as Sweet Spot Training (SST) as Waterrockets already noted. A 1x60 @ 89% or a 2x30 @ 90% would be a typical workout. SST tends to be a bit easier on the body than pure LT work.

Some of us respond well to work between 95% and 105% of LTP, otherwise called "subthreshold, threshold or supra-threshold" workouts. These might be the classic 2x20's @ 100% or 3x10's @ 102%. For many of us, these workouts are super-tough as we're right on the rivet for long periods of time. Lots of effort, and for some, lots of reward.

Others still respond to even higher efforts, into the VO2max ranges, but this might not be a good time of year to suggest VO2 max work, so I'll stop right there.


So, if I were you, pick 1-2 workouts that are designed as "threshold development workouts" and do them twice a week, when you are most rested. You might do a "long ride" on the weekends and a few recovery rides to suplement. Some of us can handle 3-5 SST sessions a week, some cant. So, take good notes, listen to your body and let us know what you do and what results you get.

-L

PhillyRoadie

Here's a few more items for the menu, from Carmichael (at the bottom)

mollusk

For me I get the best results with a combination of "push" and "pull" with probably 80% push and 20% pull. But like you say, everyone is different and they need to fins out what works for them and the time constraints they work under.

kensuf

Nothing else really needs to be added.

SpongeDad

This is really true - the best year I had involved 1 day of short intense intervals (e.g., 30 x 30" on/30" recovery), 1 day 2x20 and 1 long ride at low intensity by trying to keep cadence up. Also did 2 days of very light stuff, including 1 leg drills.

I dropped the short, intense stuff in favor of more 2x20 type riding and my performance declined. I'm hoping that some cyclocross riding this fall will improve things.

dmb2786

post of the day

waterrockets 

kenkayak

Ya I know;my post was off theme but I did enjoy reading through you bikers training stuff didnt see anything I would use [different strokes ya know ]good reading non the less.

ridethecliche

A) You're on the wrong forum.
B) You're on the wrong forum.
C) You're on the wrong forum.
D) Wtf?

dmb2786

E) All of the above

ridethecliche

Forgot about that one.

Doggus

Get your terminology straight moran.

Biker:

saratoga

For those of you that prefer 2X20's (or some variation thereof) between 90 and 110%, will you do them on the road or trainer?

I can't stand doing them on the road because there are so many variables. On the rollers with my tires aired down have worked the best for me so far because the resistance holds constant (no shifting once settled in). My cheapo fluid trianer heats up, the fluid thins out and cadence will steadily climb causing me to have to shift. The next gear up is usually too high, my cadence will drop too much and I can't hold the power.

gsteinb

3x20s on emotion rollers. Magnet set to full resistance. Whatever gear feels best.

patentcad

3 x 20's?

That's hard core.

ridethecliche

I do my 2x20's outside. Have a good route for them. Few rollers, but I've learned to pace through those. It's good practice.

Doing that much of my training indoors would suck the fun out of it for me.

bdcheung

Ditto, but substitute "Killer Headwind" for "emotion".

MDcatV

yeah, I strokes different emotion than bikers but rise headwind killer when the mtn bike, ya know.

bdcheung

roy5000x2

Man, I really need to read up on some of these training methods and try a few out. I tried the Babe Ruth method of training last year. That didn't work out too well.