Dudelsack 

"42" is my designation for over 50 cyclists who do not race and hence don't belong in the "33", but are on some sort of formal training program aiming at some sort of goal.

"42" is chosen because no one here uses it, unlike 41 or 33. It is also the answer to the meaning of life, the universe, and pretty much everything.

As I've mentioned ad nauseum, I'm doing the easiest of the TCTP, aiming to do the Redbud ride century in April. If I do well, I'm going to do the Kentucky three century in a year challenge, which is pretty tough.

I do my field test on Saturday, which will allow precise calculation of my pitifully low FTP. The program starts Monday.

I'm hoping this will keep me, and you perhaps, from bagging it after a week or two.

Anyone else?

jdon

I suffer in silence...

Rwc5830

Hey dudelsack, maybe you should quit typing and just ride OK, I'm ducking a bit, but really hope it works for you, looking forward to your progress

Dudelsack 

Appreciate the advice.

Jim from Boston

I do a ten week century training program that I saw published in BICYCLING MAGAZINE years ago. There are two variations, called Easy Century Training, or With Strength to Spare. I do the latter one, and it is about the most time I can spare to train. Fortunately I cycle commute, so that's where I do it by lengthening my usual 14 mile one way distance (Commuter Rail home with bike). I find that the schedule motivates me to keep up, and it's very satisfying to plug the data into my Excel spreadsheet and watch the charts expand. My modification of the plan is to make Sunday my rest day, and Saturday is my long ride / Century day.

Due to vagaries of New England weather, I usually begin in April, for the first Century in July. For the past few years it's been one of the Annual Bike Forum Fifty-Plus Rides. I usually retrench down to about week six through late July and August, and ramp up in September for a second late September local annual charity ride (The Rodman Ride for Kids). Then I gradually taper down and by November I slog my way through winter with my minimal 14 mile commute (as daily as possible) until April again.

Thus goest my Cycling Year.

irwin7638

Except that 42 is the meaning of life, I have no idea what you said.

I don't train, I ride nearly every day. I like to ride my age a couple of times a week during the warm season, and take a few trips each year. I just have fun. Does that fit in anywhere there?

Marc

Artkansas 

Technically, if you need a number, the 50+ forum is designated 220.

Since I have no plans to do a century any time soon,( been there, done that, got bored at 70 miles), my training is zen-like in that I ride when I feel like it for as long as I feel like it.

fietsbob

Just dont bother with those event rides , which are all requiring me to drop a bundle,
just to get there and Back ..

Jim from Boston

These different outlooks on cycling reminded me of reading The Unoffical Guide to Walt Disney World wherein were described two different types of visitors; those who planned minute-by-minute, and those who wandered as they wished.

I spent the entire train trip from Boston to Orlando reading that book, and then re-read it on the trip home.

Dudelsack 

Of course.

The "did you ride today" works.

I'm no elitist, so post here if you want.

However, this might not be the place to post stuff like, "this is stupid, why would anyone bother", or "I must be free as a bird, programs would clip my wings".

True enough, just don't post it here please.

irwin7638

Jim,
I'm anxious to know, did you learn anything the second time you read it?
Marc

Jim from Boston

I don't think I learned anything new; I just re-lived the experience.

irwin7638

That's enough by itself.

Marc

irwin7638

You might have misunderstood my post. I'm not questioning the intelligence of any method.
I literally don't understand what you are talking about. TCTP? Redbud century, I assume a charity ride, calculation of pitifully low FTP?
I thought this was a satirical extension of the fact that 42 is the meaning of life. Sorry to offend.

Marc

Dudelsack 

I read that book, too. I planned each day and photocopied the schedule in order to maximize the experience.

My family and I loved it. Best family vacation ever.

Slept for two days when we got back. Hardest vacation ever, and that included some ski vacations way back when.

Im glad I stumbled onto the book. BTW, weirdly, the science drive-in was our favorite.

BlazingPedals

I'm taking a real SWAG here, but I think TCTP might be Triple Century Training Program, and FTP might be Fitness Training Program?

BTW, my method of training for a century is the Nike method: Just Do It. In the past, one I've liked to do is the Horsey Hundred, which I usually do with about 150 miles under my belt prior. It's always at least double my longest ride of the season up to that point. Although the last time I did it, they didn't feed us lunch until AFTER the century. That's a long way to ride on only munchies!

Dudelsack 

Gee, my written expression is woefully deficient. No offense taken by any part of your post. Sorry if it came across that way. Need more of these, I guess

TCTP = Time Crunched Training Program.

Redbud Ride = cool regional ride in April. In da boonies of central Kentucky. First in a series of centuries in our state, all of which are very hilly.

I can ride forever on flat terrain, but climbing kicks my butt. I'm hoping to get better at it, hence the program.

FTP = Functional Threshhold Power, the wattage you can generate for a full hour. Closely related to but not the same as lactate Threshhold.

Chris Carmichael's The time-crunched cyclist. For the next 11 weeks, carries more authority than the Bible/Origen of the species/Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy or maybe even the Huffington Post.

No expert. I just read his book over the holidays. I'm trying to answer a question posed on another thread: is there any hope for us slackers over 60? I intend to find out.

irwin7638

With all that laid out before me, there is no hope. It's too much like thinkin'.

Marc

Road Fan

I'm working on doing GOBA this June. It's not the hardest of the multi-day tours, being 250 or so miles in 7 days with two layoff/supplemental riding days. However, my riding and that of Mrs Road Fan has been woefully poor the past two years, due to jobs that were way harder than we thought they'd be. So we're trying to get more disciplined this time. We've never really succeeded at this, and I've read a lot about training programs. So far my favorite and most-understandable is Jim Friel's "cycling past 50." In the past we've been more like Blazing, Just Do It. This year, we need to Just Do More, and I am convinced there are some high-volume weeks we should have before the event.

I also read TCTP, and what turns me off from that is that he says this program should not be continued after you complete your goal, race, tour, brevet, or whatever. The program has in some way taxed your capital rather than taken advantage of your earnings, and some basic capability needs to be rebuilt afterwards, before you should take on something else, like maybe a few 200k's. I'm always concerned about building up my joint and butt capabilities, not breaking them down quickly. I think this program is extra-stressful in some way. I think the Friel programs are well-paced.

Biggest challenge is winter training. The plan I'm making has us starting base/endurance training (indoor or outdoor rides in a growth pattern designed by Mike and Dede Barry) by the third week of January and starting outdoor training focused on the tour in April.

That's the model, at least. I really just need to build up to a hella long week a few weeks before the event, then recover before the event. But I've found having a plan and trying to follow it gets me farther than having no plan and not getting very far.

Besides, One Helluva Ride is right after GOBA, and after I've spent a 25 hour week in the saddle, it should not be a big stretch to do an OHR 100, a 10 or so hour day in the saddle.

As far as reforming slackerhood, Dude, I think the answer is yes. But don't hurt anything! It takes us longer to heal, and that involves another recovery with attendant lost time.

StephenH

Riding 200k this Saturday, forecast is 20 mph wind.

Road Fan

Sorry, ended up double-posting!

Gerryattrick

Good luck Dudelsack, very brave (or foolish?) of you if you agree to keep us informed of the progress of the plan.

I'll be interested in the results of your experiment, although I know I'm neither dedicated nor disciplined enough to follow any program for more than a couple of days. I'm planning (hoping) to improve my cycling this year (whatever that means), but in a much more haphazard way i.e. just riding more.

Jim from Boston

One of my post-lottery dreams is to ride the Pacific Atlantic Cycling (PAC) Tour, a well-supported cross country ride of less than 30 days led by Lon Haldeman, an early winner of the RAAM. The suggested training regimen is amazing:

Three Months Before PAC Tour:
•150-200 miles per week
•One day per week over 100 miles
•One long 150 mile ride during the month
•Hang in the back of a fast group (20+ MPH) 30 miles per week

Two Months Before PAC Tour:
•200-250 miles per week
•One or two days per week over 100 miles
•One 200 mile ride during the month
•Ride in the middle of a fast group 30 miles per week

One Month Before PAC Tour:
•250 - 350 miles per week
•Two days per week over 100 miles
•Ride a 200 mile event under 14 hours
•Ride in the front of a fast group for 30 miles per week

Maybe I'll just revert to my other dream to ride the perimeter of the USA, at my own pace (estimated at ~70-80 miles / day)

bruce19

42=Jackie Robinson

Road Fan

I'd have done "300" for the Spartans!