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Cipollini 02-26-06 10:40 AM

training dillemma..
 
As a slow rider, being left out most of the time by my more experienced teammates, im starting to get fed up of training or cycling... Firstly, i started to get more seriously involved in bike about a year ago. Normally, i did about 3 rides(roadbike) per week. Sometimes, im into 4-5 rides if im hardworking enough. I prefer to train alone by sometimes, group rides are fun(only if im not going to be left out by them). Some info about my teammates. There are 4 of them with at least 7 yrs of experiences. And recently, of the ex-rider, came back to join us. At first, i was able to beat him on a long hill course. Amazingly, after one or two rides, he managed to stay with us and eventually faster than me, sprinting. He has a bigger body and large muscle while im a thin 56kg rider.

Im confused now. The last time i touch my bike was one week ago. I have no more motivation to continue. Where should i be blame for? Genetics? Or my weak body? FYI, i was suffering from ashtma while im about 4 yrs old and i think it is safe to say that it's gone now. Generally, i have a weak body system. I shouldnt be that skinny( 1.81metres with 56kg). Pressure from work and inconsistent lifestyle is killing me. I thought of staying off the bike for at least another weak so that i can sort things out. What do you guys think? Any suggestion for the hopeless? Should i go for some strength training??....

WarrenG 02-26-06 10:59 AM

I think you'll get lots of replies about this but here's a few ideas.

Riding 3 days a week makes it really tough to see much improvement after a few months. That's just not enough time on the bike. Even adding just a fourth day on the bike will help. Try doing your favorite loops in reverse direction, or make it a point to ride on every single road in your town. You might see something interesting. Maybe you can join your buddies on their ride after they've already done part of it.

I've raced for 25 seasons, more than 800 races, and one of the things I've learned is to not measure your ability too much against other people because the benchmark of other people is always changing. The best goal is always to improve your own performance against the field as a whole, or your times, or your speeds, and the best results will usually take care of themselves. So focus on yourself, not how you measure up this week or this month against somebody else, because you know what, until you win the World Championship there will always be somebody out there faster than you.

Establish some short-term goals (3-4 weeks out) and some longer term goals (2 months, 3 months out) about your fitness.

Figure out how to reach/accomplish those goals.

You need a way of measuring your progress, your improvements in your fitness. These can be things like adding 1 or 2 minutes per week to the length of each interval you do at 10% below your threshold (power or HR), or doing one more hard sprint this week than you did 2 weeks ago, or reaching a higher maximum speed during your sprint, or doing a certain _part_ of your ride faster than 2 weeks ago, or extending the length of your longest ride of the week.

Seeing measureable improvement is a great motivator. Give yourself the opportunity to do that.

Cipollini 02-26-06 11:42 AM

hi there. thanks for the advice...i`ll try my best to get my motivation back. By the way, im waiting for University offer letter and i had plenty time off until June this year. Being able to overcome my motivation is something i should do...

Az B 02-26-06 04:32 PM

Getting dropped by my friends encouraged me to;

a: find some slower friends to ride with occasionally.

b: Get off my fat buttocks and train hard this winter. I followed a 12 week plan based on Carmichael's book. I'm 2/3 of the way through and already noticing a substantial increase in speed and endurance. It's not easy though... be prepared to train 6 days a week.

c: Remember to have some fun. Racing and training is great and all that, but riding a bike is really about having a good time.

Az

CdCf 02-26-06 06:52 PM

Try to see if you're built for distance instead of speed. Maybe your special talent is to just ride and ride and ride, for hours and hours. Not fast, but at a decent pace, and just keep going. We have (at least) one such person here on BF: Machka. She just keeps going! :)

I'm not built for anything, by the way. I'm slow compared to almost everyone else around here. And I don't have much long-distance stamina either. But that doesn't change the fact that I LOVE to ride!

Don't let your perceived short-comings prevent you from enjoying your rides! Do the best YOU can do, and stop looking at everyone else! You'll be much happier and calmer that way.

And remember another thing... You're faster than everyone else who DOESN'T ride! :D

GuitarWizard 02-26-06 08:41 PM


Originally Posted by WarrenG
I think you'll get lots of replies about this but here's a few ideas.

Riding 3 days a week makes it really tough to see much improvement after a few months. That's just not enough time on the bike. Even adding just a fourth day on the bike will help. Try doing your favorite loops in reverse direction, or make it a point to ride on every single road in your town. You might see something interesting. Maybe you can join your buddies on their ride after they've already done part of it.

I've raced for 25 seasons, more than 800 races, and one of the things I've learned is to not measure your ability too much against other people because the benchmark of other people is always changing. The best goal is always to improve your own performance against the field as a whole, or your times, or your speeds, and the best results will usually take care of themselves. So focus on yourself, not how you measure up this week or this month against somebody else, because you know what, until you win the World Championship there will always be somebody out there faster than you.

Establish some short-term goals (3-4 weeks out) and some longer term goals (2 months, 3 months out) about your fitness.

Figure out how to reach/accomplish those goals.

You need a way of measuring your progress, your improvements in your fitness. These can be things like adding 1 or 2 minutes per week to the length of each interval you do at 10% below your threshold (power or HR), or doing one more hard sprint this week than you did 2 weeks ago, or reaching a higher maximum speed during your sprint, or doing a certain _part_ of your ride faster than 2 weeks ago, or extending the length of your longest ride of the week.

Seeing measureable improvement is a great motivator. Give yourself the opportunity to do that.

This is excellent advice. The only other thing I'd add is to make sure you're eating properly and are well-hydrated at all times. It seems common for younger people to not drink enough water, unless they're already well-versed in athletics and the nutritional aspects of it and how to recover.

When I was younger and dumber, my performance was often a bit erratic and spotty, which was largely due to not being properly hydrated, and not understanding how to recover properly.

Cipollini 02-26-06 08:45 PM


Originally Posted by CdCf
Try to see if you're built for distance instead of speed. Maybe your special talent is to just ride and ride and ride, for hours and hours. Not fast, but at a decent pace, and just keep going. We have (at least) one such person here on BF: Machka. She just keeps going! :)

This prompt me to remember one of the ride we did last January. The course consist of a 17km gruesome climb although im not sure what is the percentage gradient. I came out fifth and i think that's because my upper body is so thin, i could just survived the climb well enough. I should do better but it is glad to have those heavy-muscle riders fell behind me :)

One more thing. In our country, most of the road race competition is about 90km(hardly ever go above 100km). Maybe i should do more miles.. Honestly, i prefer cross country than road cycling. Should i do more interval on road bike as well??

GuitarWizard 02-26-06 08:46 PM

Intervals will make you faster and more efficient.

DannoXYZ 02-28-06 03:30 AM

Sounds like you've got some major mental burn-out and resignation. :( You have to ask yourself what kind of results you want to achieve with cycling. If it's to go out 3-4 times a week and to a casual ride and see the sights, then that's fine, do what you've been doing. If however, if your goal is to keep up with your riding buddies and even make them hurt and beat them every once in a while, then you have to change your training programme. The rides that you do on your own will have to be the hardest and toughest training rides of your entire week. That means sprints and intervals. It will hurt and you will want to just lay down and die (I tried doing that once, but the vultures circling overhead could see that I was still breathing). Then the rides with your buddies will feel like a stroll in the park. :)

NoRacer 02-28-06 08:20 AM

Check out some of these links and determine if this type of cycling is appealing to you:

Googled: key word = randonneur

Cipollini 03-01-06 02:29 AM

hey..thanks for all the replies. what i really want to achieved is to at least beat all my buddies here. another is, with such a light upper body, i always love to climb well. But maybe i didnt have the strength so as i already off the bike for few weeks now, i took some time to plan my training programme and i should do more strength training. Hopefully this time i can make it..

RiPHRaPH 03-01-06 08:06 AM

You always want to ride with stronger riders. It makes you better. One cannot fake fitness. You are recruiting new muscles and vascular systems with each ride. The ex-rider can pick up where he left off quicker due to this and the little things that make riding quicker easier.
Ultimately you are competing against yourself. Knowing that you haven't even scratched the surface yet should be encouraging enough. . . .

Cipollini 03-02-06 12:53 PM

thanks dudes.I really appreciate all the comments. Starting tomorrow, im back with my new training programme and a little bit of strength training. But i wish to hear some inputs from you guys. One of the problem that im facing is those race schedules. We dont have a really good schedule here. Most of the races(XC/road race) will be postponed to another date although some of the major races are on time. So, it is hard to plan what's coming up and how should i train. Obviously, i know that it's impossible to train specifically for an event which still left one month ahead. Thanks again dude!!


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