The next level- what can do with all this info?
 

Hi,

I have been back doing some half-serious cycling for 18 months. I purchased a Polar 625x when I started and have logged just about every ride, so I have a *bucket* load of info on my rides. (But don;t have the power meter). A summmary:

Sex: M
Age: 44
Weight: 79 kg
Height: 182 m
V2omax (Polar index): 50
HRrest: 54
HRmax (actual, running): 183
HRpeak bicycle: 178

Average distance per week over 18 months (including breaks): 105 km
Typical distance per week when riding: c. 180 km
Typically 2-3 mixed informal training rides during week, plus a 60-100 km 'slogfest' informal road race with mates on Sat/Sun. I also swim 2-3 times per week, gym once and run a little.
I haven't raced, but am told by friends who do that I would be a 'comfortable' middle-of-the-pack Masters C grader if I did at the moment.

About once a week I use a quiet road circuit nearby for reco rides, intervals, aerobic etc. Its 5 km long, just about flat with just 1 traffic light that can be gunned most of the time. I have plotted (using Excel) my circuit time vs av. HR for this circuit over the past 18 months and get a r squared of 0.86644 for a linear approximation which is not a bad fit given other variables (wind speed, slowing down at lights sometimes and temp etc). I can send this to anyone if it helps?

My question is, where to from here? I'd like to ramp it up a little but with some guidence. Can I get some software which will *use* this info to recommend a training program? Some (most?) don't seem to utilise *existing* data.

Personally I think I need to work on my aerobic capacity. Most of the sports I have played in the past and am good at (swimming, squash, windsurfing) were mostly anaerobic fast twich muscle type sports. I have never yet been dropped by my cycling peers in a sprint, but I sometimes lack the endurance they do.

I'd be most grateful for your advice. Thanks.

Dirty Digger

Are you doing base rides? Spending a good 3-6hrs in the saddle on a weekend ride makes a world of difference with your endurance.

Thanks for reply dta95b7r.
I'm probably not doing 'base rides'. My mid-week training rides are never more than about 1:30, and the w/e ride with the guys are 2-3 hours but at high HR intensities. Looking through my 18 months-worth of stats, the longest rides I ever do are no more than 3:15 hours, and these are always the w/e 'slog fests' with my mates where I spend a considerable time in Power and near-AT threshold levels. And 9 times out of 10, the longer rides include a stop for coffee (and donut ;) about 2/3 of the way through.
So whould I be aiming for 3-6 hours *continous* riding at lower levels? I can hear my bum crying 'nooooo' at the mear thought of it ;)
Thanks
Dirty Digger