Suggestions for changes in training
 

I am looking for some suggestions on how to alter my training to put me back on track. The last couple of months have been very discouraging for me, my fitness seems to be dropping significantly. Last year I was near the top of our group on the weekly training rides. This year I am at the back of the "A" group on a good day. Over the winter I decided to put some structure to my traing so I began following Joe Friel's program based on 250 hours a year training, about what I've done the last couple of years. I started off good and my first few races were encouraging. As the Spring progressed I found myself losing ground and generally feeling out of synch. I've been very involved with work and family issues the last few months so I can explain most of the drop. Things will settle down in a few weeks and I want to get going on rebuilding and see if I can salvage this year if possible but definitely be ready for next year.

I can really only devote about 4-6 hours a week to training. I want to be able to improve my time-trialing specifically as well as remain a decent group rider while also being competitive in the few crits I do. I am a 41yr old cat 5 but I would like to move up to 4 next year by doing some crits.

I've read "Maximum Performance For Cyclists" by Michael Ross and I like what he says about maximizing training time through higher intensity workouts with several days off between. That seems like it might fit my training constraints. It's a little different approach than Friel's method.

Has anyone followed this type of training plan or something similar? What kind of results did you get? Any other suggestions on ways to build my strengh and power output with limited training time?

Do you need some rest? Maybe a few days off the bike would freshen your legs.

I push swimming a lot, but some people just don't like it, or don't know how to develop a swim program for themselves. Just one day a week will really do remarkable things for your fitness.

I don't have any racing aspirations, but I have made some decent progress this year with fewer harder workouts. I think that a certain amount of time is necessary to get the aerobic base you need, but to make progress elsewhere you need the hard intense sessions rather than just riding a lot of miles.

Well.....your not alone. Work, commuting and family can erode the amount of time that your able to train and theres just no getting around it. I know the feeling, driving kids, going to the grocery, coming home from the hourly commute from work and you see the roadies tearing up the two lane. Must be nice, but thats life. I say keep detailed records and learn to set goals and compete with your own times, add some realism to your plans and move foreward with more reasonable expectations. Have to set your priorties, my family comes first with me.


jman