Winter Training Help
 

I've been riding for about 5 years now. I live in Utah - so I have to resort to the trainer November-April. My target race next year is the Crusher in the Tushar - which is about 70 miles long and has 10,000 ft of climbing. I finished it for the first time this year - took me just over 6 hours to complete. The winner in my category finished about 45 minutes faster than me. What kind of indoor training will help cut my time down? I use trainerroad and plan on using it again this winter. Here are my stats from early this year - they may not be current but it is the best I have right now. I entered the Spring in the best shape I have ever been in for that time of year. I am 5'10" and weigh 165 lbs.

Personal Records
Peak Watts Date
5 Second 706 2/21/2013
10 Second 679 3/28/2013
20 Second 587 3/28/2013
30 Second 501 10/20/2012
1 Minute 413 2/18/2013
2 Minute 381 12/5/2012
5 Minute 320 2/23/2013
10 Minute 296 4/19/2013
15 Minute 287 4/19/2013
20 Minute 281 4/19/2013
30 Minute 266 4/19/2013
60 Minute 238 2/16/2013
90 Minute 215 4/8/2013
2 Hours 170 11/9/2012

With all that climbing losing a bit more weight might help your endurance and speed. The pros ride at 2 lbs per inch of height during the racing season. Also some leg work in the gym - squats and dead lifts - are reliable strength builders.

Well, I have a riding buddy who vacationed in the Himalayas, riding his bike to 18,300' over a period of 2 weeks. He came back and a few weeks later took 45 minutes off his age group record for a local hill climb. So there ya go.

I'm thinking that part of that might have been from a "free" EPO boost that the body serves itself with when it finds itself in an extended oxygen shortage. But, climbing 18K feet wouldn't do any harm either.