training for bicycle race
js8181
Posts: 178 Member
Hey!
I think I'm going to enter a bike race that's 17 miles long. I know for sure I've ridden ~10 miles at a go. What would be a good training routine to work up to 17? I assume a combination of short sprinting rides, plus some longer ones, but not sure of how many of each.
Thanks!
I think I'm going to enter a bike race that's 17 miles long. I know for sure I've ridden ~10 miles at a go. What would be a good training routine to work up to 17? I assume a combination of short sprinting rides, plus some longer ones, but not sure of how many of each.
Thanks!
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Replies
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Hello, best is to get on your bike and do a LSD (long slow distance) . Start with a easy 10mile ride the 1st week maybe twice the week 4-5days after the 1st ride. Add spinning to your program 1-2 times a week. You will be riding 20 miles within 60 days.2
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Something like this ...
Saturday - longer ride. You're at 10 miles now, go for 12 next Saturday, 15 the following Saturday, and 20 the one after.
Sunday - medium length ride, maybe include some hills. Perhaps aim for 8 miles next Sunday, 10 the following Sunday, and 12 the one after.
Monday - rest ... get out and walk or something.
Tuesday - hill repeats or intervals, depending on the kind of course you'll have (flat or hilly).
Wednesday - medium length ride, kind of like Sunday's.
Thursday - hill repeats or intervals again.
Friday - rest ... get out and walk or something.
That should get you through a 17 mile race reasonably well. If you like it and plan to do more, you might want to join a cycling club and get some coaching.
BTW - when is the race?
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Thanks! It's August 13Something like this ...
Saturday - longer ride. You're at 10 miles now, go for 12 next Saturday, 15 the following Saturday, and 20 the one after.
Sunday - medium length ride, maybe include some hills. Perhaps aim for 8 miles next Sunday, 10 the following Sunday, and 12 the one after.
Monday - rest ... get out and walk or something.
Tuesday - hill repeats or intervals, depending on the kind of course you'll have (flat or hilly).
Wednesday - medium length ride, kind of like Sunday's.
Thursday - hill repeats or intervals again.
Friday - rest ... get out and walk or something.
That should get you through a 17 mile race reasonably well. If you like it and plan to do more, you might want to join a cycling club and get some coaching.
BTW - when is the race?
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Just do it.
It's not running, your not going to injure yourself due to impact. Worst thing would be you bonking and having to either walk or ride really slowly home.
Now riding 17 miles is a whole lot different than RACING 17 miles...0 -
17 miles isn't far, odd distance for a race though?
No special training required to get that distance, if you can do 10 you can do 17.
It's really a sprint distance so would just say do the distance as many times as possible to get your pacing right.
Alternate days for recovery.3 -
17 miles isn't far, odd distance for a race though?
No special training required to get that distance, if you can do 10 you can do 17.
It's really a sprint distance so would just say do the distance as many times as possible to get your pacing right.
Alternate days for recovery.
I'm guessing it's a time trial ... those are often determined by the length of a quiet loop on which the cyclists can ride.
Back in the day when I used to race, time trials were my favourite and because the place we raced was a 22 km loop, we did 22 km time trials.
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I think it's cuz the park's loop is a strange number 3.35 miles. So 17 miles is like 5 times around I guess. Well close anyway.0
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It's a Race or a Sportive?
And what cat are you entering as?1 -
He would have to enter as a cat 5.
17 miles sounds too long to be a crit. I am assuming this is a road race that is 5x 3.3 mile laps. One thing to be careful about is in cases like this they will usually pull you off course if you get lapped. If your main concern is the distance itself, I should warn you there will be some VERY fast people that show up for this, even in a cat 4/5 race.
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I was in a 20 mile, 30 lap, crit Friday night.
and you hit the nail on the head. There were 2 Cat 3s that entered the Cat 5 race just to knock people out.....1 -
Squats.1
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I was in a 20 mile, 30 lap, crit Friday night.
and you hit the nail on the head. There were 2 Cat 3s that entered the Cat 5 race just to knock people out.....
I didn't think they were allowed to do that? I didn't think you were allowed to register as a lower category.
I am not super familiar with road cycling races. Only have done a few (I am a tri guy mainly), so I don't know all the various rules.1 -
The guy who knocked me out Friday night was racing in the Cat 3 category yesterday. The race I was in Friday was allowing guys to register for multiple races. $40.00 bucks per race, then $10.00 for each additional race.1
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I was in a 20 mile, 30 lap, crit Friday night.
and you hit the nail on the head. There were 2 Cat 3s that entered the Cat 5 race just to knock people out.....
I didn't think they were allowed to do that? I didn't think you were allowed to register as a lower category.
I am not super familiar with road cycling races. Only have done a few (I am a tri guy mainly), so I don't know all the various rules.
You're not supposed to. But if you haven't been racing for a couple years, you drop down /out. Then there is the triathlete issue in tt's - you usually don't cat up in tts and if you are a fast triathlete, you get to be a really day cat 5 time trial-er. Cause you never do crits.1 -
scorpio516 wrote: »I was in a 20 mile, 30 lap, crit Friday night.
and you hit the nail on the head. There were 2 Cat 3s that entered the Cat 5 race just to knock people out.....
I didn't think they were allowed to do that? I didn't think you were allowed to register as a lower category.
I am not super familiar with road cycling races. Only have done a few (I am a tri guy mainly), so I don't know all the various rules.
You're not supposed to. But if you haven't been racing for a couple years, you drop down /out. Then there is the triathlete issue in tt's - you usually don't cat up in tts and if you are a fast triathlete, you get to be a really day cat 5 time trial-er. Cause you never do crits.
That makes since on why he would be with the upper categories two days later. We had 3 Crits this weekend. And by the end of the weekend I'm sure they kicked him up. I'm sure they did from Friday to Saturday night.1 -
Yup cat 5! That's so harsh about getting pulled lol. I'm worried about speed not ability. Like I'm sure I CAN do it. I want to do it well. Gotcha on the squats. Have been doing those and will continue. Thanks!0
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Start doing some threshold work...
https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/six-training-sessions-to-build-form-for-summer.html/30 -
I can hold 20-23mph on a draft line for 35miles. I did it two weeks ago. I got dropped in lap 8 of 30 this past Friday.0
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scorpio516 wrote: »I was in a 20 mile, 30 lap, crit Friday night.
and you hit the nail on the head. There were 2 Cat 3s that entered the Cat 5 race just to knock people out.....
I didn't think they were allowed to do that? I didn't think you were allowed to register as a lower category.
I am not super familiar with road cycling races. Only have done a few (I am a tri guy mainly), so I don't know all the various rules.
You're not supposed to. But if you haven't been racing for a couple years, you drop down /out. Then there is the triathlete issue in tt's - you usually don't cat up in tts and if you are a fast triathlete, you get to be a really day cat 5 time trial-er. Cause you never do crits.
Yea that would be me. I have done a few crits and they are a lot of fun, but all of my bike focus has been on time trialing. I have no trouble rolling a <1:00 40k TT, but put me in a cat 4/5 road race and I will just barely be able to hang in the peloton.0 -
Yup cat 5! That's so harsh about getting pulled lol. I'm worried about speed not ability. Like I'm sure I CAN do it. I want to do it well. Gotcha on the squats. Have been doing those and will continue. Thanks!
Even the cat 4/5 race is going to be sustaining well over 20mph for a course that short. Are you able to do that?
What sort of bike do you have? Races like this require a drop-handle road bike. Hybrids wouldn't be permitted.0 -
In a word: nope. I think I could do 15-16mph for a while but not 20. I do have a drop handled road bike. Schwinn from the 80s.Yup cat 5! That's so harsh about getting pulled lol. I'm worried about speed not ability. Like I'm sure I CAN do it. I want to do it well. Gotcha on the squats. Have been doing those and will continue. Thanks!
Even the cat 4/5 race is going to be sustaining well over 20mph for a course that short. Are you able to do that?
What sort of bike do you have? Races like this require a drop-handle road bike. Hybrids wouldn't be permitted.
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In a word: nope. I think I could do 15-16mph for a while but not 20. I do have a drop handled road bike. Schwinn from the 80s.Yup cat 5! That's so harsh about getting pulled lol. I'm worried about speed not ability. Like I'm sure I CAN do it. I want to do it well. Gotcha on the squats. Have been doing those and will continue. Thanks!
Even the cat 4/5 race is going to be sustaining well over 20mph for a course that short. Are you able to do that?
What sort of bike do you have? Races like this require a drop-handle road bike. Hybrids wouldn't be permitted.
I'd say just go out and have fun...it's about doing something new and getting out of your comfort zone and giving yourself a baseline for improvement...it's not all about winning it. If you get pulled you get pulled...it will be an experience none the less.2 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I'd say just go out and have fun...it's about doing something new and getting out of your comfort zone and giving yourself a baseline for improvement...it's not all about winning it. If you get pulled you get pulled...it will be an experience none the less.
Quote for truth.0 -
Awesome then I still will that's all I wanted to do it for: a fun challenge. Will report back if I get pulled or not!!Thanks!cwolfman13 wrote: »In a word: nope. I think I could do 15-16mph for a while but not 20. I do have a drop handled road bike. Schwinn from the 80s.Yup cat 5! That's so harsh about getting pulled lol. I'm worried about speed not ability. Like I'm sure I CAN do it. I want to do it well. Gotcha on the squats. Have been doing those and will continue. Thanks!
Even the cat 4/5 race is going to be sustaining well over 20mph for a course that short. Are you able to do that?
What sort of bike do you have? Races like this require a drop-handle road bike. Hybrids wouldn't be permitted.
I'd say just go out and have fun...it's about doing something new and getting out of your comfort zone and giving yourself a baseline for improvement...it's not all about winning it. If you get pulled you get pulled...it will be an experience none the less.cwolfman13 wrote: »In a word: nope. I think I could do 15-16mph for a while but not 20. I do have a drop handled road bike. Schwinn from the 80s.Yup cat 5! That's so harsh about getting pulled lol. I'm worried about speed not ability. Like I'm sure I CAN do it. I want to do it well. Gotcha on the squats. Have been doing those and will continue. Thanks!
Even the cat 4/5 race is going to be sustaining well over 20mph for a course that short. Are you able to do that?
What sort of bike do you have? Races like this require a drop-handle road bike. Hybrids wouldn't be permitted.
I'd say just go out and have fun...it's about doing something new and getting out of your comfort zone and giving yourself a baseline for improvement...it's not all about winning it. If you get pulled you get pulled...it will be an experience none the less.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I'd say just go out and have fun...it's about doing something new and getting out of your comfort zone and giving yourself a baseline for improvement...it's not all about winning it. If you get pulled you get pulled...it will be an experience none the less.
Quote for truth.
Agreed!0 -
I wouldn't trade my first Crit Experience for gold nor silver, One of the best things I've done in my cycling life.
Also one of the most expensive. I have a feeling a Cannondale SuperSix Evo Ultrega is in my future.0 -
The amount of money I have spent on triathlon and cycling-related gear is absurd.0
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Yup cat 5! That's so harsh about getting pulled lol. I'm worried about speed not ability. Like I'm sure I CAN do it. I want to do it well. Gotcha on the squats. Have been doing those and will continue. Thanks!
Good luck with the race! My advice, if it is a pack race with a lot of other people on the course at the same time rather than a time trial where it is only you against the clock, is to practice pack skills if you can. This is more important than just fitness training in my view, if you don't have experience in the pack. The types of drills to do include riding in a straight line while looking behind yourself over your shoulders (both left and right), protecting your front wheel by riding in the drops and keeping somewhat loose elbows in case someone bumps you, looking up the field as you ride rather than right at the wheel in front of you, and cornering efficiently while holding your line. Some of these you will need at least a buddy to practice with, but you can practice looking behind without veering all over the road, and cornering, by yourself. Is there a friendly club or group ride you could join a couple times on the weekends before the race? These types of pack safety skills are really, really important and can make the difference between finishing the race in one piece (even if last over the line) and not finishing at all with a heap of other riders and damaged bike and body parts in a pile on top of you.0
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