How to train?
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jaded082
Posts: 107 Member
What is the best way to go about training to enable myself to go farther on my rides? I started riding about 3 months ago. I started at about 10 miles a day. I road about 5x a week for the 8-10 weeks.
Lately I go about 15-18 miles Tue and Thur, weight train with some cardio on Mon, Wed, Fri. Then let my body rest on Sat.
I do a 30-40 mi ride on Sun. It takes me between 3-3 1/2 hours. I ride on the access roads out along the freeway near where we live. Most of it is pretty flat being that I am in North Texas but there are some pretty decent large hills from time to time. The problem is 30-40 miles just doesn't seem far anymore. I want to be doing 50-75 mile rides on Sun. With an occasional sat and sun long ride. I would love to do the ms 150 next year.
So, what can I do to condition myself to go further. As it is right now I think I might could go another 10-15 miles if I took a good 20-30 min rest but how can I go further?
I eat a protein power bar before I head out early in the morning and I bring another for half way through my ride. Or I will eat half a pack of Jelly Belly sports beans half way done. I just feel my legs get wore out by the end of 40 miles. Many times I'm dealing with some serious wind (15-18 mph wind feels pretty serious when your going up a hill). Is this something that will just come with time or is there a certain way to train?
Thanks for any input!!
Lately I go about 15-18 miles Tue and Thur, weight train with some cardio on Mon, Wed, Fri. Then let my body rest on Sat.
I do a 30-40 mi ride on Sun. It takes me between 3-3 1/2 hours. I ride on the access roads out along the freeway near where we live. Most of it is pretty flat being that I am in North Texas but there are some pretty decent large hills from time to time. The problem is 30-40 miles just doesn't seem far anymore. I want to be doing 50-75 mile rides on Sun. With an occasional sat and sun long ride. I would love to do the ms 150 next year.
So, what can I do to condition myself to go further. As it is right now I think I might could go another 10-15 miles if I took a good 20-30 min rest but how can I go further?
I eat a protein power bar before I head out early in the morning and I bring another for half way through my ride. Or I will eat half a pack of Jelly Belly sports beans half way done. I just feel my legs get wore out by the end of 40 miles. Many times I'm dealing with some serious wind (15-18 mph wind feels pretty serious when your going up a hill). Is this something that will just come with time or is there a certain way to train?
Thanks for any input!!
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Replies
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All the answers shall be found in...The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling by Edmund R. Burke & Ed Pavelka.
I used it for my first century (100 miles) and my first double metric century (124 miles). Lots of solid info. Your local library might have it. I have found it helps to keep hydrated by drinking a full bottle an hour and nibbling on food every 20-30 minutes. As for going further, just keep adding a few miles (2-3) every day and maybe (5-8) on the weekend long rides. The book will go into detail about it. Hope this helps.
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Awesome. Thanks! I will look into this.0
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Best of luck with this. I am new to cycling as well. I find riding with others who are at my level helps for support. Riding with those more advanced helps me push myself. I find I have the confidence to push beyond what I would if alone on the ride. Happy riding!0
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All the answers shall be found in...The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling by Edmund R. Burke & Ed Pavelka.
I used it for my first century (100 miles) and my first double metric century (124 miles). Lots of solid info. Your local library might have it. I have found it helps to keep hydrated by drinking a full bottle an hour and nibbling on food every 20-30 minutes. As for going further, just keep adding a few miles (2-3) every day and maybe (5-8) on the weekend long rides. The book will go into detail about it. Hope this helps.
I second this book as I am training to be a Randonneur. In Randonneuring the shortest rides are 200k (125miles) and go up to 1200km. This book helped me tremendously to understand how to start achieving those distances.
However for me, my legs are not the limiting factor. The limiting factor for me is the central contact point but I have changed saddles on my bikes and the last century I experienced little saddle soreness. I did almost cramp because I was failing to drink as often as I should but nonetheless finished the century with 20mph average speed.
I have done one 200K ride and it was a relatively flat ride. Bleh! Give me some hills so that I can stand some while riding to give that contact point a break. I find that some hills are beneficial because they do give you the opportunity to changes positions on the bike.
Finally, set a goal for the speed you want to ride. Evaluate your goals and train for speed separately than training for distance. When you go on your distance rides then you want to be able to stay in Zone 2 (well below lactic threshold but just on the verge of cardio) for the majority of the ride with the reserves to hit Zone's 3 and 4 even late in the ride for the unexpected hills and headwinds.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Eat, Hydrate, Hyrdate, Eat - worry about weight gain after the ride and not during.0 -
Really appreciate the tips!
Yes I would love to have someone to ride with but I only know one other biker aside from my husband (who watches the kids when I ride), and this guy live 45 min away. He's a LOT more advanced than me. I really wish there was someone local a little more advanced than me that I could ride with but just haven't met anyone yet.
Thanks Dahamac. Wow, that's some incredible mileage. Very good point on the speed! I hadn't thought of it that way before!!
Love all the info this site offers!! :-)0 -
Do a search for local bike clubs. Most clubs have all levels and some weekly rides you can join, you can ride with groups of similar ability or challenge yourself by riding up. The best way I've found to improve is to ride with better riders, at first you might get dropped, but keep coming back and you will improve! Best of luck!0
