Any advice for beginning a structured training programme?

[Sarah_M]

Hi everyone,
I am new to cycle racing and just establishing a training programme. I used to cycle a lot on a touring bike but had done nothing at all for about 5 years until deciding that marathon running is shooting my knees to pieces and moving into triathlon/duathlon. My first race is July 12th and I have two tris and a duathlon over the summer, all with a 20K time trial ride. I am doing 11 training sessions a week - 5 run, 4 bike and 2 swim. For the bike, I do a 1 hour easy on Monday, a 30 minute hard on Tuesday, a 1 hour easy (with some hard) on Thursday and a long ride at the weekend (club if I can juggle family commitments). I have only had the racing bike a week.
For the hard sessions I have in mind intervals and hill repeats. One session is a short hard session (this will often be a turbo trainer session) and the other is a longer ride with 30 minutes hard within it. These sessions will all build in length and intensity as I develop.
Is there anything else I could be doing?
Are there any mixed ability time trials the club enters that I could join in with later in the summer?
I would welcome any advice. Fitness is not a real issue as I am used to traing hard as a runner. It is all about learning skill and developing the muscles needed for cycle racing.
Thanks
Sarah

[Marek]

Your routine looks pretty good. I have a friend who is a very keen Triathlete, what I find with Triathletes is that they can sometimes train too much and therefore when they do their sessions they can be tired. (I used to do a bit of Tri as well but time took its toll and now I just road race). I spend most of my time waiting for my triathlete mate when we train during the week as I reckon he is tired, (mind you he is an awesome runner).

My only advice is be careful with the other exercises you are doing on the day. If you want to get better at cycling fast, you need to be able to ride fresh so that you can go fast. Therefore do a light run session the day before and maybe miss the run session on the day that you want to ride hard on the bike.

I have been experimenting with weight training as well this year and although I have only done two races this year, I would say that it is very effective. If you want some tips on weight training then pm me, I am sure it would help with running as well.

Cheers

Marek....

[Marek]

Oh and remember the important points of specificity and progression. You need to remember to get better you will need to increase the load gradually (speed, time, weight etc) and be specific with what you do. What I mean by that is know before you do your session what you want to achieve.

BTW, do what I say not what I do.

Cheers

Marek.....

[Sarah_M]

Thanks Marek,
That is really useful. So, it will be a good idea to plan to do cycling sessions first in the day on fresh legs and do the runs later on. Good advice on planning the session outcomes first. I do my hardest cycle session on a Tuesday when I am quite fresh and the hardest run on Thursday, the day before rest day so on far from fresh legs. I was thinking about alternating these so I mix up which gets me at my best. It will be best to leave it as it is then as it is more important to learn to get off fast on the bike while fresh and run tired as it is the end of the race.

I would love to do weights but my time away from home is limited by children (and a partner who is an opera singer so away a lot) and I have to maximise the 3 sports themselves. Do you have any ideas on weight training that can be done at home with minimal equipment (i.e some weights etc but no machines). I do core work etc on evenings when I can't get out. The turbo trainer is worth its weight then too
Cheers
Sarah

[Andrew G]

[quote]Are there any mixed ability time trials the club enters that I could join in with later in the summer?

[Marek]

Yes, there are things you can do at home. Firstly warm up with maybe 10 to 20 mins on the turbo. Then have a bit of a stretch of the legs. Now you can do the following, I have given you three exercises which I think are the most effective to help a cyclist:

Squats. First of all try and do these with no weight to get the form correct. I would normally do this in the gym with a weight bar across my shoulders. Basically with your legs about shoulder width apart Squat down keeping your back straight then push back up. Do this 12 times have a 30 second break and do again and then one more time. As you are doing this for cycling you don't need to squat down too low, just to the degree that your leg bends when you are cycling, maybe a little further. Once you are confident with the form, then you can start doing this with weights. Basically just hold something heavy when you are going down and then up, if you have a weight bar then all the better, if not then maybe one of your children on your shoulders.

Lunges. Again start with no weight. Best to look up how to do these on the net. It involves stepping forward and bending your front leg and then pushing back up to standing position. Again as you get confident with form then you can hold weights in your hands to increase the load.

Dead Lifts (I think this is the name). For this you need to have a something on the floor. Bend your legs down low to the floor then keeping your arms straight pick up whatever you are using as your weight and then stand up straight. Keep your back straight all the time, then go back down and put it on the floor and then up again. This is really effective for the bum muscles area.

I am sure if you take a look on the net you will find these exercises with pictures etc. As you get more confident or find these too easy then you need to increase the weight. Do this for about 6 weeks. Then you can take it to the next level where you do less reps but with heavier weights, 5 reps. A kid in each arm for the lunges, or two kids on your shoulders for the squats.

Have fun.

Cheers

Marek.....

[Andrew G]

Had a quick shufty at the 3 most local, and probably would have a good turnout of ACC, courses. Times are for the first rider.

10 mile TTs
Course = G10/42 - North Holmwood, near Dorking. - All 2pm first rider starts.
29/3
28/6
16/8
23/8 (ACC Promotion so marshals also Addiscombe to cheer you on)
6/9

Course = G10/57 - Broadbridge Heath, Horsham
17/5 - 6am - Southern Counties event so every ACC rider earns a point towards the season long Rawson Shield competition
7/6 - 6am
5/7 - 6am
12/7 - 6am
19/7 - 6.30am
2/8 - 6.30am

25 mile TTs
Course = G25/53 - Broadbridge Heath, Horsham
20/4 - 7am - Southern Counties event so Rawson Shield point for every ACC rider
27/4 - 6.30am - ACC promotion
11/5 - 6.30am
18/5 - 6.30am
1/6 - 6.30am
20/7 - 6.30am
7/9 - Southern Counties event so Rawson Shield points available again
28/9 - 7.30am - There is also a 2up event within this if you fancy riding with a friend, bingo.

[Sarah_M]

Thanks Marec, I will try that.
Thanks for the TT info Andrew. I will look and see what I can get to and look into how to register etc. Will have to buy a ACC jersey Strangely, I am beginning to enjoy the cycling more than the running
Sarah

[Paul H]

I would do more bike sessions than running if the bike is your weakness. I would do the "easy" sessions still at a reasonable pace - at least 70% max Heart rate. Bare in mind you recover quicker from cycling sessions than running so you can get away with doing a bit more.

Not sure if the weight sessions are a good idea and I would think you would get a greater benefit by doing strength sessions on the bike or turbo i.e. sprints, hill work etc.

[Sarah_M]

Thanks Paul,
I agree about more bike sessions. I am a bit nervous of cutting back the running too far as I used to run every day with a break every 21. I bet a lot of people are nervous of cutting back on the training they did before in their original sport when getting into tri. However, I may well swap to 5 bike and 4 run and may add in more turbo sessions so I end up doing something on the bike 6 days a week.
Sarah

[Toks]

Hi Sarah, er seeing as Marek's a mate I'll choose my words carefully. The key to performing well in endurance cycling events is lactate threshold ( most important) and Vo2max. Strength - definied as the maximum amount of force muscle(s) can exert is not the key derminant when it comes to endurance cycling events: 10mile TT, RR, Sportivs and stage races. Hence unless you have a diagnosed muscle weakness, need it for swimming or running or are doing it for some aesthetic reasons don't waste your time weight training. Any spare energy you have should be devoted to the most sports specific exercise - which is shock horror riding your bike. If some time in the future you want to become a Vicky P type sprinter then by all means get pumping

[Sarah_M]

Thanks Toks

[Toks]

Your welcome. And good luck with all your training

[Marek]

Toks, I don't agree. I have built in a small amount of weight training into my regime over the last few months, I am talking about 15mins to 30mins twice a week, and I reckon it has done me quite a lot of good. Having the power in the legs is not just for sprinting, but it is also very useful for flat road speed/general power. I have a book specifically on weight training for cyclists and I can tell you that I really think that it is effective in improving endurance as well as speed (not just in the sprint).

In my weight training I also build in some upper body and arm strength training for punching know it alls like Toks.

Cheers

Marek....

[carl f]

Hi Sarah
If your new to cycling, tri/duathlon,you should consider building in endurance to your training if you are going to race. This can be done by long aerobic rides with the club,with a steady build up to 4+ hours once a week with shorter harder running/turbo sessions .Also i found practicing my transition for duathlon helped this season for time saved and confidence!.Brick sessions are good for tri/duathlon ie running after a bike sess as it gets you used to the 'jelly legs' feeling you get after the bike split
Core stability is important and as marek pointed out,i think some weight training upper and lower body is good for strength work
Most of all enjoy and don't overtrain as i have done in the past!
Cheers
Carl