Can't hang w/the a group any more. what to do?
- Thread starter bulaboy
- Start date
If you ride harder, it really doesn't seem to take as long.
If you ride too hard then the inverse happens. Time crawls almost to a dead stop!
If you ride too hard then the inverse happens. Time crawls almost to a dead stop!
I just got smoked again in the FSC series mountain bike race. I've just gotten a power meter I'm committed to not getting beat like a drum again. Starting a new training plan hope the power meter helps.
Weight is definitely easiest to fix, especially if you stick to shorter, sub 90 minute training sessions. I, and many that I've talked too, find that long, hard rides over a few hours tend to leave you wanting to inhale the contents of the fridge after a ride and this makes weight loss somewhat harder/slower.
If you want to equate weight to power - 1lb gained means you need 1 more watt on a 7.5% hill. If you can stand to lose 20 lbs then that's many watts for 'free.' The steeper the hill gets, the more the weight counts. Jamie - where do you typically find yourself losing ground? On the hills, flat, downhills?
If you want to equate weight to power - 1lb gained means you need 1 more watt on a 7.5% hill. If you can stand to lose 20 lbs then that's many watts for 'free.' The steeper the hill gets, the more the weight counts. Jamie - where do you typically find yourself losing ground? On the hills, flat, downhills?
I've already lost about 45 lbs, don't really want to lose anymore. My body fat is around 9%. I just need to get stronger, my FTP is 227 right now. Maybe if I could get it around 250 I think I would have a better chance.
That's interesting, because I'm the opposite. When I finish a long, hard multi-hour ride, I don't have an appetite for about 24 hours.
Update to my reply of almost two years ago:
Subscribe to ZWIFT for your Winter training.
The racing on Zwift is intense and the training programs and graphics will motivate you! You'll meet lots of othe fast old farts and some really fast young farts!
Sufferfest, Trainer Road, Golden Cheetah, Rouvy, Virtugo, Road Grand Tours all have their strong points and are also fantastic indoor training programs. Most have free trials so give them all a try.
I did 4,700 miles over last Winter on Zwift. It's probably the most popular of the computer based programs, but as stated above they all off something to every rider and racer. I came out swinging this Spring when I hit the road and the snow finally melted away, My conditioning actually declined a little when I stopped riding Zwift and moved back to 95%-98% road training / riding.
Ride On!
Subscribe to ZWIFT for your Winter training.
The racing on Zwift is intense and the training programs and graphics will motivate you! You'll meet lots of othe fast old farts and some really fast young farts!
Sufferfest, Trainer Road, Golden Cheetah, Rouvy, Virtugo, Road Grand Tours all have their strong points and are also fantastic indoor training programs. Most have free trials so give them all a try.
I did 4,700 miles over last Winter on Zwift. It's probably the most popular of the computer based programs, but as stated above they all off something to every rider and racer. I came out swinging this Spring when I hit the road and the snow finally melted away, My conditioning actually declined a little when I stopped riding Zwift and moved back to 95%-98% road training / riding.
Ride On!
I saw a demo at the LBS last week. Looks like a great way to inject some fun into the suffering.
Embracing your cycling passion at any age is commendable! If you're keen on increasing your anaerobic power, consider incorporating high-intensity interval training into your routine. Short, intense bursts of effort followed by recovery periods can help build that power. It might also be beneficial to focus on strength training, particularly for your lower body, to improve your overall speed and strength on the bike. Stay positive, keep pedaling, and the improvements will follow! 
Aha, an admirable mileage count! But alas, the struggle with anaerobic power is all too real for us slow twitchers. As for your conundrum, why not consider a power-based winter training plan? It's as if you're pedaling two different cycles - one for endurance, one for power. And remember, age is just a number, not a limit. Perhaps a power meter duel with those "Old Farts" is in order?
Oh, diversifying training methods, eh? A noble idea, but let's not forget the power of specificity. Sure, cadence drills and hill repeats can help, but if you're looking to boost anaerobic power, why not hit the nail on the head? Power-based training isn't the only solution, but it's like trying to improve your sprinting with long-distance running - it's not the most efficient route. Age might not define ability, but training smart does. So, why not give power-based training a spin? It's not just about pedaling harder, it's about pedaling smarter. 
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