He who trains himself.....

Interesting conflict, what I would suggest is a combo of things starting with weight loss which I think is important to you. Secondly there is nothing wrong with combining the track work with the gym especially since you are starting again.

What I would say is when I got started I had to get the base in I figured about 2000k base before getting into the interval training and by that time with proper diet you would have lost few kgs.

There is a large aray of books and information to be found on the internet to get you on the right "track."

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Fixey
Ok, I am interested to here all the differant approachs to this RL problem.

Background: I am 34 years old (first year veteran over here) and I weigh 120kg. I havnt riden seriously for near on 5 years and that was only 2 seasons. I am pretty much a pure track sprinter. I have riden for 20 years and was quite competitive in my day (11 sec 200 meter). I have been back on a bike for 5 months and have done alot of short races but only 3000k training.

Problem: I have decided to once again get fit and compete at the National road champs in late october this year.

What I am intersted in is how differant people would prioritise things like weight loss/quality base. whether to aim for a mini "peak" 1/2 way through. to Run or not to Run, Gym or no Gym...

My race weight is about 85kg btw

max gym work 2 x 30min a week, make it work

do base rides, lots, lots, lots,

and some 30 min MSLL sessions

the weight will fall off all by itself... if stay away from the pizzas

I stopped running the day they invented mobile phones, you got a bike for god sake !

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by edd
max gym work 2 x 30min a week, make it work

do base rides, lots, lots, lots,

and some 30 min MSLL sessions

the weight will fall off all by itself... if stay away from the pizzas

I stopped running the day they invented mobile phones, you got a bike for god sake !

LOL, I like it, not familiar with MSLL though, can you expand....
The best weight loss for me comes when I run (sadly) but it obviously effects my ability to ride....thats the problem

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Fixey
LOL, I like it, not familiar with MSLL though, can you expand....
The best weight loss for me comes when I run (sadly) but it obviously effects my ability to ride....thats the problem

Maximum Sustainable Lactate Levels approx 87% of max heart rate.

Ride some steep hills.. like running with youngsters hanging on each leg

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Fixey
Ok, I am interested to here all the differant approachs to this RL problem.

Background: I am 34 years old (first year veteran over here) and I weigh 120kg. I havnt riden seriously for near on 5 years and that was only 2 seasons. I am pretty much a pure track sprinter. I have riden for 20 years and was quite competitive in my day (11 sec 200 meter). I have been back on a bike for 5 months and have done alot of short races but only 3000k training.

Problem: I have decided to once again get fit and compete at the National road champs in late october this year.

What I am intersted in is how differant people would prioritise things like weight loss/quality base. whether to aim for a mini "peak" 1/2 way through. to Run or not to Run, Gym or no Gym...

My race weight is about 85kg btw

Fixey – fair dues to you for considering a comeback : have done it myself and although
I’m not winning anything, I do it for the sheer enjoyment (I’m 38, married etc).

I think that you need to follow your own advice – simply cycle often and long !

I was in the same boat as you (6’1” – 16.5 stones) when I re-started cycling.
Prior to that I’d eaten myself out of condition and was generally leading a sedentary
lifestyle (had cycled competitively up to the age of 22).
Before attempting to train, I visited my doctor who gave me the all clear to start training.

I put in a lot of hours on the road and on the indoor trainer – cycling in the small ring for hours on end.
I cut down on eating garbage too.
The weight simply fell of me as my mileage increased.

I started from zero and after six months had accumulated 4000 miles (750 miles per month or 26 miles per day).
In the following six months, I increased my milage to 6000 miles.
In all, after one year I had 10,000 miles in my legs.
This is without going near a race or killing myself training.

My weight dropped from 16.5 stone to 14 stone in the first six months.
I then lost a few more pounds and my weight is approx 13stone 9 lbs.
I didn’t go near a gym during my training regime.
I did do some running to vary my training and I found that I could run a lot better with those 10,000 miles in my legs.
Only after building this base, did I feel equipped to start racing again at veteran class.

I am now two years racing as a veteran and I am very respectably placed in the middle of the bunch each time.
I don’t race to win (I don’t have the ability anyway !) so it doesn’t matter to me.
So long as I can race and hold my own (which I can comfortably) that’s all that concerns me.

Hope that this is of assistance.