Strumpetto said:So my training/riding has mostly been chasing down roadies and bridging when they try to take off on me (on my MTB). I've been sucessful in bridging guys who have told me that they're Cat 1, 2.
How long are you hanging with them? If it is only for a few minutes, and then you go real easy, you are probably not getting the maximum training benefit as you would if doing intervals or riding at your own endurance pace.
I ride road with some mid-pack cat 4 guys who routinely podium the sport class MTB races they do a few times a year. Honestly, if you can hang with a cat 2 who is hammering for 5+ minutes, while you are riding a mountain bike, I think you would have the fitness to dominate any sport class mtb race in the country - assuming you don't have atrocious riding skills.
Strumpetto said:
I have also been doing some mountain biking with a few guys. They all do triathalons and ride rode as well. I am able to keep up on the flats because I've been doing that kind of training. On the climbs, however, they are flying. I am able to keep up, but I am Zone 4,5, and they seem to be breathing fine. At this point, my legs are not restricting me, my lungs are.
Forget about heart rate on your mountain bike rides. Mountain bike racing is all about repeated hard efforts on the up-hills, and recovering as much as you can on the flats and descents. The key is being able to mentally gauge the effort necessary to make it to the top of a climb without blowing up. Trying to stay in zone 4/5 on a mountain bike is a mistake. Out here there are climbs that simply can't be made, even by elite riders, without a hard anaerobic effort. Sure, you can get off and walk, but expect to get passed by the guys that can make the climb.
Strumpetto said:
I've been training for two months now. I don't follow a training plan, although I know I should.
I've ridden with fast experts who do little to no structured training, only long, fast, and technical trail rides. Their bike handling skills and speed are phenomenal, they have no wasted movement on climbs and technical sections, their fitness is good - but not exceptional. My point is there are other ways to get fast on a mountain bike besides riding road, heart rate monitors, and power meters. Riding with these guys really drove home for me that I needed to spend more time working on trail riding skills and less time on the road.
Strumpetto said:
There is a MTB race this weekend, and the guy I rode with is going. That being said, I should expect not to do that well. Should I even bother going? Wait and try to peak for next season?
I assume that I should work on my climbing, but how do I measure progress without using a power meter? Should I just do TT's? Any general tips or advice on getting that faster? I feel as if I've reached a plateau and I'm not improving.
Do the race, with the goal of having fun. You need to race to figure out what you need to work on. For me I was always getting passed on the downhills, and swapping places throughout the race with guys I would pass on the climbs. I started trail riding at least 2x per week on gnarly steep, rocky, rooty trails. My last race I never got passed by anyone who wasn't in expert/pro (they are wicked fast!), and managed my first finish on the podium in sport.
In the off season concentrate on building a strong aerobic engine and riding skills. 20 minute intervals, in sets of 2 or 3, at or just below the hardest [font=Verdana]constant[/font] pace (SST or L4 on these forums) you can maintain for the interval duration are a common prescription. Do 3+ sessions of these a week and you will get faster. Fast trail rides on your mountain bike, with hard sprints up the hills will take care of everything else.
TT's, both on road and trail, are a very good way to gauge progress. And at your age with two months of training there is absolutely no way you have reached a plateau.
