Starting racing?

sparknote_s said:

I've got a question about racing...but first some background:

I've swam competitively all my life. In January this year, I stopped all athletics. I started triathlon training in June. Running, biking, swimming 6 days per week. Biking maybe 3 or 4 times per week for about 20 miles.

With that amount of biking, my avg speed on my own was 19 mph. Starting in August I started cross country, which ends this weekend. I will take two weeks off, then start training indoors on a trainer or rollers.

I'll be doing this November - April. Then I hope to race. Will that six months of cycling be enough to get me in racing shape you think? Given my previous training etc, does it seem doable?

I know it depends on the person, amount of training, and 100 other variables...but does six months of pure cycling training after what I described seem like enough to get ready for road racing?

Six months of training on machines can keep you fit but will not necessarily keep you from getting dropped like a rock in road races. After a base training period of mainly endurance and form work, you will need to begin incorporating high-intensity efforts, interval training, power and speed work. You will also need to be comfortable in a pack and able to respond to, and sometimes predict, changes in speed, the effects of terrain, and your own limiting factors. Training with a group of bike racers a few days a week over the winter and early spring can be a big help.