Training Tips

abv8:

First, you have made a wise choice in choosing cycling. It's the best sport there is!!!

Let's take a look at what you have to be good at in order to succeed in road cycling.

As a road rider, you have criteriums, road races, and time trials. Crits are basically riding in a circle, usually under a mile for many laps, road races can be over varying terrain for varying distances, usually 50-100+ miles, and time trials are races against the clock, usually 10-25 miles.

You need lots of aerobic conditioning for all three diciplines. Crits also require lots of anaerobic fitness to handle the necessary jumps/accelerations and finishing sprints.

Road races will also reqire anaerobic fitness, but you have to be able to climb as well. A hilly road race is usually disasterous for a non- climbers placing and confidence. Long road races also require extra endurance compared with a crit.

Time trials are usually over flat terrain, require lots of aerobic power, the ability to withstand constant lactate presence, and lots of leg, hip and buttock strength to turn bigger gears for extended periods of time, usually 20-60 minutes.

Of the three diciplines, time trials are known as the "race of truth" since whatever you accomplish time wise for your distance tells almost a complete story of your fitness level.

A 10 mile TT at 30 mph is around 20 minutes. That's about as fit as most humans could ever get if everything with their training and genetic talent were ideal. A 10 mile TT at 30 minutes is a very low level of fitness, around 20 mph. That's why TT's are called the race of truth. You and your bike are on trial and the stopwatch is the judge of your current abilities.

Many crit riders can hold 30 mph in a pack of 60 riders, but probably none of them could TT at 30 mph for 10 miles by themself (unless they are TT specialists). However, good crit riders usually have awesome finishing sprints, that leave most time trialers finishing poorly somewhere in the pack.

The bottom line is riders need to find out what diciplines they are best suited to and basically stick with that. Find out what you are good at and go from there.

Lower cadences stress the leg muscles more, higher cadence stresses the heart more. Generally, for road riding, work between 80-100 rpm for the most of the time. During the work week, stick with 60-90 minute rides indoors or out, and do longer rides (2-4+ hours)on your days off. One long ride per week is good.

Before starting intervals, just ride more, and gradually increase your average speed on rides. Go on group rides, and join a club if you want to race. If you get the chance, ride with faster/better riders whenever you can and learn from them.

At 20 years old, you still have time to become a professional and have a good career if that is your goal.

Good luck!!!

Hey T-Mat,

Thanks heaps for the advice. I agree with you....cycling is a wonderful sport, and im enjoying more and more.

I am going to join a club next week, so I guess I'll be racing within a couple of weeks.

I went for a ride today, and i clocked
1hr 20 for a 43 km. It was mostly on hilly terrain, and the last 8 km were all on hills. Is this any good? What sort of times do I need get?

I will be starting to race in criteriums, and some road races and taking it from their.

Thanks again.

I have just got my race permit and racing my first ever club race (criterium) next weekend.

My aim for this race is to finish with a good place. Does anyone have any tips on how to approach my first race?

What should I eat before it? Complex carbs maybe 2 hrs b4 or so?

Thanks.

Just go out and enjoy it. Don't have high expectations then you won't be disappointed. I had my first race a few weeks ago. One thing I should have done, in hindsight, was try and stick with the pack a bit longer. I let them get away and consequently spent the whole race on my own. They say you save about 30% energy when riding in a group.

The guys (and girls) you are racing with will be well conditioned and able to maintain a pack cruising speed in the low 40's (kph) - that's tough to keep up with if you've only just started.

Let us all know how you go.

Wow low 40's. I hope i can keep that up.

Spider, how did you prepare for your race? How many riders competed? Tell me the details, im interested in knowing more about your first race experience!

Btw, i am racing in melbourne, prob starting off in D grade for the crits.

Cheers.

You'll need to practice riding in a group, that'll make them easier to stay behind. Its also different climbing, cornering, sprinting, etc. in a group.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by 2LAP
You'll need to practice riding in a group, that'll make them easier to stay behind. Its also different climbing, cornering, sprinting, etc. in a group.

Cool. Ive got a few group rides under my belt now and I must say that it certainly does improve my handling skills and fitness.

So what im guessing is that in the crits there will be tight group riding most of the way.

Is there any "etiquette" to follow whilst racing in criteriums?

abv8, My first race was a 42km handicap. I'm twice your age, but I'm pretty fit. I also row competitively. I did another 42km race a couple of weeks ago and plan to race this weekend. my times for the first two races were 1:36 and 1:23, the second one was part of a multi-sport event, both times I rode on my own. The first race was a real eye-opener, there are some guys in the group in their late 60's who can ride this distance in 60 to 70 mins. My long term aim is to get under 70 mins for 42k. You should be able to aim for times well under the hour for this distance at your age, but it will take you at least six months of SERIOUS training.

My advice to you is to buy the Carmichael/Armstrong book on cycling training. It is a good read and has great advice on training regimes and other things also. If you follow it you will improve. The principles for training are very similar to ones I have seen for high performance rowers, so I am convinced they work.

I have been following them and I can feel the improvement in strength and speed.
Unfortunately with family, work and other commitments I don't have as much time to devote to them as I need to make big improvements.

I also suggest you get a good heart rate monitor, this can help you monitor your training.

You are young, get a good coach and explore your limits. Your new club should help you out there. I wish I had taken up serious cycling at your age.

Good luck, let us know how you go.

Cheers spider. Thanks for some great advice! I think i'll be heading to a local book store tommorrow to buy that training book!!!

Btw, hows the weather in Tasmania? It must be freezing down there!!! 🙂

The weather in Hobart is no worse than melbourne, I can assure you. I have lived in both places. But it's bloody awful at the moment. Winter last year was fantastic, no rain and beautiful sunny days. We're paying for it this year. Our seasons are really a month behind, so I still regard September as winter. Challenges your desire to get on the bike.

Queenslanders must have boring lives - do I wear the shirt half open or fully open? No experience of having to ride with three layers of clothing.

It will be summer if the Tassie Devils beat Port Melbourne on Sunday though! And if the Lions beat Collingwood I'll be on cloud nine. Go Roys! Giving away my old Melbourne connection there.

Hey, how good were collingwood against essondon 😉 Go Pies!!!