Working on my time ( 2nd hour )

[kicker13]

I'm 39 years old , weigh in at 185 and about 5'9 .I got back into biking about a month and a half ago. I can knock out 15 miles in the first hour , and then I seem to fall off after that . Last week I droped from 15 miles in the first hour to 13 in the 2nd hour . This week I knocked out 15 again in the first hour and then it was 14 miles in an hour and twelve min. . I just want to make the 2nd hour as good as the first . I do short rides thru the week ( no more than 10 miles ) and then I hit the long rides on Sunday . So what kind of advice can I get for making the 2nd hour stronger ? Thanks , Kicker .

 

[taricha]

I don't know how helpful I can be here.
Try to figure out what exactly is causing your slower average speed on the 2nd hour. I had a similar "problem" until I realized that the town I live in is slightly uphill from every destination I ride to, the return trip was therefore slower. Also are you spending more time in traffic the 2nd hour? Or more time riding into the wind?
If there are no external reasons for the slowdown, then you should think carefully about how you feel during the first and 2nd hour. Are you holding a brisk pace and giving a good effort for one hour, and finding that effort impossible to maintain? Or do you feel very relaxed without strain for the first hour, and then in the second hour your heart and lungs are still fine and relaxed, but you feel like you have no power in your legs at all?
Could be a problem fixable by diet, pacing, technique, or a couple of simple changes in training. Try to give more details especially about how you feel during these efforts and people will be willing to try to help answer you.

 

[jhuskey]

Unless you are riding the exact same route the fist hour as opposed to the second hour I wouldn't read much into your mileage.
I recommend riding the same route and log your overall time each time.
Be sure and stay hydrated since dehyration is the first factor that will make you start bonking out.

 

[Piotr]

The easiest way to improve your second hour is to slow down in your first hour . IOW, improve your pacing. If you don't do that, your second hour will always be slower than first regardless of how strong you are.

 

[64Paramount]

I'm 39 years old , weigh in at 185 and about 5'9 .I got back into biking about a month and a half ago. I can knock out 15 miles in the first hour , and then I seem to fall off after that . Last week I droped from 15 miles in the first hour to 13 in the 2nd hour . This week I knocked out 15 again in the first hour and then it was 14 miles in an hour and twelve min. . I just want to make the 2nd hour as good as the first . I do short rides thru the week ( no more than 10 miles ) and then I hit the long rides on Sunday . So what kind of advice can I get for making the 2nd hour stronger ? Thanks , Kicker .

If I understand correctly...

You do rides of 10 miles or less during the week. You didn't mention how many times you do that or how fast you ride on those...

And on Sundays you ride 29 miles? Are you riding the same route each Sunday?

 

[Enriss]

Well, when you're training, your body adapts to the stress you put on it.
So, when you ride 10 mile efforts, your body builds up the systems used in 10 mile efforts. These adaptations will benefit your other times as well, so you can expect to ride your 30 mile weekend rides better, but look at how you're putting your miles in. You're spending 5 days a week doing ten miles or less, so that's 50 or fewer miles, and then 30 miles on the weekend.
I'd wager you'll see better results for your 30 mile cycling if you switch to a 3 day/week 30 mile program. You're not biking very many more miles, but you're biking the effort you want to be stronger in more often.

 

[kicker13]

Thanks for the responses . I try to ride 3 time a week + the long haul Sunday ride . I shoot for a sub 4 minute miles on the short rides . I don't have a lot of time to strech them out more than 10 to 15 miles . I try to vary the long routes , there are some pretty good hills no mater the route around here .I try to make the route a loop if I can . I also try to avoid the high traffic areas . The 29 mile ride was going to be a 32 mile there and back ride , but I started hitting the wall at 24 miles and took a short cut home . I use a camel bak for water so I'm good to go there . I also take TaeKwonDo with my son 5 nights a week so I get a good leg work out there as well .
Piotr , I wish I could trick my self into slowing down . I'm going to try a 5 min. mile on the long hauls for the first hour and try to get 4's in the second . After I have a few of the long route times logged in I can start to compare my performance . Later , Kicker 13

 

[Enriss]

That sounds like a reasonable plan to me. Someone more qualified than I am can come along later and tell me I'm full of it if they want, but training for a strong finish by trying to finish strong after a good long bike ride makes sense in my mind.