I'd be putting the coach on a written warning with those results, Kryton - although he might write you one back 🙂
I appreciate how tough the top 20% guys are in those events, it's very hard to break in - but your results don't sound much in advance of what one would get just with unstructured, enthusiastic riding around for training. Caning the turbo like that with a ton of VO2 max work should be delivering an absolute step change in results. I'd take heart that you have the discipline to do it with a busy family life, and just get a new coach who can give you a different approach.
One thing that does seem hard with these marathon events is that they're quite spaced out, so it's hard to build momentum if you're taking them serious. Like you race these very different XC events in between and aren't competitive and it doesn't sound that positive. I raced a season of cross last winter - every weekend banging out the same 45 min format and you can see the progress and get some reinforcement going. Same for guys who race road circuits or do open time trials every weekend, feels more like a season of racing.
vo2 max, five times a week
Is that a wee bit of exaggeration for effect, or a genuine description of the training?
As a general guide, I'd say a couple of good interval sessions a week plus a race at the weekend, is enough intensity work for an amateur racer. Any other training during the week should be recovery or endurance that isn't going into the damage zone.
I think intervals five times a week is too much to recover from (so fitness will ultimately decline) and I don't think those interval sessions will be very good quality.
I'd recommend less frequent interval work, but when you do it, really do it properly.
Intervals work, but if you do them properly, they are very hard, and usually unpleasant.
What kcr says.
Five VO2 max interval sessions a week? I know a couple of UCI world cup XC riders who wouldn't train like that, at any point in the year, for the reasons kcr says. Quality is what's important. Where's your rest?
How do you and your coach do feedback? Do you just send him data files or do you have a conversation on a regular (like, weekly) basis?
You sound miserable. You are not going to be a professional bike racer, so this has to be fun. Maybe some time not following a training programme but doing what feels right to you (it'll never feel like enough!) and doing some more racing would let you do away with expectations, work out whether or not you actually enjoy racing (if you don't actually like it, this will never work out) and decide if the investment you're making is worth it or not.
Good luck buddy.
Five VO2 max interval sessions a week
Is that a wee bit of exaggeration for effect,
For the sake of the reputation of the very well know and successful company that coaches me - yes of course it is. I'm done here, thanks for the advice where relevant.
Sorry, I thought that’s what you said. It was five hard interval sessions a week anyway.
Seems like trying to help has not gone down so well.
Indeed.
Get well soon Kryton.
If you ever fancy just playing out on bikes, give 'us a shout. Epping/Herts is lovely at the moment. Apart from the nettles,megabrambles,flashers and horseflies.
🙂
There’s been a few podcasts recently all saying the same thing – compromised immune systems and all your other issues could easily be caused not by overtraining as such but by under resting.
Well they kind of go together. I am a coach - we’ll have all the badges, racer and was training 14 hrs a week. Had glandular fever all winter and have hugely backed off all season to the extent that I barely rode a bike for four months. Now back in old mans’s crits, but the serious long times at 200 watts for the 12 hr TT is currently out the window.
I don’t subscribe to lots of short hard shock HIIT. This may provide the “fastest” gains, but I think the magnitude of gain is actually lower than longer and lower efforts.
Just wish my throat would stop swelling every time I ride!
If you ever fancy just playing out on bikes, give ‘us a shout. Epping/Herts is lovely at the moment. Apart from the nettles,megabrambles,flashers and horseflies.
Thanks mate, I may take you up on that in the coming months.
Seems like trying to help has not gone down so well.
The help is appreciated RD - the problem is then crossing over to STW without the full details which I then get whipped over. I wrote down may hardest week and coaching / team principle but `I've removed the content as I can't be bothered opening myself up to everyone else critique yet again.
I'll talk to my coach and see what happens.
