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OK, I'm in year 2 of training. I rode events after increasing my rides to time orientated rides 3 x per week with no plan last year. This year I have been base training since early December and first event is Saturday. My "build phase" has been hard but (on the road bike) hasn't proven any faster than 18mph average even with painful legs at the end of the ride, so I know I'm pushing my limits- this is the same time I ended at last October.
So, when I return to the base part of my training cycle after Saturdays event, how do I squeeze out a performance gain?
To qualify we are talking about a professional worker, family man only able to ride 3 x per week, and MTB events.
I'd suggest getting a coach, and spending time showing him/her your training diary, HR/Power output, diet and recovery regimes and gain their advice on a training programme - your questions is a very big one, with many variables and will require time and monitoring to get right for you
Go and get yourself Jedi'd and get a personal plan from someone like iDave.
Well, I've had a day with Jedi already. I like to think I eat pretty healthily and with a good protien / carb mix after experiencing sports diets in previous sporting life.
I do know however that I have been a bit undisciplined lately - not enough water and plenty of snacks (belgian buns mostly).
I may have been a bit vindicated today. My last (build phase) 3 rides have been on windy days. I've just been out today and averaged 27.3kph at z2 (I'm tapering for an event on Saturday) so maybe it was the wind/cold which restricted my times.
Unfortunately the event isn't the same place / route as last years so the times aren't comparable. I'll judge myself on the final placing I guess.
how many hours are you putting in per week?
Base training is not meant to make you fast, it's the intervals/hill work whatever that follows it that does that (with enough rest).
So in essence I don't understand the Question.
I read it that he's had a build phase leading up to an event on Saturday...?
So - where exactly is your power work coming into the equation here?
How long would you expect to do base miles for?
Race more, on and off road. It's the only way to get that high intensity race pace stuff for mortals.
Training effect takes 4 weeks to happen, so if you've been hard at it for the last 4 weeks, you'll just feel knackered ATM, but will get the benefits in 4 weeks, and so on.
rest more, taper?
Crikey, in an attempt answer everything....
Last year was just a case to ride to get fitter, after being a "social" mtber for 10 years. My riding went up to and still is 3 rides pw, probably about 10 hours.
Since October I've has a road bike and my current plan until Feb 1st was Saturday 50k road, Sunday 70k road both at z2 and 30k MTB mid week timed against PB (same route). I dropped in a mid week 100k on a day off.
On 1st Feb I aboandoned Z2 and have been doing the above to the best of my ability, 1.42, 2.31 and 1:31 being my current PB's, with a 3.57 for the 100.
Tbh I have noticed that from a Cardio pov I'm not even puffing on the 100k, its just my legs that hurt.
So the question is, as I repeat the base/build cycle and return to z2 after Saturday before 2 events in May, is there something I could focus on/do to get me faster? Or am I on the right track?
Kryton57 - YGM