Hi,

I’m currently training for a 1 hour race and wonder whether I should be training at race pace and building that up to the hour mark or doing the hour slower and building the speed? Currently I can do about 25mins flat out but can easily do the hour (and more) at a slower pace but would like to tailor the training for maximum speed benefits.

Any suggestions?

Iain

Do both.

Alternate between 2 hours as fast as you can to get the endurance and interval sessions.

Interval sessions where you ride for say 45 minutes, and do a pyramid interval, eg 5 minutes warmup, 30 second spring, 3:30 recovery, 1 minute sprint, 3 minutes recovery, 90second sprint, 2:30 recovery, 2 minute sprint, 2:00 recovery, 2:00 sprint, 2:30 recovery, 1:30 sprint, 3:00 recovery, 1:00 sprint, 3:30 recovery, 30 second sprint, 10 minute cool down.

Or if you live near soem hills, just go hell for leather up the shorter ones and as fast as you can sustain at a constant pace up the longer ones.

Not bad advice frankly.

Rather than doing 2 hours ‘as fast as you can’, I’d break it up slightly, do three 20 minute flat out efforts within a 2 hour ride, with 15 minutes warm up/cool down/rest between each one.

Short sharp intervals on hills are always good though! Unless it’s a really flat course!

An hour’s not a long race, just go flat out, you’ll be alright!

Thanks for the quick replies and advice, looking forward to putting in some training miles. Cheers again, Iain