Anyone got 5 minutes to explain winter base training,

Read the background but can find no guidance for general hrs per sessions or hrs per week,

I’ve been mega keen on the CX season and want to give this a real good crack this year, any ideas for how to also fit this in?

So, hours wise per session, this has to be to be a 3-4hrs min session to move from a carb zone into burning fat? – the steady 1hr ride to works not doing me any good at all is it.

Per week, longer rides on the Weekend when not involved with CX, a long steady ride tues evening, possibly thurs if up for it.

Zone 2 throughout, I live in South Wales and avoiding hills is somewhat of a challenge,
I did read even moving up and into Z3/4 for short periods would destroy the overall session, true?

Probably over thinking things as ever but another winter of ‘just riding the bike’ isn’t going to cut it next year I fear.

*checks callender* it’s August? Winter’s four months off!

If you’ve spent your summer doing endurance events, or sportives etc then you’re base mileage is sorted. Spend the winter working on speed and power work. HIIT etc

thisisnotaspoon – Member

*checks callender* it’s August? Winter’s four months weeks off!

fixed it.

etc.

It’s late August! it’ll be September next week!!

I’ve got a month off pretty much now, was looking to get back on it end of September / early October,
just looking for an idea of how to go about it is all.

*checks callender* it’s August? Winter’s four months weeks off!

fixed it.

etc.

mehhhhh

I can’t remember a ride this year where I wasn’t wishing for dryer trails or spikyer tyres, first year in ages I’ve run all-round tyres front and back rather than semi-slick on the rear 🙁

… the steady 1hr ride to works not doing me any good at all…

Why take it steady ?
My direct commute is only about 40 minutes and I press on. Every ride is a training ride.

Racing cross only is a bit awkward if you use your actual seasons to train by.
To put it simply though you should have laid down base right through to Spring.
Then over Summer worked on speed work and some specifics like intervals.
You have to remember that a lot of CXer will come off a season of road racing, so will have the speed to go straight into cross.

That said I haven’t raced on the road this year, but I put in massive miles over winter then went out with the ‘fast boys’ all year. And finally started a nine week training programe that will hopefully deliver me fully race ready to the first CX race next month.

Well that’s the plan anyway 😐

I don’t believe in hours of long slow base work. My training is a lot different anyway, and it seems to work quite well. Ive learned its more about the overall volume, rather than thinking about doing one long ride a week. For example a week with 18 hours or so riding can be broken up into several 1.5 – 2 hour rides, two short rides a day if you feel like and have time. I often do this on the turbo to save time changing and getting ready. Most of my training is 1- 1.5 hour rides with intervals, through -out the whole year. Taking a slight break at the moment though. The shortest “training” ride i do is about 40 minutes, and i race 24’s.

A long ride every so often is useful (4-6 hours would be my max). I just like to use them to figure out my pacing and nutrition. If you use watts its even better, you can aim for your highest wattage output over six hours, you’ll be tired after that!

I don’t really think about carb zones or fat burning zones, you’ll burn fat anyway (if you need to lose weight) just be riding a lot. Iv’e read recent studies show that you burn more fat at a higher heart-rate, don’t have any links or evidence to back it up though!

The cyclo-cross will help with your speed work. You probably have a good bit endurance from it, more than you think. It really depends what your weakness is as to what type of training to do. You might need to work on climbs, sprints, sustained efforts, could be good to make a chart and mark out your strengths and weaknesses. Also the length of your races and when you want to peak more, that will change what type of training you do and what type of year.

If you are keen on cross racing then it should have been spring/summer base miles… You’re a bit late to build up your base, considering cross racing starts in a few weeks time.

When base building, I just concentrate on riding as much as I can during the week. I consider it all adds up, so just popping down to the shops, commuting to work, weekends ride etc. I am probably doing it wrong though.