Why winter train so much? - Page 2

Thanks dude. You summed it up better than I did!

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Maybe it's because I'm young (23) and relatively "seasoned", that I can hop on the bike in the spring after little winter riding, and in less than a month be able to mix it up with the big boys (1/2s) haha....please don't take that as bragging. I'm decent but not great in the local scene.

I haven't put my mind to serious road training since 05 actually (haven't really raced since either). Maybe one of these days I'll get around to seeing what I got.

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The faster you go, the fewer passing cars

Velomanct,

I'm not sure exactly how good you are - but if you can't mix it up in the local scene then how can you mix it with the "big boys." Maybe your definition of "big boys" differs from mine.

The deal with winter training is that you can get a huge amout of steady aerobic training that you can't during the racing season. For me that was many hours at 23, 24 mph up and down the A6, A580 etc... or when it was too cold and snowy in the garage for 12 to 15 hours a week in 54x14 at 175bpm. When I lived back in England, from late Feb to early Nov it was either road racing or time trailing almost every saturday or sunday and then an evening 10 (or during mid June/July a 25) in the middle of the week - there's no time for getting in a high quality set of high end aerobic training during the summer if you race lots. Get it while you can and when you're going for it 5 or 10 miles out, be happy that you spent all those winter months getting ready for "that" moment.

You kept an average HR for that many hours a week during the winter when training?

Wow, I can only see that type of HR once in a while...I do not know why but my HR can only go that high during VO2...my L4 intervals I do not think go that high. Probably not a good thing...

-js

I agree 100% with your feelings. There is no better feeling to me in the gym when I get off the trainer and I have puddles around me. I get all the stares in the world and people decide not to train next to me. I have what I call my "soggy socks" test. If I do not leave the gym with my socks soak and wet than I did not have a good workout with the ERG. It gives you a certain high for sure when you have a good workout.

The one down side are my poor sneakers...god do they smell. It does clear the area for the bike for me to use....

-js

I was and still a bit of a slave to WKO but this year I am pulling back a bit as it drives me a bit daffy after a while.

I landed in an unplanned periodization.
For the last couple of weeks I have had to work longer hours to make up for a deadline that a coworker missed. I missed two nights last week and the two nights that I could get on the trainer I had little left that day and was only able to muster up lower L3 efforts.

For me I have to replace your word "boring" and use "frustrating" for my situation.

All of my weight training sessions went well last week since I do a double split and train with weights at 5 AM before going in to work, but the bike training in the evening has dropped.

My next planned break is the week of Christmas.

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That double split is going to be a tough road! I wish you luck as I tried it a bit the first year. Listen to your body for sure with that much punishment.

-js

I couldn't do that now but that was 14 years ago. Back then I'd do 50's at 180 to 185, depending on the weather. 25 mile TT's were ~190 and 10's were 190 to 195... It wasn't unusual for me to see over 205bpm at the end of a short race or hillclimb

At 23 and started racing very young, you may very well be one of those unusual athletes that has youth and talent to such a degree that the usual rules and protocols don't really apply. After 35, it becomes a bit harder to get back into shape after an extensive periord of detraining. Given the state of cycling in the US, a lot of us didn't even start riding seriously until 23.

I can tell you that at 42, I would rather stay in shape over the winter than endure that pain that occurs after an extended layoff. It's just harder to whip yourself into shape at that age. But I would agree that training too hard over the winter can cause an early Spring peak and then fatigue by mid summer. I'm pretty sure that most riders are proponents of some sensible periodization program.

Since I have never felt my HR go much past 180, how does it feel when compared to 175?

The type of pain specifically.

-js

I still get into the 200s as well, the highest about 215, but I don't really use HR much any more. As I get into those levels, I feel that sore feeling in my throat and really need to back way off. At 180, I can be cruising right along.

Somewhere out there is a study of collegiate swimmers, showing that only those who maintained a reasonably high level of fitness in the off-season progressed year-over-year...those who slacked off and returned to the team at the same level they were at in prior years did not. Unfortunately, however, I can't seem to locate the study at the moment...

Frankly, I think this is just common sense. I see a lot of people take time off in the winter, then proceed with LSD training (except for the "L" part). They ride at the same level every year, and amazingly they roll their eyes when I tell them about my off-season training. Personally, I don't see how one can stay motivated without goals and a plan for improvement.

Velomanct, get yourself on a regimen of SST during the winter and work on that Cat. 1 upgrade.

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For me the 160s is where I can pretty much cruise forever. Once I get into the mid 170s I will start to feel a bit of discomfort and as the ride continues it will get worse and worse. I also notice the heart rate will slowly rise over time and may settle in one zone every so often.

Maybe it has to do with the fact I have a heart murmur. I was diagnosed with it a long time ago as I got it from my mom. Not sure if it means anything for cycling though.

-js

Now, and I always considered I was a guy who has high HR.... If I'd go and try to ride with mid 160's I'd struggle after max 90 min. My LT HR is 167, therefore....just thinking about above 170.... If I do L5's I end up with a max of 172-174 and I do 5min's. My max HR I've seen this year is 178!
But, as always said, the HR says nothing as a number only as a relative to the max HR it might play a role. But as most of us have PM HR is only academic, isn't it?

Cheers, bigwillie013