How to build up thigh strength!

Biker Joe

It has been almost a year since I started riding again after a 4 year layoff due to knee problems and ultimately knee surgery. I have increased my mileage to approximately 300 miles a month.

Saturday, I did a club ride, 30 miles at 18-22mph. I was able to hang with the group and do my turns pulling until they hit 22mph. After my last pull I fell off the back getting dropped and had to continue at 18-19 mph.

I did my best to keep my cadence fairly high to keep my legs going, but at the 24 mile mark I began to fall behind. My legs felt like they had no strength left.

So, what is recommended to build my leg endurance?

Joe

Yojimbo_

Well....do a search here for FTP and Sweet Spot training. Sounds like that's what you need.

frenchyge

Continuing to ride will build your leg endurance over time. In the meantime, I'd suggest sitting in the back of that group until the halfway point, and then working with them on the way back. That'll do more for you than working for the first half and then getting dropped.

Felt_Rider

This is the opposite advice that Rapdaddyo gave me.
When I started progressing past the main level of my cycling club and yet I was not able to hang with the "Team B" group RD told me that is how he encouraged guys in his club to go hard in the first half (he had them do pulls in the first half) and then someone would like himself would drop back and finish the ride with that person. After about 4 months of riding like this I found myself improving rapidly. It was frustrating getting dropped in the last 10 miles of a typical 60 mile ride, but now I find myself easily doing long pulls (and often scolded for pulling the group apart). I also return the favor by dropping back and help pull other guys back up to the group. Man, that is good feeling to be able to drop back and pull someone back up to a fast paceline.

However, I also agree with frenchy in that method as well.


I am/was fortunate to have guys that wanted to see me join their group and were patient with me during those months and were able to mentor me and drop back and give me encouragement until I was able to hang with them. (disclaimer: I am still the weakest in the group when it comes to long climbs)

Hang in there and be encouraged with the future days when your hard effort will begin to show.

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Steve_B

I agree with frenchyge except that I would modifiy it slightly. I would first see if I can sit in the group and not take any pulls at all and finish the whole ride. If and once this becomes commonplace, do as frenchyge advised. Each ride, try to do a bit more work. After some time and many rides, you'll be able to handle maybe even taking pulls in the first half of the ride. If the others give you a hard time about not taking any pulls at all, don't worry about it. You will eventually be able to contribute.

Felt_Rider

I must have been under the "tough love" training principles of Rapdaddyo.
It was tough, painful and at time discouraging, but it seemed to work. I achieve my goal in half of the time that I had predicted.

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frenchyge

It's great if someone is willing to drop back and pull you home once you've blown (did that for a teammate just this weekend), but absolutely no fun to get dropped and left for dead. That's definitely one way to find and expand your limits, if you learn from the experience without getting discouraged.

I just hate to see guys working way over their heads early on trying to rotate with the big dogs in a training ride. I'd rather have some extra folks around that can work-in later in the ride when the big dogs are worn down a bit (just do not even think about attacking late in the ride or sprinting for the finish when people have been pulling your butt the whole way -- major faux pas). Plus, for training benefit I think I'd rather see someone do 30 miles at 85-90% of their limit than do 100% for a portion of the ride and then blow up and limp the rest of the way home at 60-70%.

Whatever the approach, I think group rides are useful for letting people learn their limits and make decisions about when to go beyond, and when to stay within.

Felt_Rider

You're right!! I recant my thoughts of "tough love" training
I remember falling off the back a couple of times when all heads were down and the pace was intense. The group never saw me drop off and I was then in a place where nothing looked familiar. A sense of anxiety would come over me in trying to figure out how to get back to the parking lot that was many miles away.

Once I started using the Garmin Edge and would preload the route in the GPS then I went back to example 2 & 4 and when I would get dropped I no longer had the anxiety. I had confidence to limp back at a slow pace to the start by using the GPS if no one was there to ride with me.

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Eden

I have another suggestions for Joe - 1. Be sure to eat and drink - it also sounds like you may have had the beginnings for a bonk going. When you are on a big group ride it may be hard to find the time or the confidence to pull out your bottles out, but practice and do it.

tonyzackery

+100. Lack of fuel sounds like the culprit to me...

AngryPenguin

I did exactly this last Sunday, went out with a faster group than I normally do and was alright for about 40 miles and then after that I was really struggling to keep up, I could just about manage it on the straight but when I got to a little hill I had to stick it down into the granny gear. Anyways there were a couple of nice guys who dropped off the back and helped me the last 10 miles back.

I was really pissed at the time about falling off the group but now I can see where I went wrong and some stuff I can work on, although it doesn't feel like it at the time something like this can be very productive.

I know it is going to feel really good in a couple of months time when I can keep up with them for the whole way and it is a nice short term target.

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Biker Joe

I really appreciate all of the support and encouragement, it have given me a lot of determination to jump to that next level.

It has been pretty windy here for the past few days, I have also made an extra effort to ride alone and work hard into the head wind. I am hoping that this will also help me to build endurance and strength.