Brand New//overwhelmed/schedule



RACING RANDY

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Sep 19, 2006
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Hi everyone out there!

Very excited as I just started training in June in the hopes to become competitive next spring! I hired a personal Coach and am building up endurance, speed and improving my recovery. Have been on a training program since July and I am riding with 2 "fast" groups per week although I am dropping out of the second group after the 25 mile. This group goes about 23 mph on average with sprints and break-a ways. Despite the fact that I am dropping out, I am truly amazed at how much I have improved endurance wise and how much fun I am having as I watch my recovery improve as well as strength. I really enjoy the training and the Coaching.

My questions are pretty simple to the group out there. Although some of you are going to respond "Ask your Coach"! But I want to know from actual cyclists as well!! To get their perspective!

1) Is there a USCF Schedule out there that lists 2007 races? On a website?

2) 2 years! That is what my Coach is saying to me on how long it will take (typically) for my base to build up and for me to have a good endurance and recovery ready to go. Is that pretty typical?

3) My Coach is telling me to stay off the bike for 1 month during the off season. Typically in December. I can play other sports but no biking. I don't know if I can do this because I want to be ready to race (Cat5) next spring and to me, one month is an awfully long time. I am having so much fun right now training 5 days a week with a recovery day and an off day. Is this typical?
 
You don't say how old you are, but if you are in your prime, you're not going to wear out. On the other hand, you can be very fresh after laying off a month and starting the new year with resolve.
Riding through December in Chicago sounds dreadful, if not downright dangerous. If you slip on some ice or get hit by a car, it won't matter what your heart rate is.
 
Alpenrose said:
You don't say how old you are, but if you are in your prime, you're not going to wear out. On the other hand, you can be very fresh after laying off a month and starting the new year with resolve.
Riding through December in Chicago sounds dreadful, if not downright dangerous. If you slip on some ice or get hit by a car, it won't matter what your heart rate is.
Fortunately here in Chicago, we have a 20 mile bike path along the lake shore. However, I am unsure it is maintained in during the winter months like it is when warm. Being my first bike season in the saddle, myself. But if this winter is anything like last; I could see myself on the path until about Jan.

Then again, there is always the fluid/mag trainer for those days when every direction feels like the wind is blowing directly at you.
 
GuyNoir said:
Fortunately here in Chicago, we have a 20 mile bike path along the lake shore.
I hope this is supposed to be some sort of joke. :confused:
Serious cycling training at speeds above 10-15mph along Chicago's lake shore? You'd have to be completely out of your mind to try that. The only question would be how many leisure bikers and pedestrians you will hit before going down yourself, taken out by an accident, or by an angry mob...
 
Dietmar said:
I hope this is supposed to be some sort of joke. :confused:
Serious cycling training at speeds above 10-15mph along Chicago's lake shore? You'd have to be completely out of your mind to try that. The only question would be how many leisure bikers and pedestrians you will hit before going down yourself, taken out by an accident, or by an angry mob...
Nope. No joking here. Every morning (re: around 0500), I see serious riders, coaches and pacelines all doing what they need to do to get the speed, distance and time in the saddle for the day. It is even more serious early morning on the weekends. Sundays I start out early to beat the foot traffic to run laps on that very course (5700N to 7200S and back) several times at endurance speeds of 20mph or more. Granted once the sun comes up and people start coming out for the various runs, beach combing, Tailgaters, etc, it does put a serious damper on a set tempo. However, the point was made by the OP that would focus training time for this winter. Let's face it, there is very little beach traffic in the winter time, with exception of the runners and bikers. I.E. Us.

Even just noodling home from work, I am over 15mph. Rarely above 20mph, but then again, I had the trail in the morning for serious riding.

-GN
 
I used to live in Chicago. If I were you, I would fall in love with my trainer. frenchyge had a great racing season, largely due to a well planned winter on his trainer. He should just post his winter workout program as a thread, with winter around the corner (at least for most of you).:D

P.S., I hate it when I remember a really great post (e.g., frenchyge's winter trainer regimen) and the search function turns up ~100 threads. Help me out, frenchy, where's that post that summarizes what you did last winter before you came out smokin' and winning your spring races? Actually, while you're at it, how about starting a thread on people's preferred winter trainer workout schedule? Maybe it's a month too soon, but it's not too soon to figure out if one has the right trainer to make the most progress over those important winter months (especially if one doesn't have a PM).
 
RapDaddyo said:
He should just post his winter workout program as a thread, with winter around the corner (at least for most of you).
I would really appreciate if someone could post a good winter trainer schedule. I am thinking of making the jump to a good trianer (maybe even a Fortius) but have little idea on how to train on the dang thing.
 
Powerful Pete said:
I would really appreciate if someone could post a good winter trainer schedule. I am thinking of making the jump to a good trianer (maybe even a Fortius) but have little idea on how to train on the dang thing.
That's why I want frenchy to post his regimen last winter, along with his results (especially increase in FTP), for three reasons: (1) his time commitment was very reasonable, (2) his results were impressive, especially given that he was starting from a relatively high level of fitness and (3) his program was power-based but (and this is key) he could have done exactly the same workouts without a power meter. Come on, frenchy, don't be shy -- let's have the recipe.
 
Powerful Pete said:
I would really appreciate if someone could post a good winter trainer schedule. I am thinking of making the jump to a good trianer (maybe even a Fortius) but have little idea on how to train on the dang thing.
That's why I want frenchy to post his regimen last winter, along with his results (especially increase in FTP), for three reasons: (1) his time commitment was very reasonable, (2) his results were impressive, especially given that he was starting from a relatively high level of fitness and (3) his program was power-based but (and this is key) he could have done exactly the same workouts without a power meter. Come on, frenchy, don't be shy -- let's have the recipe.
 
Powerful Pete said:
I would really appreciate if someone could post a good winter trainer schedule. I am thinking of making the jump to a good trianer (maybe even a Fortius) but have little idea on how to train on the dang thing.
If you buy a Fortius, then chances are that your training inspiration will come from the courses that you'll ride, the racing that you'll do against the computer.

It's a good choice of course. But you may also want to visit CyclingPeaks website to see which toys are the most compatible with their training application. That will ease up the analysis process.
 
RapDaddyo said:
Come on, frenchy, don't be shy -- let's have the recipe.
I've pretty much realized that my success this year was due to my superior genes and a freakish alignment of the heavenly bodies -- nothing to do with my training. I should have been doing thousands of "Base miles" instead. :D

I'll think about posting some stuff from last year's plan, but I'd hate to lead people to being too focused on microstructure vs. macrostructure. I intend to make some changes this year, and when I get some time to pull my thoughts together I'll post some stuff. I'm not quite back in that mental state just yet.
 
GuyNoir said:
Nope. No joking here. Every morning (re: around 0500), I see serious riders, coaches and pacelines all doing what they need to do to get the speed, distance and time in the saddle for the day.
Ahh, 5 in the morning! Now that I can believe.

However, the point was made by the OP that would focus training time for this winter. Let's face it, there is very little beach traffic in the winter time, with exception of the runners and bikers. I.E. Us.
Well, yes, but if you ask me, it's even less fun to ride at 5 in the morning during a snow strom...
 
frenchyge said:
I'll think about posting some stuff from last year's plan, but I'd hate to lead people to being too focused on microstructure vs. macrostructure. I intend to make some changes this year, and when I get some time to pull my thoughts together I'll post some stuff. I'm not quite back in that mental state just yet.
I searched and searched and wasn't able to find the post mentioned. Now I'm sitting at work thinking, "I hope this Frenchy fellow has logged in and posted that link." And to think it was ->this<- close.

Oh well, I'll just have to log 45,000 base miles this January instead. :eek:
 
frenchyge said:
I've pretty much realized that my success this year was due to my superior genes and a freakish alignment of the heavenly bodies -- nothing to do with my training. I should have been doing thousands of "Base miles" instead. :D
LOL. Yeah, just think where you could be if you hadn't followed a dull, power-based training plan!:D
 
Let me elaborate on why I want frenchy to post his trainer workout regimen from last year. Many are of the view that you can't make much progress in raising one's fitness during the winter. The classic approach has been to do tempo rides if one rides at all, then start in with base miles (again, tempo) in January and defer any actual high-intensity efforts (L4+) until at least, say, March. If they ride their trainer in the winter, they just view it as logging some miles while watching TV or listening to some music to avoid losing too much fitness over the winter. Personally, I absolutely disagree with this approach. I do high-intensity work year-round and there is no more efficient way to do high-intensity work than on a trainer. Adaptation value per minute on the trainer can't be beat. So, frenchy's approach last winter was very different from the classic approach and his results speak for themselves. The other reason is that on the right trainer one can replicate his workouts 100% without a power meter. This is huge for those without a PM!:cool:
 
RapDaddyo said:
Let me elaborate on why I want frenchy to post his trainer workout regimen from last year. Many are of the view that you can't make much progress in raising one's fitness during the winter. The classic approach has been to do tempo rides if one rides at all, then start in with base miles (again, tempo) in January and defer any actual high-intensity efforts (L4+) until at least, say, March. If they ride their trainer in the winter, they just view it as logging some miles while watching TV or listening to some music to avoid losing too much fitness over the winter. Personally, I absolutely disagree with this approach. I do high-intensity work year-round and there is no more efficient way to do high-intensity work than on a trainer. Adaptation value per minute on the trainer can't be beat. So, frenchy's approach last winter was very different from the classic approach and his results speak for themselves. The other reason is that on the right trainer one can replicate his workouts 100% without a power meter. This is huge for those without a PM!:cool:
RapDaddyo,

I agree with you in your disagreement about the classic "offseason" and "base" procedures. Dave Harris and Dave Morris are in the same boat. They're more in line with building the power first, then maintaining the power. It fits in more with seasons as well as keeping you sane on a trainer. Personally I find the trainer infinitely more tolerable when doing intervals than "slogging along" at L3.

I've never gone into an offseason with a plan before this year. My target events are all off-road, so it's a bit easier to stay on my "game" through the winter since you can reasonably ride the MTB through the end of the year in New Jersey. I'm aiming at maintaining any gains through the year that way.

I'm also looking at essentially reverse periodization and block training, with L5/L6 coming first, then L4, then L3 as my first target event draws near (a 12 hour mtb race in June). The heavier doses of L4/5/6 stuff comes in the Jan-early March time frame when the trails are mostly not rideable and the road is downright frigid. We'll see how it works out.

Norm
 
Dietmar said:
I hope this is supposed to be some sort of joke. :confused:
Serious cycling training at speeds above 10-15mph along Chicago's lake shore? You'd have to be completely out of your mind to try that. The only question would be how many leisure bikers and pedestrians you will hit before going down yourself, taken out by an accident, or by an angry mob...

This will help out your pack/handling skills :D Then you can bump it up to 25-27mph, that will really help your skills, just remember to say "on your right" or "on your left" thats pack lingo. :D

Dietmar said:
You'd have to be completely out of your mind to try that.

Your telling me your not out of your mind when you enter a cat 5 race with 50+ riders, that don't have much race experience, riding shoulder to shoulder, testosterone flowing and cant wait for the sprint at the end :eek: Even the 100lb guy that looks like a twig is trying to sprint against the muscle bound stocky guy who "thinks" he can sprint also because its his second race :eek:
 

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