Daft question maybe?



Andy Jennings

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Nov 3, 2016
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Quick bit of detail first.

I'm 265, ish, 53 yes old, back to cycling for 2 months after 15 year break due to illness when I did almost Zero exercise.

I currently am riding every day, between 30Km (19Ml approx), bare minimum and 60Km (38Ml Approx), split in to two rides. Distance varies on how I feel and the 30Km ride is the first of the day. Too tired I don't go again. Occasionally I take a day's break after a hard day. Now being realistic I know I am not going to keep riding that much all the time, but distance will go up.

I am trying to lose the weight by the way. lol What a surprise.

If I take a 5 day riding week at 30Km a day, Then take off another couple of weeks for injury or traveling etc. I was surprised to find that it works out to 3840Km (2400Ml Approx) a year.

Now the question. ( although I know the answer is highly subjective)

Am I overdoing it and should I have a more structured training program?
 
What's the main purpose?
And how do you feel?
I commute by bike, 2x25 km most days of the week.
On the plus side I can pretty much eat as if I was a teenager again w/o any concerns about weight.
The rides costs me 1600-2200 cals daily according to my HRM.
My stamina has become ridiculous.
If I mind my pulse limit a bit, I can go all day as long as I keep snacking along the way.
Did a 300 km ride this summer. Apart from being a little saddle sore I was pretty much recovered the next day.

But:
- I'm a bit younger than you - 46.
- I spent probably 18 months working up to this dosage. And that was some years ago.
- by now, I sure ain't getting any faster.
- It's not like I'm bouncing with excess energy in the evenings. Particularly not when the studded tires have gone on. A recovery meal pretty darn quick once off the bike has become quite important. Or the pull of the couch may well become irresistible.
- before a race, I will back down on mileage. Spend some weeks riding every 2nd day, focusing on interval training.
- I definitely ride with more attack on Mondays, and still have more energy that evening than any other day of the week.
- I do spend 15-30 minutes on stretches and supplementary strength training 2-4 times/week.

So If your main goal is to burn calories, go for it until your body tells you otherwise.

If you want to progress as a rider, you need more structure.
More time for recovery.
More time for interval training.
More time for supplementary exercises.
Less time spent on steady-state, day-in, day-out grinding rides.
 
Thanks for the reply Dabac.

Main purpose is as said to lose weight with a secondary, although still important goal, of getting fitter. Much fitter. Although I seriously doubt that I will get to a stage of wanting to race. This is definitely more of an enjoyable hobby with good health benefits.

As for how I feel Yeah fatigued in the legs but not so much that going again requires a huge effort. I regulate my fatigue more with perceived effort, heart rate and distance on the second ride of the day.

Yeah I do want to progress as a rider, the longer I am doing this the more important that has become to me, but, personally, I feel the drive to lose Kg more important at this stage. I intend to work on my technique, such as pedaling (as discussed in that other thread) to get the muscle memory working.

Once I have some shoes, and get used to riding in cleats again, however, I think that you are right and I need to get a more balanced training program going. Also I want to get a road bike for this as well for the interval training. Currently I am on a MTB and my cycling is split pretty much 50/50 between black top and gravel roads. Loath to get a road bike yet because of the problems of tyre pressures and my weight and the fact that my gut gets in the way so much.

Time to start researching.

Thanks for the advice. Appreciate it.
 
Been researching a weight loss training program and I am having trouble finding one that doesn't require power meters to get more accurate Vo2 Max.

Now I don't mind spending money on this but it is beginning to get a touch expensive for me, as a beginner, and not really necessary at this stage.

Can anyone point me in the direction of training programs that will point me in the right direction for now until I am able to make a decision of whether the purchase of a power meter is going to be actually necessary to get where i want to with cycling? At this point I don't think it is at all.

I am going to start adding in short high intensity intervals and longer moderate intensity intervals in to my training as soon as I have done a little more research, based on %MHR 2-3 times a week, as well as continue with longer steady rides at least twice a week.

TIA
 
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Oh, with MTB just remember to use slick tires on the trainer so you don't get the loud vibration from the knobbies. But just using the trainer blindly (without gauging intensity) didn't help. Been there done that.
Slicks it is. That was already on the to do list as I basically ride gravel or blacktop roads only. No need for knobbies at all.
 
Do a little research, look at youtube for trainerroad or zwift, find out which trainer both support. And don't worry about the FTP number that it gives you. Only drawback with zwift is that if your reported power is lower than your actual power, you guy in the game will go slower and you can't keep up with anyone, if that bothers you. Which will be the case if you're MTB. Trainerroad just sets a target for you to reach, based on your ftp test. As long as you do the FTP test with MTB and workouts with the MTB you'll be fine. If you switch bikes or setup, just do another FTP test.
 
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I'll have a good look in to both and go from there.

So far they both are interesting so I have to go a bit deeper. lol

Thanks again for the advice.
 
Hey! We're the same age and the same size (back in 2016). Don't worry about too much structure, just get out there and ride your bike!
 
Hey there! Totally agree with you - don't sweat the structure, just hop on your bike and go for it! Enjoy the ride and let the wind fuel your speed! ‍♂️ Stay safe out there and keep pushing those limits!